HB37 Alabama 2026 Session

Updated Feb 3, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Reed IngramRepresentative
Republican
Session: 2026 Regular Session
Title: Crimes and offenses; penalties for eluding or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, penalties further provided
Summary: HB37 would tighten penalties for eluding or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer in Alabama, creating tiered felonies for aggravated eluding, mandating minimum confinement for repeat offenses, and requiring municipalities to reimburse counties for detainee medical costs.
What This Bill Does
The bill amends Section 13A-10-52 to make eluding illegal and to assign penalties based on aggravating factors, ranging from a misdemeanor to Class B felony depending on the circumstances. It requires driver license suspension for 6 months to 2 years on conviction. It establishes mandatory minimum confinement: at least 90 days for a second conviction within 10 years, and at least 180 days for a third or subsequent conviction within 10 years. It also requires the arresting municipality to reimburse the county for medical costs if the detainee is held in county jail. The act would take effect on October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects
Offenders convicted or charged with eluding law enforcement, who would face higher penalties and potential mandatory confinement based on circumstances and prior convictions.
Municipalities and county jails, which would handle detainee medical costs and related reimbursement requirements.

Key Provisions
Tiered penalties for eluding: aggravated cases can be Class C or Class B felonies based on injuries, collisions, state-line crossing, presence of a child, prior convictions, or certain release conditions.
Mandatory minimum confinement: second conviction within 10 years carries at least 90 days in confinement; third or subsequent conviction within 10 years carries at least 180 days.
License suspension: court must suspend the offender's driver license for 6 months to 2 years upon conviction.
Medical cost reimbursement: arresting municipality must reimburse the county for medical costs tied to detention.
Effective date: the act becomes law on 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