HB607 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris EnglandRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Crimes and offenses, enhanced penalty for conviction of a Class A felony, with at least three prior felonies, eliminated, trafficking of certain drugs, penalties revised, Secs.13A-5-9, 13A-12-231am'd.

Summary

HB607 changes habitual offender penalties and drug trafficking penalties in Alabama, giving judges more discretion for some Class A felonies and moving many drug-trafficking penalties from life without parole to life with the possibility of parole, while adding detailed, tiered penalties for multiple drugs.

What This Bill Does

It removes the mandatory life without parole sentence for a Class A felony when the offender has three prior felonies (at least one Class A) and lets the judge choose between life or life without parole. It changes drug trafficking penalties from mandatory life without parole to mandatory life with the possibility of parole for many drugs, and it creates detailed tiered penalties based on the amount of drugs involved (for substances like cannabis, cocaine, illegal drugs, amphetamine, methamphetamine, LSD, hydromorphone, morphine/heroin, and related substances). It codifies habitual-offender penalties across Class C, B, and A felonies, potentially resulting in long prison terms or life imprisonment depending on prior convictions. It adds a firearm enhancement: possessing a firearm during the offense adds five years to the sentence and a $25,000 fine, which cannot be suspended. It includes a funding-related provision tied to local government expenditures and states the act becomes effective immediately after governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Individuals with prior felony convictions (habitual offenders), whose sentencing under Class A/B/C felonies could move from mandatory life without parole to discretionary life terms or longer sentences depending on prior felonies.
• Drug traffickers and distributors of cannabis, cocaine, illegal drugs, amphetamine, methamphetamine, LSD, hydromorphone, morphine/heroin, and other controlled substances, who would face tiered penalties based on the amount involved, including potential life without parole for the largest quantities.
• People who commit drug offenses while armed with a firearm, who would receive an additional five-year sentence plus a $25,000 fine, in addition to other penalties.
• Local governments, due to the bill’s funding-related provisions that affect local expenditures and exceptions to normal local-funding vote requirements.

Key Provisions

• Deletes the mandatory life-without-parole sentence for Class A felonies when the offender has three prior felonies (at least one Class A) and allows the judge to impose life or life without parole.
• Revises trafficking penalties for cannabis, cocaine, illegal drugs, amphetamine, methamphetamine, LSD, hydromorphone, morphine/heroin, and other substances, establishing tiered mandatory minimum terms and fines based on quantity or pill/capsule counts, with life without parole for the largest quantities in many categories.
• For each listed drug category, places sentences on a scale (e.g., grams, pounds, pills, or capsules) with categories ranging from three years to life imprisonment and fines from $25,000 to $500,000, depending on the amount involved.
• Adds a firearm-enhancement provision: possessing a firearm during the commission of a drug-trafficking offense adds five years to the sentence and a $25,000 fine, with no suspension of the extra sentence.
• Provides that certain trafficking offenses are treated as Class A felonies for purposes of sentencing under 13A-5-9, with the greater sentence of the existing penalty or the new penalty applying if there are prior felony convictions.
• Includes Section 2 clarifications that the bill would require new local expenditures but is exempt from the Amendment 621 local-funding requirements due to specified exceptions.
• Section 3 states the act becomes effective immediately upon the Governor's 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

Crimes and Offenses