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HB255 • 2026

Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, filing of claims further provided for

Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, filing of claims further provided for

Crime
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Bedsole
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how the commission considers 'good cause'.

Extending Time to File Claims for Crime Victims

This law changes the deadline from one year to two years for victims of crimes to file claims with the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the time limit for filing a claim with the commission from one year to two years after an injury or death.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Victims of crimes in Alabama
  • The Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission

Terms To Know

Claim
A request for money or help from the government after being hurt by a crime.
Commission
A group of people who make decisions about giving help to victims of crimes.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law starts on October 1, 2026.
  • Does not change other rules about when claims must be filed or how compensation is given.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

6Y52BZ3-1

R 248

Adopted

Plain English: 6Y52BZ3-1 01/21/2026 THR (H) HSE 2026-280 House Ways and Means General Fund Reported Substitute for HB255 Page 1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission; to amend Section 15-23-12, Code of Alabama 1975, to further provide for the filing of claims.

  • 6Y52BZ3-1 01/21/2026 THR (H) HSE 2026-280 House Ways and Means General Fund Reported Substitute for HB255 Page 1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission; to amend Section 15-23-12, Code of Alabama 1975, to further provide for the filing of claims.
  • BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1.
  • Section 15-23-12, Code of Alabama 1975, is amended to read as follows: "§15-23-12 (a) Compensation shall not be awarded in any of the following circumstances: (1) A claim has been filed with the commission later than one year two years after the injury or death upon which the claim is based, unless the commission finds there was good cause for the failure to file within that time.
  • (2) To a claimant who was the offender, or an accomplice of the offender, or who encouraged or in any way participated in the criminally injurious conduct.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 House

    Enacted

  2. 2026-04-08 House

    Delivered to Governor

  3. 2026-04-08 Senate

    Signature Requested

  4. 2026-04-07 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1184 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  5. 2026-04-07 Senate

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  6. 2026-04-07 Senate

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  7. 2026-04-07 House

    Enrolled

  8. 2026-04-07 House

    Ready to Enroll

  9. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  10. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  11. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  12. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation General Fund

  13. 2026-02-03 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 249 (Yeas 101, Nays 0)

  14. 2026-02-03 House

    Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 248 (Yeas 102, Nays 0)

  15. 2026-02-03 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 99, Nays 0)

  16. 2026-02-03 House

    Engrossed

  17. 2026-02-03 House

    Ways and Means General Fund Engrossed Substitute Offered

  18. 2026-01-21 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  19. 2026-01-21 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  20. 2026-01-15 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  21. 2026-01-15 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means General Fund

Official Summary Text

This act amends Section 15-23-12, Code of Alabama 1975, to extend the deadline to file a claim with the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission from one year to two years after the injury or death upon which the claim is based.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB255 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB255
6Y52BZ3-3
By Representatives Bedsole, Treadaway, Pettus, Reynolds,
Hendrix, Rehm, Stringer, Ellis
RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
First Read: 15-Jan-26
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HB255 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 15-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation
Commission; to amend Section 15-23-12, Code of Alabama 1975,
to further provide for the filing of claims.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 15-23-12, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§15-23-12
(a) Compensation shall not be awarded in any of the
following circumstances:
(1) A claim has been filed with the commission later
than one year two years after the injury or death upon which
the claim is based, unless the commission finds there was good
cause for the failure to file within that time.
(2) To a claimant who was the offender, or an
accomplice of the offender, or who encouraged or in any way
participated in the criminally injurious conduct.
(3) If the award would unjustly benefit the offender or
accomplice of the offender.
(4) The criminally injurious conduct resulting in
injury or death was reported to a law enforcement officer
later than 72 hours after its occurrence, unless the
commission finds there was good cause for the failure to
report within that time.
(b) Compensation otherwise payable to a claimant may be
diminished or denied to the extent that the economic loss is
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HB255 Enrolled
Page 2
diminished or denied to the extent that the economic loss is
recouped from collateral sources ;, or to the extent that the
degree of responsibility for the cause of the injury or death
is attributable to the victim as determined by the commission.
(c) The commission, upon finding that the claimant or
victim has not fully cooperated with appropriate law
enforcement agencies, may deny, withdraw, or reduce an award
of compensation.
(d) The commission, on its own motion or on request of
the claimant, may reconsider a decision granting or denying an
award or determining its an award amount. An order on
reconsideration of an award shall not require a refund of
amounts previously paid, unless the award was obtained by
fraud. The right of reconsideration does not affect the
finality of a commission decision for the purpose of judicial
review."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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HB255 Enrolled
Page 3
1, 2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 03-Feb-26, as amended.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 07-Apr-26 Passed
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