SB193 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bill Holtzclaw

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Cam WardDick BrewbakerGreg J. ReedRusty GloverJerry L. FieldingArthur OrrClay ScofieldTrip PittmanBryan TaylorGerald O. DialPaul BussmanJ.T. WaggonerPhillip W. WilliamsBill HightowerScott BeasonDel MarshGerald H. AllenJimmy Holley

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Criminal procedure, new classes of capital offense, Secs. 13A-5-40, 13A-5-49 am'd.

Summary

SB193 would add prosecutors to the list of law enforcement for capital offenses and create several new enumerated capital offenses, plus an aggravating factor for killing a law enforcement officer in the line of duty.

What This Bill Does

It amends sections 13A-5-40 and 13A-5-49 to establish new enumerated capital offenses, including murder of a prosecutor. It treats prosecutors as law enforcement for these purposes and makes the murder of a prosecutor an enumerated capital offense. It also adds specific murder scenarios as capital offenses, such as murders of family members of certain officials to avenge or intimidate, murders on school campuses or in daycares, murders of jurors or witnesses to intimidate, murders under protection from abuse orders, and murders of family members of various officials to avenge or retaliate for official actions. Additionally, it creates the aggravating factor of murdering a law enforcement officer in the line of duty, and notes local funding implications but states the bill is exempt from local funding approval requirements due to defining a new crime.

Who It Affects

• Prosecutors and other law enforcement officers (including their families) would be affected because the murder of a prosecutor becomes an enumerated capital offense and related murders could be charged as capital offenses.
• Students on school campuses, children in daycare or licensed child care facilities, jurors and associated family members, witnesses, and victims protected by orders from abuse would be affected by new enumerated capital offenses for related murders.

Key Provisions

• Amends Sections 13A-5-40 and 13A-5-49 to add new enumerated capital offenses and to include prosecutors as members of law enforcement for capital offense purposes.
• Adds as capital offenses the murders described in the bill: murder of a prosecutor; murder of a family member of law enforcement or public official to avenge/intimidate/retaliate; murder on a school campus; murder in a daycare or licensed child care facility; murder of a victim, juror, or associated family member to avenge/intimidate/retaliate; murder of a victim under a Protection From Abuse Order; and murder of family members of police, sheriff, deputy, state or federal officers, prosecutors, or judges when intended to avenge/intimidate/retaliate due to official action.
• Creates the aggravating factor that the capital offense was murder of a law enforcement officer while in the line of duty.
• Notes that the bill would involve a new or increased expenditure of local funds, but specifies it is exempt from local funding approval requirements under Amendment 621 because it defines a new crime or amends the definition of an existing crime.
• Effective date: the first day of the third month after passage and 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