SB287 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Sam GivhanSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Alabama Code of Military Justice

Summary

SB287 updates Alabama's Code of Military Justice to modernize terminology, streamline staff judge-advocate appointments, clarify courts-martial, broaden disciplinary options, and add new offenses with a new effective date.

What This Bill Does

The bill updates definitions and the structure of military justice, including adding a new provision (31-2A-26a) for detailing military judges to special courts-martial and setting qualifications for those judges. It clarifies the roles and differences between general, special, and summary courts-martial, updates appointment processes for staff judge advocates, and repeals several older code sections. It expands non-judicial punishment and progressive discipline for both enlisted and officers, and establishes procedures for records, appeals, and new-trial petitions via a Military Court-Martial Review Panel, while also adding offenses such as housebreaking and trespass. The changes take effect October 1, 2024, and involve updated procedures for court composition, voting, and rights to counsel.

Who It Affects

• Members of the Alabama National Guard (Army and Air) and other state military forces, including enlisted personnel and officers, who would be subject to updated disciplinary authorities, court-martial procedures, and new offenses.
• Military justice professionals and governing authorities in the Alabama National Guard (judge advocates, staff judge advocates, convening authorities, trial and defense counsel, clerks, and supporting personnel) who will implement the revised appointment processes, trial procedures, records, and appellate structures.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: Modernizes the court-martial framework and personnel rules, including adding 31-2A-26a to detail military judges for special courts-martial with specific qualification criteria (a judge advocate who is Alabama National Guard member or a state-bar member for at least five years) and designating who appoints and oversees these judges.
• Provision 2: Expands disciplinary authority and due process, introducing broader non-judicial punishment options, detailed disciplinary penalties (including pay forfeitures and extra duties), appeals processes, exclusive rights to counsel, record-keeping standards, and the creation of a Military Court-Martial Review Panel to handle appeals and new-trial petitions, plus adding new offenses (housebreaking and criminal trespass) to the military code with defined penalties.

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

Subjects

Military