HB258 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Lynn Greer

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Captial offenses, enumerated capital offenses, Secs. 13A-5-40, 13A-5-49 am'd.

Summary

HB258 would expand Alabama's capital offenses to include murders of prosecutors, school-related killings, daycare killings, and revenge-motivated killings of officials, and would add a new factor that makes killing a law enforcement officer in the line of duty an aggravating circumstance.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends existing capital-offense laws to include prosecutors as part of law enforcement for these purposes and adds specific new murders as enumerated capital offenses (murder of a prosecutor; murder on a school campus; murder in a daycare facility; murder of a victim, juror, or associated family member to avenge or intimidate; and murder of a family member of certain officials to avenge official action). It also adds an aggravating factor for murdering a law enforcement officer in the line of duty. The bill states it is exempt from certain local-funding approval requirements under Amendment 621 because it creates or changes a crime, and it becomes effective on the first day of the third month after Governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, and other peace officers (and their families) by expanding capital-offense coverage and providing an additional aggravating factor for killings in the line of duty.
• Students, school staff, children in daycare or licensed child care facilities, jurors, and the families of the listed officials, who would be subject to new enumerated capital offenses in certain revenge or intimidation scenarios.

Key Provisions

• Prosecutors are included as members of law enforcement for purposes of enumerated capital offenses.
• Murder of a prosecutor is added as an enumerated capital offense.
• Murder on the campus of a school is added as an enumerated capital offense.
• Murder in a day care or licensed child care facility is added as an enumerated capital offense.
• Murder of a victim, juror, or associated family member to avenge, intimidate, or retaliate is added as an enumerated capital offense.
• Murder of a family member of a police officer, sheriff, deputy, state trooper, federal officer, prosecutor, or other peace officer, or a judge, committed to avenge, intimidate, or retaliate for official action, is added as an enumerated capital offense.
• An aggravating capital factor is added: murder of a law enforcement officer while the officer is in the line of duty.
• The bill notes it is exempt from Amendment 621 local-funding requirements because it defines a new crime or amends the definition of an existing crime, and provides an effective date as the first day of the third month after Governor 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

Capital Offenses