HB492 Alabama 2025 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Phillip PettusRepresentative
Republican
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Title: Juvenile offenders, delinquent acts for purposes of juvenile proceedings further provided for
Summary: HB492 would exclude certain nonfelony and water-safety offenses by 14- and 15-year-olds from being treated as delinquent acts in juvenile proceedings.
What This Bill Does
HB492 changes the definition of delinquent act for juvenile proceedings so that nonfelony offenses and water-safety offenses committed by 14- or 15-year-olds are no longer treated as delinquent acts, with two exceptions for DUI and certain water-safety offenses. DUI and some water-safety offenses would still count as delinquent acts. The change affects only 14- to 15-year-olds and does not alter how older youths are treated. The act takes effect on October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects
14- and 15-year-old children who commit nonfelony offenses or water-safety offenses would no longer have those acts counted as delinquent acts in juvenile proceedings.
The juvenile court system and related agencies (such as the Department of Youth Services, law enforcement, and prosecutors) would see changes in how these cases are processed for that age group, potentially reducing juvenile delinquency filings starting October 1, 2025.

Key Provisions
Nonfelony offenses and water-safety offenses committed by a child aged 14 or 15 (excluding DUI or operation of a vessel while intoxicated) are not delinquent acts for purposes of juvenile proceedings.
DUI offenses and certain water-safety offenses continue to be treated as delinquent acts.
Effective date: October 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: Courts & Judges