HB356 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Matt WoodsSenator

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Crimes and offenses, penalty increased for crimes of making a terrorist threat in the first or second degree, principal to immediately contact law enforcement of terrorist threat, suspension of student, readmittance, and restitution provided

Summary

HB356 would raise penalties for first- and second-degree terrorist threats and tighten school discipline by requiring immediate law enforcement notification, a minimum one-year suspension for charged students, readmission conditions, and restitution if found guilty.

What This Bill Does

It increases penalties for making a terrorist threat in the first degree and second degree. It requires public school principals to immediately notify law enforcement if a student's conduct could lead to charges for these threats and to suspend the charged student for at least one year. It creates readmission rules after suspension, including assessment and conditions that must be met before a student can return to school. It requires restitution to victims and responding agencies if a student is found guilty, adds definitions for credible threats and related terms, and sets the act's effective date as July 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Public school students who are charged with or found guilty of making a terrorist threat in the first or second degree, who face immediate suspension, readmission conditions, and potential restitution.
• Parents or guardians of those students, who may be responsible for related costs and are involved in discipline conferences and readmission requirements.
• Public schools, school administrators, teachers, local boards of education, and law enforcement, who must implement the discipline plan, notify authorities, and enforce new rules.
• Law enforcement, emergency responders, and prosecutorial entities, who would receive restitution for costs incurred during investigations or responses.

Key Provisions

• Defines credible threat and clarifies what counts as a threat, including threats to harm people or property and threats involving weapons or mass destruction, with specifics on credibility and imminence.
• Increases penalties for making a terrorist threat in the first degree and the second degree by updating their classifications in the relevant code sections.
• Public school principals must immediately notify law enforcement when a student's conduct could lead to charges for first- or second-degree terrorist threats, and the student must be suspended for at least one year pending readmission conditions.
• Readmission after suspension requires disposition of related criminal charges, completion of any required psychiatric or psychological evaluation and counseling, and satisfaction of other local board requirements.
• Any person found guilty of making a terrorist threat in the first or second degree must pay restitution to affected property owners, law enforcement, and emergency services, including costs from the investigation and response.
• Adds a mandate for uniform safe school and drug-free policies, discipline plans, parent responsibilities for damages, annual policy review, and allows local boards to adopt more stringent rules to maintain a safe environment.
• The act becomes effective July 1, 2025.

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