SB188 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Will BarfootSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Sex offenders; restricted employment and volunteer positions further provided for

Summary

SB188 would bar sex offenders from being first responders and impose strict geographic and workplace restrictions near places serving minors in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

If passed, the bill would add new employment and volunteering restrictions for sex offenders. Adult sex offenders would be prohibited from working or volunteering as first responders and would face broad limits on employment near schools and other places that primarily serve children. The bill sets distance rules, including a 2,000-foot buffer from school property and a 500-foot buffer from playgrounds and minor-focused facilities, with straight-line distance measurements. Similar restrictions apply to juvenile sex offenders, and violations would be Class C felonies; the act becomes effective on October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects

• Adult sex offenders who would be barred from employment or volunteering at schools, childcare facilities, organizations serving children, or amusements/water parks, and who would be prohibited from serving as first responders.
• Juvenile sex offenders who would face similar prohibitions on employment or volunteering at schools, childcare facilities, or organizations serving minors, and who would be barred from acting as first responders.

Key Provisions

• Amends Sections 15-20A-13 and 15-20A-31 to prohibit adult sex offenders from employment or volunteering at schools, childcare facilities, or other organizations primarily serving children, and from working as first responders.
• Imposes 2,000-foot and 500-foot geographic restrictions around schools and minor-focused facilities for adult sex offenders, measured in a straight line, with certain exemptions.
• Prohibits knowingly employing or offering positions to adult sex offenders at childcare facilities or organizations serving children.
• Defines first responder for purposes of the bill as paramedics, firefighters, rescue squad members, EMTs, and similar emergency responders, and makes violations Class C felonies.
• Extends the same employment and first responder restrictions to juvenile sex offenders, with violations also classified as Class C felonies.
• The bill is considered a new crime for constitutional purposes and takes effect on 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