SB69 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jimmy Holley

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Homicide, criminally negligent homicide, person commits criminally negligent homicide if person operates motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft while fatigued, Sec. 13A-6-4 am'd.

Summary

SB69 would make criminally negligent homicide occur when a death results from operating a motor vehicle, aircraft, or vessel while fatigued, with fatigue defined as 24 hours without sleep, and would treat that situation as a Class C felony.

What This Bill Does

The bill adds fatigue-based criminally negligent homicide to the law: if a death is caused by operating a vehicle, aircraft, or vessel while fatigued, it becomes a crime. Fatigue is defined as having gone 24 consecutive hours without sleep. In these fatigue cases (and in cases of driving while intoxicated under existing law), the offense would be a Class C felony; all other criminally negligent homicide cases remain a Class A misdemeanor. The jury may consider other statutes and ordinances regulating the actor's conduct when deciding whether the operator was culpably negligent.

Who It Affects

• Drivers, pilots, and boat operators in Alabama who operate a motor vehicle, aircraft, or vessel and could be charged if their fatigued operation causes a death.
• Families of victims and the general public in Alabama, who could see higher penalties for fatigue- or DUI-related fatalities and greater accountability for operators.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 13A-6-4 to add fatigue-based criminally negligent homicide as a crime when a death is caused by operating a motor vehicle, aircraft, or vessel while fatigued.
• Defines fatigue as having been without sleep for 24 consecutive hours.
• Sets penalties so fatigue- or intoxication-related deaths are Class C felonies; in other cases, criminally negligent homicide remains a Class A misdemeanor.
• Specifies that deadly outcomes from intoxicated driving (under Section 32-5A-191 or 32-5A-191.3) or fatigue (driving in violation of subsection (b)) are Class C felonies.
• The jury may consider other traffic laws when evaluating culpable negligence.
• Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and governor's approval.
• Notes: the bill asserts it is exempt from certain local-funding requirements because it creates or amends a crime.

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