Senate Bill 169 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

David SessionsSenator

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Crimes and offenses; manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and other motor vehicle crimes amended, restitution amended

Summary

SB169 amends manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and motor vehicle crime penalties and restitution provisions, creating the Safe Streets Act and expanding consequences in fentanyl-related deaths.

What This Bill Does

This bill expands the crimes and penalties for deaths related to crimes and motor vehicle incidents. It adds deaths caused by fentanyl distribution to the list of circumstances that can be charged as manslaughter and keeps certain licensed professionals exempt. It changes penalties for criminally negligent homicide and raises penalties for motor vehicle offenses involving death or injury, while also extending restitution-related victim status to those harmed by such offenses. The act becomes effective October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Sellers, furnisher, or distributors of fentanyl or fentanyl analogues, and the decedent's survivors; these deaths can be charged as manslaughter under new 13A-6-3, with limited exemptions for licensed medical professionals.
• Drivers or operators who cause death or serious injury by violating traffic laws (32-5A-191/191.3) and the general public affected by higher penalties for motor vehicle offenses; victims of these offenses gain restitution rights.

Key Provisions

• Expands 13A-6-3 to include reckless or heat-of-passion-type deaths, fentanyl-related deaths, and certain driving-related deaths; designates manslaughter as a Class B felony.
• Revises 13A-6-4 so criminally negligent homicide is generally a Class A misdemeanor, but a Class C felony if caused by a driver violating 32-5A-191 or 32-5A-191.3; updates 32-10-6 penalties for motor vehicle offenses to reflect death or injury outcomes.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 19, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Crimes & Offenses