HB316 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Juandalynn GivanRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2015

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-9, incl., 15-20A-11, 15-20A-12, 15-20A-14, 15-20A-15, 15-20A-16, 15-20A-18, 15-20A-21 to 15-20A-29, incl., 15-20A-32, 15-20A-34, 15-20A-35, 15-20A-37, 15-20A-38, 15-20A-39, 15-20A-40, 15-20A-42, 15-20A-43, 15-20A-44, 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 am'd.

Summary

HB316 updates Alabama's sex offender registration and notification law with technical revisions, adds internet provider reporting, tightens residency and enforcement provisions, strengthens penalties for absconding, and clarifies relief petition processes.

What This Bill Does

It makes technical revisions to align sections with current law and updates internal citations. It requires sex offenders to provide law enforcement with a list of every Internet service provider they have used. It strengthens enforcement by creating a penalty for absconders who leave and fail to register in the county where they intended to reside, and it expands electronic monitoring for certain high-risk offenders. It also clarifies where petitions for relief from registration, employment, or living restrictions must be filed, expands information in the public registry, and adds related fees and DNA database provisions.

Who It Affects

• Adult sex offenders (and youth/adult offenders subject to registration) who must now report all Internet service providers used, adhere to residency and employment restrictions, may face travel and monitoring requirements, and could be subject to new penalties for noncompliance.
• Law enforcement agencies, the courts, and state/local public safety entities responsible for maintaining the registry, issuing notifications, enforcing penalties, coordinating data sharing, administering fees, and supervising electronic monitoring and related programs.

Key Provisions

• Technical revisions to numerous code sections to reflect current Alabama law and update internal citations.
• Petitions for relief from the requirements of registration, employment, or living restrictions must be filed in the civil division of the circuit court.
• New penalty: sex offenders who abscond and fail to register in the county where they declared intent to reside commit a Class C felony with corresponding enforcement actions.
• Sex offenders must provide law enforcement with a list of all Internet service providers used; this information is stored electronically and accessible to authorities.
• Public registry requirements: the registry will include specified fields (e.g., name, residences, schools, employers, vehicles, photographs, offenses, and status such as absconded), with certain sensitive data excluded from publication; information must be posted promptly and searchable by various criteria.
• Residency and living restrictions tightened (e.g., 2,000-foot radius from schools/childcare facilities; additional limits related to former victims; loitering prohibitions and accommodations for homeless offenders with reporting rules).
• Employment and vocation restrictions near schools/childcare facilities; prohibition on employment with organizations serving children within specified distances; penalties for violations.
• Travel and relocation rules: travel permits required for certain trips; notice to local law enforcement when traveling; mandatory reporting upon return; international travel provisions.
• Electronic monitoring provisions: some offenders (e.g., sexually violent predators and certain Class A felony sex offenses involving a minor) may be required to wear electronic monitoring for at least 10 years after release, with costs shared by the offender and supervising agency; tampering with monitoring devices is a crime.
• DNA database expansion: creation and use of a DNA database for sex offenders, with mandatory DNA samples collected in specified circumstances (arrest or conviction for offenses including sex offenses) and rules for data handling and release.
• Financial penalties and fee structure: mandatory filing fees for relief petitions ($200) and ongoing registration fees ($10 annually); collected funds distributed to appropriate funds and local agencies to support registration, notification, and enforcement efforts.

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

Subjects

Sex Offenders