HB415 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Allen TreadawayRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Crimes, libel and defamation, publication of certain reports considered privileged, Sec. 13A-11-161 am'd.

Summary

HB415 would extend privilege protection to information about actual or suspected crimes that a law enforcement officer provides to a publisher, and it clarifies local-funding requirements under Amendment 621.

What This Bill Does

The bill adds a new privileged category to 13A-11-161 for information about a criminal offense that a law enforcement officer gives to a publisher. It keeps existing privileges for indictments, warrants, arrests, filings, charges, grand jury matters, and legislative or public body investigations, while preserving existing exceptions. It states the bill is exempt from the local-funds requirements of Amendment 621 because it defines a new crime or amends an existing one, and it becomes effective on the first day of the third month after governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Publishers and media outlets would gain added protection when publishing information about actual or suspected crimes provided by law enforcement, subject to existing malice and rebuttal exceptions.
• Law enforcement information shared with publishers could be published with privilege, influencing how the public receives information about criminal matters and potentially limiting liability for the publisher unless exceptions apply.

Key Provisions

• Adds as privileged information: details about an actual or suspected criminal offense conveyed by a law enforcement officer to a publisher.
• Maintains existing privileged categories for criminal/civil reporting, investigations, and related materials, with specified exceptions (e.g., actual malice or failure to publish a reasonable explanation or subsequent determination).
• Declares the bill is exempt from Amendment 621 local-funds requirements (no need for local entity approval or 2/3 vote) because it defines or amends a crime.
• Sets the effective date as the first day of the third month after passage and 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

Privileged Communication