HB36 Alabama 2017 Session

Under existing law, there is no provision for a church or place of worship to establish a security program with armed personnel for the protection of the congregation of the church or place of worship.

This bill would create the Alabama Church Protection Act to authorize the governing body of any church or place of worship to establish a security program by which designated members are authorized to carry firearms for the protection of the congregation of the church or place of worship.

This bill would require the Alabama Peace Officers' Training Commission to develop and disseminate the curriculum for members of church protection programs to local law enforcement agencies throughout the state, which would administer and certify the training of members of all church protection programs. This bill would provide limited immunity for members of such a program when acting within the scope of duty as a member of a church protection program.

To create the Alabama Church Protection Act; to provide guidelines for the establishment of protection programs for churches and places of worship; to require the Alabama Peace Officers' Training Commission to develop and disseminate the curriculum for the training of members of church protection programs; to require local law enforcement agencies to administer the training and certify participants in the church protection programs; and to provide civil and criminal immunity for participants in the programs for acts within the scope of their duty as a member of the program.