HB229 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris SellsRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Crimes and offenses, crimes motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or physical or mental disability, to include employment as a law enforcement officer within the protected class, Sec. 13A-5-13 am'd.

Summary

HB 229 would impose harsher penalties for crimes that are motivated by a victim’s employment as a law enforcement officer.

What This Bill Does

The bill adds enhanced penalties when the crime is against a law enforcement officer and the motive is the officer’s employment. It establishes minimum sentences for felonies (A: 15+ years, B: 10+ years, C: 2+ years, D: 18 months) and for misdemeanors (minimum 3 months for a Class A misdemeanor) if the motive was the officer’s job. It also allows for possible Habitual Felony Offender Act enhancements if the offender has prior felony convictions and notes local-funding implications under Amendment 621, with an explicit exemption from those funding requirements because of the bill’s nature.

Who It Affects

• People who commit a misdemeanor or felony against a law enforcement officer and whose crime is shown beyond a reasonable doubt to be motivated by the officer's employment would face higher penalties.
• Law enforcement officers (as potential victims) would gain strengthened penalties for crimes motivated by their employment.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 13A-5-13 to add heightened criminal penalties when the underlying crime is motivated by the victim’s employment as a law enforcement officer.
• Felonies: minimum sentences when motivated by officer employment—A: at least 15 years; B: at least 10 years; C: at least 2 years; D: at least 18 months; includes possible Habitual Felony Offender Act enhancement.
• Misdemeanors: when motivated by officer employment, punishment is a Class A misdemeanor with a minimum of 3 months.
• The bill states it is exempt from local-funds expenditure requirements under Amendment 621 because it defines a new crime or amends an existing one.
• Effective date: the first day of the third month after the bill is enacted.

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