SB15 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Will BarfootSenator

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Sex offenders; restricted employment and volunteer positions further provided for

Summary

The bill would add strict new limits on where sex offenders can work or volunteer, including banning them from first-responder roles and creating distance rules near schools and places that serve children.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends Alabama law to prohibit adult and juvenile sex offenders from taking or keeping employment or volunteer positions at schools, childcare facilities, mobile vending that mainly serves children, or other organizations that serve children, and it bans them from serving as first responders. It creates distance rules: no work within 2,000 feet of a school or childcare facility (with possible exemptions), and no work within 500 feet of playgrounds, parks, or facilities whose main purpose is serving minors, with distances measured in a straight line between property lines. It forbids owning facilities from knowingly employing offenders and makes violations a Class C felony; exemptions may apply under specified sections, and the act takes effect October 1, 2025. It also defines who counts as a first responder for the purposes of these provisions.

Who It Affects

• Adult sex offenders: would be barred from employment or volunteer work at schools, childcare facilities, child-serving businesses, amusements or water parks, and other organizations serving children, and would face a 2,000-foot/500-foot restriction framework and felony penalties for violations.
• Juvenile sex offenders: would face similar employment and volunteer restrictions under the juvenile section, including limits on work around schools, childcare facilities, and child-focused places, plus restrictions on first-responder roles and felony penalties for violations.
• Employers and organizations serving children (e.g., schools, childcare facilities, and child-focused businesses): would be prohibited from knowingly hiring or placing an adult or juvenile sex offender, and could face felony charges if they do so.
• Property owners and operators near schools, childcare facilities, playgrounds or other child-focused facilities: subject to proximity rules when assessing whether a job or volunteer placement would violate the law, since distances are measured from property lines and apply to where offenders may work.

Key Provisions

• Amends Sections 15-20A-13 and 15-20A-31 to add employment and volunteer restrictions for adult and juvenile sex offenders around children and child-serving places.
• Prohibits adult sex offenders from accepting or maintaining employment or volunteering within 2,000 feet of a school or childcare facility (with possible exemptions) and within 500 feet of playgrounds, parks, athletic fields, or facilities primarily serving minors; defines the measurement method as a straight-line distance between property lines.
• Prohibits owners/operators of childcare facilities or child-serving organizations from knowingly employing or offering positions to adult or juvenile sex offenders; makes violations a Class C felony.
• Adds that adult sex offenders may not serve as first responders (paramedics, firefighters, rescue squad members, EMTs, etc.), as defined in the bill.
• Defines first responder terms and clarifies that the 2,000-foot rule may have exemptions under Sections 15-20A-24 and 15-20A-25.
• Establishes that violations by individuals or entities are Class C felonies and sets an effective date of 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

Crimes & Offenses