HB10 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Phillip PettusRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Juvenile offenders, delinquent acts for purposes of juvenile proceedings further provided for

Summary

HB10 would exclude most nonfelony offenses and water-safety offenses by 14- and 15-year-olds from counting as delinquent acts in Alabama juvenile proceedings (with DUI and boating-under-the-influence exceptions).

What This Bill Does

It narrows what counts as a delinquent act for younger teens by removing certain offenses from juvenile court jurisdiction. Specifically, nonfelony offenses and water-safety offenses committed by 14- or 15-year-olds would no longer be treated as delinquent acts, except for DUI and operation of a vessel under the influence which would still be considered delinquent acts. The bill also updates the formal definitions used in juvenile proceedings to reflect this change. It takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• 14- and 15-year-old children who commit nonfelony offenses or water-safety offenses (excluding DUI and Boating Under the Influence) – those acts would not trigger juvenile delinquency proceedings.
• The juvenile court system, law enforcement, and families of affected youths – procedures and handling of such offenses may shift away from juvenile delinquency proceedings for these ages.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 12-15-102 to redefine what counts as a delinquent act and to exclude certain offenses by 14- to 15-year-olds from being delinquent acts, with DUI and boating-under-the-influence exceptions still applying.
• Specifies an effective date of October 1, 2026 for the changes.
• Updates definitions related to 'Child,' 'Delinquent Act,' and other juvenile-justice terms to align with the new delinquency standards.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 11, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Courts & Judges