HB476 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Shane StringerRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Bail, further provides for the crime of bail jumping, the exoneration of sureties, and failure to appear

Summary

HB476 would expand bail jumping penalties and change how bail bonds work in Alabama, adding a Class D felony for bail jumping and broadening when sureties can be exonerated or have forfeitures set aside.

What This Bill Does

First, it adds a Class D felony to bail jumping in the second degree for failing to appear after release on bail for misdemeanors, Class C felonies, or Class D felonies. Second, it allows a bail surety to be exonerated if the surety arrests and delivers the defendant after a conditional forfeiture. Third, it requires the court to issue a conditional forfeiture and show-cause order within 90 days of the defendant's failure to appear, with deadlines for responses and hearings. Fourth, it expands grounds to set aside a conditional forfeiture, including hospitalization or illness, confinement in jail or another jurisdiction, the defendant's death or active military duty, jail refusal to accept the defendant, and authorities' decisions not to enter the defendant into the NCIC database or to extradite.

Who It Affects

• Defendants released on bail for misdemeanors or felonies who fail to appear, potentially facing a new Class D felony bail-jumping charge.
• Bail bond sureties (bail bond companies and their agents) who may be exonerated if they arrest and deliver the defendant after a conditional forfeiture, and who may benefit from new grounds to set aside forfeitures.

Key Provisions

• Adds Class D felony to bail jumping in the second degree for failure to appear after release on bail for misdemeanor, Class C felony, or Class D felony offenses.
• Allows exoneration of sureties when they arrest and deliver the defendant following a conditional forfeiture (15-13-118).
• Requires conditional forfeiture and show-cause orders to be issued within 90 days of the defendant's failure to appear (15-13-131).
• Expands grounds to set aside conditional forfeiture, including hospitalization/illness, defendant confinement in jail or another jurisdiction, death, active military duty, jail refusal to accept the defendant, and lack of NCIC entry or extradition (15-13-138).
• Specifies processes for responses, hearings, and potential continuances related to forfeiture decisions, and allows court costs for extradition to be included in cases where applicable.
• Effective date is 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