SB5 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gerald H. AllenSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Firearms, possession and carrying of, certain requirements for, repealed or deleted, Secs. 9-11-304, 13A-11-50, 13A-11-51, 13A-11-52, 13A-11-59, 13A-11-71, 13A-11-73, 13A-11-74, repealed; Sec. 13A-11-61.2 am'd.

Summary

SB5 would repeal several firearm restrictions and rewrite where people can carry firearms in Alabama, including changes to pistol permits and location-based limits.

What This Bill Does

The bill repeals several existing restrictions on carrying or possessing firearms, including rules about wildlife management areas, concealed weapons, carrying a pistol on private property, and related offenses and permit provisions. It adds and clarifies location-based limits by listing places where carrying a firearm is prohibited unless the property owner or authority grants explicit permission, such as police stations, prisons and detention facilities, mental health facilities, courthouses and certain government buildings, and venues hosting school or professional athletic events. The bill includes security and storage requirements inside certain facilities and provides exemptions for law enforcement officers and qualified retired officers, while preserving a residence exemption and other protections; violations would be Class C misdemeanors. The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and, although it contemplates local-fund implications, is stated to be exempt from Amendment 621 local-fund approval because it defines or amends a crime.

Who It Affects

• General gun owners and people who carry firearms (with or without a permit) would face new location-based restrictions and may be subject to penalties for violations, while some prior restrictions are repealed.
• Law enforcement officers and qualified retired law enforcement officers are expressly exempt from these prohibitions.

Key Provisions

• Repeals: Section 9-11-304 (wildlife management areas), Sections 13A-11-50 and 13A-11-51 (carrying concealed weapons), Section 13A-11-52 (carrying a pistol on private property), Sections 13A-11-71 (crime when armed), and Sections 13A-11-73 and 13A-11-74 (pistol permits).
• Amends: Section 13A-11-61.2 to prohibit possession or carrying of a firearm inside certain locations (police/sheriff/patrol stations, detention facilities, mental-health facilities, courthouses and certain government buildings, and facilities hosting athletic events) without express permission, and to require storage/handling rules and notices; includes exemptions and conditions for security measures and residences.
• Other: The bill notes it would require a new or increased local expenditure but is excluded from local-fund approval requirements under Amendment 621 because it defines or amends a crime.
• Effective date: The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after it is enacted.

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

Subjects

Firearms