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SB120 • 2026

Law enforcement; vehicular pursuits, creating a standard for pursuit policies

Law enforcement; vehicular pursuits, creating a standard for pursuit policies

Crime
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Orr
Last action
2026-01-13
Official status
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not specify all potential consequences for agencies that do not comply with the rules.

Law Enforcement Vehicular Pursuit Standards

This bill sets rules for law enforcement agencies to follow when they chase suspects in cars.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a standard that all state, county, and city police departments must use when making policies about car chases.
  • Requires police departments to write down their rules for car chases and follow them.
  • Limits car chases to people suspected of certain violent crimes.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Law enforcement agencies in Alabama
  • People suspected of certain violent crimes

Terms To Know

Probable cause
A reasonable belief that someone has committed a crime based on facts and evidence.
Vehicular pursuits
Chasing suspects in cars by police officers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if an agency doesn't follow the rules.
  • It's unclear how this will affect current car chase policies that are already in place.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  2. 2026-01-13 Senate

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

Official Summary Text

Law enforcement; vehicular pursuits, creating a standard for pursuit policies

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB120 INTRODUCED
Page 0
SB120
84QPLF2-1
By Senator Orr
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 13-Jan-26
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84QPLF2-1 01/12/2026 GED (L)ma 2025-2660
Page 1
First Read: 13-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, law enforcement officers may
pursue suspects into neighboring jurisdictions and
across state lines for certain offenses.
This bill would create a standard that state,
county, and municipal law enforcement agencies shall
follow when developing and implementing vehicular
pursuit policies.
This bill would also limit vehicular pursuits to
individuals suspected of certain violent crimes.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to law enforcement; to create a standard by
which state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies
authorize the engagement of vehicular pursuits.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the Tristan Hollis Memorial Act.
Section 2. (a) Each state, county, and municipal law
enforcement agency that conducts emergency response and
vehicular pursuits shall adopt written policies, consistent
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SB120 INTRODUCED
Page 2
vehicular pursuits shall adopt written policies, consistent
with this section, that set forth the manner in which these
operations shall be conducted. Each law enforcement agency may
create its own policy or adopt an existing model, consistent
with this section. A vehicular pursuit policy created or
adopted by a law enforcement agency must address situations in
which police pursuits cross over into other jurisdictions. A
law enforcement agency that fails to adopt a policy in
accordance with this section is subject to the withholding of
any state funding or state-administered federal funding.
(b) No state, county, or municipal law enforcement
agency shall authorize the engagement of a vehicular pursuit
unless:
(1) The requirements of Section 32-5A-7, Code of
Alabama 1975, are met; and
(2) Probable cause exists to believe that the
individual being pursued has committed or is committing any of
the following offenses:
a. Murder, as provided in Section 13A-6-2, Code of
Alabama 1975.
b. Burglary in the first degree, as provided in Section
13A-7-5, Code of Alabama 1975 .
c. Kidnapping in the first degree, as provided in
Section 13A-6-43, Code of Alabama 1975 .
d. Human trafficking in the first degree, as provided
in Section 13A-6-152, Code of Alabama 1975 .
e. Rape in the first degree, as provided in Section
13A-6-61, Code of Alabama 1975 .
f. Sodomy in the first degree, as provided in Section
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SB120 INTRODUCED
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f. Sodomy in the first degree, as provided in Section
13A-6-63, Code of Alabama 1975 .
g. Sexual torture, as provided in Section 13A-6-65.1,
Code of Alabama 1975 .
h. Domestic violence in the first degree, as provided
in 13A-6-130, Code of Alabama 1975 .
i. Arson in the first degree, as provided in Section
13A-7-41, Code of Alabama 1975 .
j. Robbery in the first degree, as provided in Section
13A-8-41, Code of Alabama 1975 .
k. Terrorism, as provided in Section 13A-10-152, Code
of Alabama 1975 .
l. Aggravated child abuse, as provided in Section
26-15-3.1, Code of Alabama 1975 .
m. Any offense that creates an immediate threat of
death or serious bodily injury to another individual or a
substantial threat to the safety of another individual.
Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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