HB323 Alabama 2016 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Jim HillRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2016
Title: Sentencing, juvenile offenders convicted of capital offenses and certain other offenses, maximum sentence of life, Secs. 13A-5-2, 13A-5-39, 13A-5-43, 13A-6-2 am'd.
Summary: HB323 allows people under 18 at the time of their offense to be sentenced to life imprisonment instead of life without parole or death for capital offenses or certain other offenses, aligning Alabama law with Supreme Court decisions Miller v. Alabama and Graham v. Florida.
What This Bill Does
The bill gives judges the option to sentence someone who was under 18 at the time of a capital offense or certain non-capital offenses that currently require life without parole to instead receive life imprisonment. It also says that for non-homicide crimes where life without parole is the only possible sentence, a defendant under 18 must receive life imprisonment. For murders involving defendants under 18, the judge may impose life imprisonment or life without parole within statutory ranges, with consideration of mitigating circumstances and without mandatory jury-imposed sentencing in some cases. Overall, it updates definitions and procedures to reflect the new juvenile-sentencing options.

Who It Affects
Juvenile defendants under 18 at the time of their offense, who could receive life imprisonment instead of life without parole or death for capital offenses or qualifying non-capital offenses.
Alabama courts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and the sentencing process, which will apply these new options and consider mitigating circumstances when determining sentences for juveniles.

Key Provisions
Amends 13A-5-2 to allow a person under 18 convicted of a capital offense or certain non-capital offenses, which are punishable by a mandatory life without parole, to be sentenced to life imprisonment instead.
Amends 13A-5-39 and 13A-5-43 to redefine capital offenses and related terms for juveniles, and to permit life imprisonment as an alternative to life without parole for those under 18, with sentences determined under procedures that may not require a jury and that require considering mitigating circumstances.
Amends 13A-6-2 to specify sentencing for murder and related offenses when the defendant was under 18, allowing either life imprisonment or life without parole within the statute’s range, with judge-based procedures for imposing sentences and consideration of mitigating factors.
Adds Section 2 to require life imprisonment (instead of life without parole) for any non-homicide crime that, by default, has only life without parole as a possible sentence if the defendant was under 18 at the time of the offense.

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