Senate Bill 192 Alabama 2026 Session

Updated Feb 12, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Lance BellSenator
Republican
Session: 2026 Regular Session
Title: Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, filing of claims further provided for
Summary: SB192 would extend the filing deadline for Alabama Crime Victims Compensation claims from 1 year to 2 years after the injury or death, with other rules staying the same.
What This Bill Does
It allows claimants to file within two years after an injury or death to qualify for compensation, instead of being limited to one year, with a good-cause exception for late filing. It retains existing disqualifications and limitations like denying awards if the claimant was the offender or an accomplice, denying or reducing awards if the crime wasn’t reported within 72 hours without good cause, and reducing compensation if money is recovered from other sources or if the victim bears some responsibility. It also preserves the commission's ability to deny, withdraw, or reduce awards for lack of cooperation and to reconsider decisions, with a new effective date of October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects
Victims and their families who file for compensation, who would have up to two years to file instead of one year
Offenders or accomplices in the crime, who could be disqualified from compensation or have awards reduced under the bill

Key Provisions
Extends the deadline to file a claim to two years after the injury or death, unless the commission finds good cause for late filing
Maintains disqualification and denial factors including offender/accomplice status, potential unjust enrichment to the offender, and late reporting to law enforcement (72 hours) without good cause
Allows compensation to be diminished or denied if economic losses are recovered from collateral sources or if the victim's degree of responsibility contributes to the injury or death
Authorizes the commission to deny, withdraw, or reduce an award for lack of cooperation with law enforcement, and allows reconsideration of awards with limited refunds, without affecting final judicial review
Effective date: 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: Criminal Procedure