HB296 Alabama 2024 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: David FaulknerRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2024
Title: Retail Theft Crime Prevention Act; required payment of restitution, further provided to include housing and care costs incurred
Summary: HB296 would expand restitution in organized retail theft cases to include costs for the sheriff's office and housing and care of the defendant, in addition to the victim and prosecutors, starting Oct 1, 2024.
What This Bill Does
If passed, the court would order the defendant to pay restitution not only to the retail merchant victim, but also to the primary investigative law enforcement entity (the sheriff's office) and prosecutorial entities for legitimate costs from the investigation or prosecution, including housing and care of the convicted person. The amount or method of payment can follow established procedures or be set by the district attorney. The bill also reaffirm or/or allow for the forfeiture of proceeds or instruments of organized retail theft under existing forfeiture rules.

Who It Affects
Retail merchants and other victims of organized retail theft, who would receive restitution for losses under the merchant restitution provisions.
Local law enforcement (sheriff's office) and prosecutorial entities, which would be recipients of restitution for legitimate costs from the investigation, prosecution, and housing and care of the defendant.

Key Provisions
Amends 13A-8-227 to require restitution to include the sheriff's office and housing/care costs of the convicted person.
Restitution to the merchant victim remains, but now also includes costs to law enforcement and prosecutorial entities for investigation/prosecution or housing/care costs, per specified procedures or as agreed by the DA.
Proceeds or instruments of organized retail theft may be subject to forfeiture under Section 20-2-93.
Effective date: October 1, 2024.

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