HB317 Alabama 2012 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Randy WoodRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2012
Title: Public Safety Department, Blue Alert System, established, director to oversee, duties to department, director, and law enforcement agencies, notification when suspect wanted for injuring law enforcement officer or if officer is missing
Summary: The bill creates a statewide Blue Alert system in Alabama to help locate suspects in crimes involving the death or serious injury of a peace officer or a missing officer, overseen by the Director of Public Safety.
What This Bill Does
It would establish the Blue Alert system and give the Director of the Department of Public Safety authority to oversee it and set rules. The Department could recruit media and other partners and enter into agreements to support the alert. Participating law enforcement agencies must cooperate, develop information-sharing plans for their officers, and use a rapid-response telephone system to alert residents in a targeted area if the alert is activated. The bill also provides liability protection for those disseminating alerts, with certain exceptions.

Who It Affects
Law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction over cases involving the death or serious injury of a peace officer or missing officers must cooperate, implement alert plans, and participate in disseminating information.
General public/residents in the targeted alert area will receive alerts via rapid-response telephone systems and other alert methods to help locate suspects or missing officers.

Key Provisions
Creates Blue Alert system and defines key terms (alert, department, director, law enforcement agency, peace officer).
Authorizes the Director of the Department of Public Safety to oversee the alert system and adopt rules to implement it.
Allows the department to recruit media, government entities, the public, and other entities to assist and to enter into agreements with participants for support.
Requires participating law enforcement agencies to cooperate, establish a plan to provide information to staff after activation, and use a rapid-response telephone system to alert residents in a targeted area.
Provides limited civil liability protection for entities or individuals involved in disseminating alerts, except in cases of unreasonable, wanton, willful, or intentional conduct.
Activation criteria include a not-yet-apprehended suspect who may threaten the public or a missing officer, with sufficient information to assist locating them; area boundaries may be adjusted based on circumstances.
Activation must be verified by the requesting agency; the director may terminate the alert when the suspect/officer is located, or the alert is no longer effective.
The director must be notified immediately when the suspect is located or the officer is found.
Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage/approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Public Safety Department