Under existing law, the murder of a first responder is not a capital offense.
This bill would provide that the murder of a first responder would be a capital offense.
Under existing law, there are certain aggravating circumstances listed for capital offenses.
This bill would include as an aggravating circumstance a victim of a capital offense who was a law enforcement officer, a prison or jail guard, or a first responder.
Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose.
The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment.
Source: Alabama Legislature