SB201 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Lance BellSenator

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, filing of claims further provided for

Summary

SB201 would extend the filing deadline for Alabama Crime Victims Compensation claims from one year to two years after the injury or death.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, claimants would have up to two years to file for compensation. The bill keeps existing reasons the commission can deny or reduce awards, including if the claimant was the offender or an accomplice, or if the crime was reported more than 72 hours after it happened without a good cause. It also allows reductions if the claimant’s economic losses are covered by other sources or if the claimant bears a portion of the responsibility for the injury or death. It gives the commission authority to reconsider awards and clarifies cooperation with law enforcement; and it sets an effective date of October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Victims and other claimants seeking compensation would gain up to two years to file and could be denied or reduced under specific conditions, must cooperate with law enforcement, and may request reconsideration of awards.
• Offenders or accomplices (or those who participated in the crime) could be disqualified from receiving compensation or have awards reduced, and rules about unjustly benefiting the offender could prevent payments.

Key Provisions

• Extends the filing deadline to two years after injury or death, with good-cause exceptions for late filing.
• Keeps and applies grounds for denial or reduction, including if the claimant was the offender or accomplice, or if the crime was reported more than 72 hours after occurrence without good cause.
• Allows compensation to be reduced if economic losses are recovered from collateral sources or if the claimant shares responsibility for the injury or death.
• Authorizes denial, withdrawal, or reduction of an award for not fully cooperating with law enforcement.
• Provides for reconsideration of a decision, with no requirement to refund amounts already paid unless fraud is involved, and notes reconsideration does not affect finality for judicial review.
• Effective date: the act becomes effective 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