HB34 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ronald BoltonRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Crimes and offenses; crime of giving false information to a law enforcement officer, established; crime of refusing to give a law enforcement officer information, established

Summary

HB34 would create two new crimes related to interactions with law enforcement, expand police stop authority, and replace an existing false-information statute, effective October 1, 2026.

What This Bill Does

It establishes two new offenses: giving false information to a law enforcement officer (Class A misdemeanor) and refusing to give information during an investigatory stop (Class C misdemeanor). It repeals the current false-information statute and replaces it with the new offenses. It amends the warrantless investigatory stop rules to allow broader stops in public places for a wider range of offenses and to permit demanding identifying information during stops, while preserving protections against self-incrimination. It takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• General public interacting with law enforcement during stops (potential charges if false information is given or information is refused).
• Law enforcement officers and agencies (new offenses to prosecute and expanded authority to conduct stops and request identifying information).

Key Provisions

• Create 13A-10-9.2 establishing the crime of giving false information to a law enforcement officer, requiring a knowingly false name, address, or date of birth with intent to deceive; classification as a Class A misdemeanor.
• Create 13A-10-3.1 establishing the crime of refusing to give information to a law enforcement officer during an investigatory stop; elements include the officer's stop, identification, request for information, and willful refusal; classification as a Class C misdemeanor; provision preserves non-self-incrimination protections.
• Repeal Section 13A-9-18.1, the prior statute related to giving false information to a law enforcement officer.
• Amend Section 15-5-30 to expand warrantless investigatory stops, allowing officers to stop a person in public when reasonably suspicious of committing, having committed, or about to commit a felony, misdemeanor, or other public offense and to demand name, address, date of birth, and an explanation of actions.
• Effective date set for October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Crimes & Offenses