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SB140 • 2026

Juvenile proceedings; court required to notify local superintendent of education or private K-12 school principal of charging or adjudicating an enrolled student delinquent for committing certain criminal offenses

Juvenile proceedings; court required to notify local superintendent of education or private K-12 school principal of charging or adjudicating an enrolled student delinquent for committing certain criminal offenses

Children Crime Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Sessions
Last action
2026-04-07
Official status
Indefinitely Postponed in House of Origin
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify details about how school officials handle or disseminate the notice beyond initial receipt, nor does it explicitly state penalties for violating confidentiality rules.

Juvenile Court Notification to Schools

This bill requires juvenile courts to notify local school superintendents or private K-12 school principals when a student is charged with or found guilty of certain criminal acts.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the juvenile court to send written notice within seven days if a child enrolled in a public or private K-12 school has been charged with or adjudicated delinquent for committing serious crimes, such as murder or rape.
  • Authorizes the juvenile court to send written notice within seven days if a child is charged with or found guilty of any other criminal act that would be considered illegal if an adult committed it.
  • Specifies that the notice must include only the offenses and brief descriptions of what happened, along with how the case was resolved.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Juvenile courts
  • Local superintendents of education
  • Principals of private K-12 schools

Terms To Know

Delinquent
A term used in juvenile law to describe a child who has committed an act that would be considered a crime if done by an adult.
Confidentiality
The requirement to keep certain information private and not share it with unauthorized people.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is unclear how this bill will affect the privacy rights of students.
  • This bill has been indefinitely postponed, so its future implementation is uncertain.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Senate

    Currently Indefinitely Postponed

  2. 2026-03-17 Senate

    Carried Over

  3. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 35, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Carried Over

  5. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  6. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  7. 2026-01-14 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  8. 2026-01-14 Senate

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

Official Summary Text

Juvenile proceedings; court required to notify local superintendent of education or private K-12 school principal of charging or adjudicating an enrolled student delinquent for committing certain criminal offenses

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB140 INTRODUCED
Page 0
SB140
U9RYADG-1
By Senator Sessions
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 14-Jan-26
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U9RYADG-1 01/08/2026 KMS (L) cr 2026-113
Page 1
First Read: 14-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, a local superintendent of
education or principal of a private K-12 school may be
notified in writing if a child enrolled in a school
under their jurisdiction has been adjudicated
delinquent for committing certain criminal acts.
This bill would require the juvenile court to
provide written notification to the local
superintendent or principal of a private K-12 school
upon an enrolled child being charged with or
adjudicated delinquent by the juvenile court for
committing certain capital and other offenses.
This bill would also authorize the juvenile
court to provide written notification to the local
superintendent or principal of a private K-12 school
upon an enrolled child being charged with or
adjudicated delinquent by the juvenile court for
committing any other act which would be considered
criminal if committed by an adult.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
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SB140 INTRODUCED
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AN ACT
Relating to juvenile proceedings; to amend Section
12-15-217, Code of Alabama 1975, to require written
notification to be provided to the local superintendent of
education or principal of a private K-12 school when an
enrolled child has been charged with or adjudicated delinquent
by the juvenile court for committing certain capital and other
offenses; and to authorize the written notification to be
provided when an enrolled child has been charged with or
adjudicated delinquent by the juvenile court for committing
any other act which would be considered a crime if committed
by an adult.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 12-15-217 of the Code of Alabama
1975, is amended to read as follows:
"§12-15-217
(a)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of Section
12-15-133 (a), written notice that if a child , believed to be
enrolled in a school, kindergarten to grade 12, has been found
charged with or adjudicated to be delinquent by a juvenile
court of an act which if committed by an adult would be a
Class A or B felony or any other crime, at the discretion of a
capital offense pursuant to Section 13A-5-40, murder pursuant
to Section 13A-6-2, rape in the first degree pursuant to
Section 13A-6-61, or sodomy in the first degree pursuant to
Section 13A-6-63, the juvenile court , shall be provided
provide written notice within seven days after the charge or
adjudication of delinquency to the superintendent of the
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SB140 INTRODUCED
Page 3
adjudication of delinquency to the superintendent of the
school district of attendance, or, if the child attends a
private school, to the principal of the school.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 12-15-133(a), if a child,
believed to be enrolled in a school, kindergarten to grade 12,
has been charged with or adjudicated to be delinquent by a
juvenile court of any act which if committed by an adult would
be a crime, other than those outlined in subdivision (1), the
juvenile court may provide written notice within seven days
after the charge or adjudication of delinquency to the
superintendent of the school district of attendance, or, if
the child attends a private school, to the principal of the
school.
(3) The juvenile court shall provide the notice using
whatever method it deems appropriate or otherwise as decided
by the Administrative Office of Courts. The prosecutor may
recommend to the juvenile court that notice be given to the
school for any delinquent act.
(4) Written notice shall include only the offenses,
enumerated by the appropriate code section and brief
description, found to have been committed by the child and the
disposition of the case involving the child .
(5) Where applicable, this notice shall may be
expeditiously transmitted by the district superintendent to
the principal at the school of attendance. The principal shall
may disseminate the information to those counselors directly
supervising or reporting on the behavior or progress of the
child. In addition, the principal may disseminate the
information to any teacher, administrator, or other school
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SB140 INTRODUCED
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information to any teacher, administrator, or other school
employee directly supervising or reporting on the behavior or
progress of the child whom the principal believes needs the
information to work with the pupil child in appropriate
fashion or to protect other students and staff.
(b) Any information received by a teacher, counselor,
administrator, or other school employee pursuant to this
section shall be received in confidence for the limited
purpose of rehabilitating the child and protecting students
and staff, and shall not be further disseminated by the
teacher, counselor, or administrator, except insofar as where
communication with the child, his or her parent, legal
guardian, legal custodian, law enforcement personnel, and the
juvenile probation officer of the child is necessary to
effectuate the rehabilitation of rehabilitate the child or to
protect students and staff.
(c) An intentional violation of the confidentiality
provisions of this section is a Class A misdemeanor under the
jurisdiction of the juvenile court."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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