SB442 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Sex Offenders, registration and community notification, technical revisions and citations update various sections, petition for relief from employment, residency living restriction, civil division of circuit courts, absconding without registering, penalty, Secs. 12-15-107, 12-15-116, 13A-5-2, 13A-5-6, 14-9-41, 15-18-8, 15-19-7, 15-20A-4 to 15-20A-7, incl., 15-20A-9, 15-20A-11, 15-20A-14, 15-20A-16, 15-20A-18, 15-20A-21 to 15-20A-26, incl., 15-20A-28, 15-20A-29, 15-20A-32, 15-20A-34, 15-20A-35, 15-20A-37, 15-20A-39, 15-20A-40, 15-20A-43, 15-20A-45, 15-20A-46, 15-22-27.3, 32-6-49.24, 36-18-24, 36-18-25, 38-13-2, 38-13-4

Summary

SB442 makes technical revisions to Alabama's Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act, adds an Internet-provider reporting requirement, clarifies relief petition processes, and imposes a penalty for absconding, with local-funding implications addressed.

What This Bill Does

It updates citations across the sex offender law to reflect current provisions, requires petitions for relief from registration, employment, or living restrictions to be filed in the civil division of the circuit court, and establishes a penalty for sex offenders who abscond and fail to register where they intend to reside. It also requires offenders to list all Internet service providers used and imposes a $200 filing fee for relief petitions, with funds directed to specified accounts. The bill notes local-funding implications but provides an exception from local vote requirements under Amendment 621 due to specified exceptions.

Who It Affects

• Adult and juvenile sex offenders in Alabama would have new duties (report all Internet providers; face residency and other restrictions; have relief petitions heard in civil court; potentially incur new filing fees).
• Law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts would implement and enforce the changes (collect Internet provider information, notify victims, process relief petitions in civil court, and update registries and information-sharing systems).

Key Provisions

• Technical revisions to update internal citations in the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act to reflect current law.
• Relief petitions (from registration, employment, or residency restrictions) must be filed in the civil division of the circuit court, with required timelines and victim notice for hearings.
• New penalty: a Class C felony if an adult sex offender absconds and fails to register in the county where they declared intent to reside.
• Offenders must provide law enforcement with a list of all Internet service providers used, and this information becomes part of the registration record.
• A $200 filing fee is required for relief petitions, with specified distribution to funds and local-law enforcement, and the bill clarifies local-funding implications under Amendment 621.
• Registration data and related information must be stored electronically and made available to appropriate agencies and the public registries as mandated.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Sex Offenders