HB174 Alabama 2024 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Barbara DrummondRepresentative
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2024
Title: Crimes & offenses, further provides for the crime of discharging a firearm
Summary: HB174 would raise the penalties for discharging a firearm or other weapon into occupied or unoccupied dwellings, buildings, and certain vehicles to Class A felonies.
What This Bill Does
If enacted, the bill makes discharging a firearm, explosive, or other weapon that sends a dangerous projectile into an occupied dwelling, building, railroad locomotive or car, aircraft, automobile, truck, or watercraft a Class A felony (up from Class B for occupied targets). It also changes discharges into an unoccupied version of those places from Class C to Class A felony. The bill includes nonsubstantive, technical language updates and becomes effective October 1, 2024. It is exempt from certain local-funding approval requirements because it defines or amends a crime, not due to new local expenditures.

Who It Affects
Offenders: individuals who discharge a firearm, explosive, or other weapon into an occupied or unoccupied dwelling, building, or listed vehicles would face a Class A felony.
Local governments: the bill is exempt from local funding approval requirements, meaning it does not trigger additional local expenditure approval rules for implementing the law.

Key Provisions
Amends Section 13A-11-61 to classify discharging a firearm or other deadly weapon into an occupied dwelling/building/railroad locomotive. car/aircraft/automobile/truck/watercraft as a Class A felony.
Amends the same section to classify discharging into an unoccupied version of those places as a Class A felony (instead of the prior Class C).
Includes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the code language to current style.
Effective date set for October 1, 2024.
States the bill is excluded from Section 111.05 local-expenditure requirements because it defines a new or amended crime.

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