HB359 Alabama 2022 Session

Updated Feb 22, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Chip BrownRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2022
Title: Criminal justice agencies, required to submit reports concerning reported and unreported sexual assault cases
Summary: HB359 would require Alabama criminal justice agencies to annually report sexual assault data to ACJIC, notify when new sexual assault evidence or sexually-oriented offenses are received, and have the Department of Forensic Sciences report completed and backlog data.
What This Bill Does
The bill requires every criminal justice agency to submit annual counts related to sexual assault cases to ACJIC, including offenses reported, cases sent for forensic analysis, and cases closed for judicial or investigative reasons. Agencies must also notify ACJIC if they did not have any sexually-oriented offenses or newly reported sexual assault evidence in a given year. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences must report the number of completed and backlog sexual assault cases to ACJIC, and ACJIC must summarize these findings and share them with the legislature, including listing agencies that did not report.

Who It Affects
Criminal justice agencies (including police departments at colleges/universities) that must report annual sexual assault data to ACJIC
Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences that must report completed and backlog sexual assault cases to ACJIC
Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (ACJIC) that will compile, summarize, and forward the reports to legislative committees
Crime laboratories and other reporting entities that may be identified if they fail to report

Key Provisions
By April 1 each year, agencies must report to ACJIC the prior year's numbers: (a) sexually-oriented offenses reported, (b) sexual assault cases submitted for forensic analysis, (c) reported sexual assault cases closed for judicial or investigative reasons; and notify if none of (a) or (b) occurred
By April 1 each year, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences must report to ACJIC the number of completed sexual assault cases and the number of backlogged cases as of December 31 of the prior year
By May 1 each year, ACJIC must transmit a summary report to the Chairs of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, including names and contact information for agencies or laboratories that did not report
The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Sexual Assault