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HB26 • 2026

Sex offenders; restrictions for certain sex offenders further provided, Board of Pardons and Paroles authorized to adopt rules

Sex offenders; restrictions for certain sex offenders further provided, Board of Pardons and Paroles authorized to adopt rules

Children Crime
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Butler (M)
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
Read Second Time in Second House
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effectiveness and fairness of these restrictions and treatments have not been evaluated in the provided text.

Restrictions for Certain Sex Offenders

This bill adds restrictions for certain sex offenders and allows the Board of Pardons and Paroles to create rules for implementing these changes.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows parole or probation officers to restrict adult sex offenders who committed crimes against children from using post office boxes or electronic devices that can access the Internet.
  • Requires adult sex offenders, as a condition of release, to receive treatment and periodic polygraph exams if ordered by the Board of Pardons and Paroles or a court.
  • Makes it a Class C felony for an offender to violate these restrictions or fail to complete required treatment.
  • Gives the Director of the Board of Pardons and Paroles authority to create rules for implementing sex offender treatment provisions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Adults who have been convicted of sex offenses involving children
  • The Board of Pardons and Paroles
  • Courts

Terms To Know

Class C felony
A serious crime that can result in a prison sentence.
Polygraph examination
A test often used to determine if someone is telling the truth.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how treatment costs will be determined for those who cannot afford it.
  • It's unclear what specific consequences there are for failing to pay for required sex offender treatment.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  2. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  3. 2026-02-12 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 386 (Yeas 103, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-02-12 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 101, Nays 0)

  5. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  6. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary

  7. 2026-02-12 House

    Ingram intended to vote "Yea"

  8. 2026-01-29 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  9. 2026-01-28 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  10. 2026-01-13 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  11. 2026-01-13 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary

Official Summary Text

Sex offenders; restrictions for certain sex offenders further provided, Board of Pardons and Paroles authorized to adopt rules

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB26 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB26
PSTKWEE-1
By Representative Butler
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 11-Aug-25
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PSTKWEE-1 07/15/2025 GP (L)GP 2025-2020
Page 1
PFD: 11-Aug-25
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, certain persons who are
convicted of a sex offense are subject to registration
and notification requirements.
This bill would authorize the parole or
probation officer of an adult sex offender who was
convicted of a sex offense involving a child to
restrict that sex offender from using a post office box
or possessing any electronic media, including, but not
limited to, a computer tablet, gaming system, or phone
that allows access to the Internet.
This bill would provide that the Board of
Pardons and Paroles or a court, as a condition of
release, may require an adult sex offender to receive
sex offender treatment, including, but not limited to,
periodic polygraph examinations.
This bill would provide that a sex offender who
fails to comply with such restrictions or treatment
requirements is guilty of a Class C felony.
This bill would also authorize the Director of
the Board of Pardons and Paroles to adopt rules to
implement the sex offender treatment provisions.
A BILL
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HB26 INTRODUCED
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A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to sex offenders; to add Sections 15-20A-19.01
and 15-20A-20.01 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to provide that
certain sex offenders may be prohibited by a parole or
probation officer from using a post office box or electronic
media in certain circumstances; to provide that certain sex
offenders, as a condition of release, may be required to
receive sex offender treatment; to provide for criminal
penalties for violations; and to amend Section 15-20A-44, Code
of Alabama 1975, to authorize the Board of Pardons and Paroles
to adopt rules.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 15-20A-19.01 and 15-20A-20.01 are
added to the Code of Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
§15-20A-19.01
(a) An adult sex offender convicted of a sex offense
involving a child may be restricted by his or her parole or
probation officer from using a post office box or possessing
any electronic media, including, but not limited to, a
computer, tablet, gaming system, or phone that allows access
to the Internet.
(b) A person who knowingly violates a restriction
imposed pursuant to subsection (a) shall be guilty of a Class
C felony.
§15-20A-20.01
(a) The Board of Pardons and Paroles or a court, as a
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HB26 INTRODUCED
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(a) The Board of Pardons and Paroles or a court, as a
condition of release on parole, probation, community
corrections, court referral officer supervision, pretrial
release, or any other community-based punishment option, may
require an adult sex offender to receive sex offender
treatment by a sex offender treatment program or by a provider
approved by the Board of Pardons and Paroles. The treatment
may include, but is not limited to, periodic polygraph
examinations.
(b) An adult sex offender subject to sex offender
treatment programs pursuant to subsection (a) may not change a
treatment provider without prior approval by the court or the
Board of Pardons and Paroles.
(c) An adult sex offender subject to a sex offender
treatment program or periodic polygraph examinations pursuant
to this section, unless he or she is indigent, shall be
required to pay the costs of any sex offender treatment
program and the costs of administering the polygraph
examination. The Board of Pardons and Paroles, the sentencing
court, or other supervising entity shall determine the amount
to be paid based on the person's financial means and ability
to pay.
(d) A polygraph examination conducted pursuant to this
section shall be conducted by a licensed Alabama Polygraph
Examiner with an advanced Post Conviction Sex Offender Testing
certification in compliance with the American Polygraph
Association. The polygraph examinations must include not less
than two history, maintenance, or monitoring polygraph
examinations in a calendar year and any additional polygraph
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HB26 INTRODUCED
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examinations in a calendar year and any additional polygraph
examinations necessary to identify and discern the progression
of therapy facilitated through the treatment provider. The
Board of Pardons and Paroles, in coordination with the
treatment provider, shall determine the frequency of the
polygraph examinations.
(e) A person who fails to participate in any sex
offender treatment required by this section shall be guilty of
a Class C felony.
Section 2. Section 15-20A-44, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§15-20A-44
(a) The Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement
Agency shall adopt rules establishing an administrative
hearing for persons who are only made subject to this chapter
pursuant to subdivision (35) of Section 15-20A-5 (35).
(b) The Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement
Agency shall adopt rules setting forth a listing of offenses
from other jurisdictions that are to be considered criminal
sex offenses under subdivision (35) of Section 15-20A-5 (35).
Thereafter, any individual convicted of any offense set forth
in the listing shall immediately be subject to this chapter
and shall not be entitled to an administrative hearing as
provided in subsection (a).
(c) The Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement
Agency may adopt any rules as are necessary to implement and
enforce this chapter.
(d) The Director of the Board of Pardons and Paroles
may adopt rules necessary to implement and enforce Section
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HB26 INTRODUCED
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may adopt rules necessary to implement and enforce Section
15-20A-20.01. "
Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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