SB170 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gerald O. Dial

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Capital offenses, mandatory death penalty sentence to any defendant found guilty of murdering an active duty law enforcement officer, Sec. 13A-5-43 am'd.

Summary

SB170 would make killing an on-duty police officer a mandatory death penalty offense in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

It amends Section 13A-5-43 to require the death penalty for someone found guilty of murdering an on-duty law enforcement officer. The bill discusses local-funding rules (Amendment 621) but states the change is exempt from those requirements because it defines or amends a crime. For offenders who were under 18 at the time of the offense, it allows life without parole or life with parole under juvenile procedures, with a 30-year minimum before parole; for offenders 18 or older, the death penalty would apply following existing capital-offense sentencing procedures.

Who It Affects

• Defendants found guilty of murdering an on-duty law enforcement officer; they would face a mandatory death sentence if convicted.
• Local governments and taxpayers; the bill notes local-funding requirements but is declared exempt from those requirements because it defines/amends a crime.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 13A-5-43 to require the death penalty for murder of an on-duty law enforcement officer.
• If the defendant was under 18 at the time of the offense, allows life without parole or life with parole, with the judge using juvenile procedures and a minimum of 30 years before parole.
• If the defendant is 18 or older, the sentence would follow existing capital-offense procedures, with death as the outcome for the capital offense.
• The act states that although it could trigger local-funding costs, it is excluded from Amendment 621 requirements because it defines or amends a crime; it becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and governor's 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

Death Penalty