SB60 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Bail, to provide for additional offenses that would require mandatory denial of bail, Secs. 15-13-2, 15-13-3 am'd.

Summary

SB 60 would expand mandatory denial of bail to more serious offenses and update the bail statutes in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

The bill adds several offenses to the list that require bail to be denied before trial, expanding beyond offenses punishable by death. It preserves bail rights for defendants not charged with those enumerated offenses, while updating the code language to current style. It also includes a provision about bail in capital cases after certain continuances for absent witnesses, and ties the changes to a constitutional amendment about reasonable bail that would take effect upon ratification.

Who It Affects

• Defendants charged with the enumerated offenses (including capital offenses, murder, first/second-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, sexual torture, first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree human trafficking, and offenses where injury may cause death that could be a capital offense) who would be denied bail before conviction.
• All other defendants who are not charged with enumerated offenses would continue to have bail as a right before conviction, under the existing general rule.

Key Provisions

• Amends Sections 15-13-2 and 15-13-3 to add new offenses that require mandatory denial of bail (list includes: capital offense, injury likely to cause death where death would be capital, murder, first/second-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, sexual torture, first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree human trafficking).
• Keeps bail rights for offenses not on the enumerated list; such defendants would be entitled to bail as a matter of right before conviction.
• In capital cases where bail is denied under the new subsection, the defendant can obtain bail after the state, following indictment, has continued the case twice for absent witnesses without the defendant's consent.
• Includes nonsubstantive technical revisions to update the code language to current style.
• Effective immediately upon ratification of a constitutional amendment to provide reasonable bail prior to conviction, except for crimes enumerated by the Legislature in general law proposed in SB 60.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Bail