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HB293 INTRODUCED
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HB293
5VGDB6M-1
By Representative Givan
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 20-Jan-26
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5VGDB6M-1 01/16/2026 THR (L)THR 2025-2728
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First Read: 20-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, a person commits the crime
of harassment if he or she touches another individual
or directs obscene or abusive language or gestures
toward another individual with intent to harass, annoy,
or alarm.
Under existing law, a person commits the crime
of harassing communications if he or she communicates
in a manner likely to harass or cause alarm, makes a
telephone call with no legitimate purpose, or
telephones another individual and uses lewd or obscene
language with intent to harass or alarm.
This bill would provide that a person who
commits harassment or harassing communications where
the victim is a public official commits a Class B
misdemeanor.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to crimes and offenses; to amend Section
13A-11-8, Code of Alabama 1975; to further provide for the
crimes of harassment and harassing communications.
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crimes of harassment and harassing communications.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 13A-11-8, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§13A-11-8
(a)(1) HARASSMENT. A person commits the crime of
harassment if, with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm another
person individual , he or she either does either of the
following :
a. Strikes, shoves, kicks, or otherwise touches a
person any individual or subjects him or her any individual to
physical contact.
b. Directs abusive or obscene language or makes an
obscene gesture towards toward another person individual .
(2) For purposes of this section, harassment shall
include a threat, verbal or nonverbal, made with the intent to
carry out the threat, that would cause a reasonable person
individual who is the target of the threat to fear for his or
her safety.
(3) Harassment is a Class C misdemeanor.
(b)(1) HARASSING COMMUNICATIONS. A person commits the
crime of harassing communications if, with intent to harass or
alarm another person individual , he or she does any of the
following:
a. Communicates with a person any individual ,
anonymously or otherwise, by telephone, telegraph, mail, or
any other form of written or electronic communication, in a
manner likely to harass or cause alarm.
b. Makes a telephone call, whether or not a
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b. Makes a telephone call, whether or not a
conversation ensues, with no purpose of legitimate
communication.
c. Telephones another person individual and addresses
to or about such the other person individual any lewd or
obscene words or language.
Nothing in this section shall apply to legitimate
business telephone communications.
(2) Harassing communications is a Class C misdemeanor.
(c) If a person commits a violation of subsection (a)
or (b), and the victim is a public official, as defined in
Section 36-25-1, the person is guilty of a Class B
misdemeanor.
(d) Nothing in this section shall apply to legitimate
business telephone communications. "
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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