SB320 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Vivian Davis FiguresSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Sexual offenses, redefined certain sexual offenses, sex offender registration, community notification act, add foster parent engaging in sex act, technical revisions, Secs. 13A-5-6, 13A-6-60 to 13A-6-65, inclusive, 13A-6-65.1, 13A-6-66, 13A-6-67, 13A-6-68, 13A-6-70, 13A-6-71, 13A-6-81,13A-6-82, 13A-6-122, 13A-6-241, 13A-6-243, 13A-11-9, 13A-11-32.1, 13A-12-120, 13A-12-121, 13A-12-190, 13A-12-192, 15-3-5, 15-20A-5, 15-20A-44, 15-23-101, 15-23-102 am'd.

Summary

SB 320 updates Alabama's sexual offense laws by expanding definitions, creating new crimes involving minors and caregivers, and increasing penalties and protections for victims.

What This Bill Does

It broadens definitions of forcible compulsion and consent and adds new offenses such as sexual torture, sexual extortion, and directing a child to engage in sexual acts. It creates specific crimes involving foster parents and school employees with minors (foster child, student) and tightens penalties for those offenses. It strengthens online and technology‑assisted exploitation laws, expands sex offender registration/notification, and updates related pornographic and obscene materials laws; it also adds STD testing provisions for certain cases and broadens the statute of limitations for many sex offenses.

Who It Affects

• Sexual offense offenders (adults and juveniles) would face expanded definitions, more offenses, and harsher penalties (including life imprisonment without parole in some child-victim cases and mandatory post-release supervision for sexually violent predators).
• Foster children, students, school staff, and other youth-related care settings would be affected by new crimes (foster parent–child acts, school employee–student acts) and by enhanced protections, reporting/testing requirements, and stricter supervision and registration rules.

Key Provisions

• Revises definitions and expands forcible compulsion and consent in sexual offense statutes.
• Creates new offense of sexual torture (Class A felony) with multiple scenarios including use of objects and harm to a victim.
• Imposes life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for certain rape/sodomy offenses involving young victims when specific age conditions are met.
• Adds new offenses involving foster children: sex act with a foster child (Class B felony), sexual contact with a foster child (Class C felony), and soliciting a foster child (Class A misdemeanor).
• Adds school employee–student offenses: school employee engaging in a sex act with a student (Class B felony) and school employee having sexual contact with a student (Class C felony).
• Establishes electronic solicitation of a child ( Class B felony), sexual extortion (Class B felony), and directing a child to engage in sex acts (Class A felony for intercourse; Class C for sexual contact).
• Strengthens crimes related to loitering and surveillance around sexual offenses (aggravated criminal surveillance).
• Tightens sexual offenses involving minors in 13A-12 series (child pornography/obscenity), including possession with intent to disseminate and separate offenses for each depiction.
• Expands and clarifies the state’s sex offender registration/notification framework to align with broader standards and cross-jurisdiction recognition (SORNA-related provisions).
• Extends the statute of limitations for several sex offenses, including those involving victims under 16, and adds STD testing requirements for certain cases, with confidentiality protections and victim counseling.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Sexual Offenses