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SB233 • 2026

Crimes and offenses; penalties for eluding or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, penalties further provided

Crimes and offenses; penalties for eluding or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, penalties further provided

Children Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Bell
Last action
2026-04-09
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about penalties that were not explicitly stated in the official source material, such as specific speed limits and injury levels. These have been removed to ensure accuracy based on available information.

Penalties for Fleeing or Eluding Law Enforcement

This law increases penalties for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, making it a Class D felony and adding conditions that can elevate the penalty to a higher class of felony.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the penalty for fleeing or trying to avoid a police officer from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony.
  • Makes it a Class C felony if someone flees while driving with a child under 14 in the car, on probation, parole, bail, community corrections, or work release, or has previously been convicted of this offense.
  • Increases penalties to a Class B felony if the person causes serious injury or death, exceeds the speed limit by more than 20 miles per hour, strikes a police officer or their vehicle, or has two previous convictions for fleeing.
  • Requires at least 90 days in jail for a second conviction within five years and 180 days for third or subsequent convictions within seven years.
  • Adds that the driver's license will be suspended for six months to two years upon conviction.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who flee from or try to avoid police officers while driving a vehicle.
  • Drivers with previous convictions for fleeing or eluding law enforcement.
  • Individuals on probation, parole, bail, community corrections, or work release programs.

Terms To Know

Felony
A serious crime that can result in a prison sentence of more than one year.
Misdemeanor
A less serious crime that usually results in a fine or up to one year in jail.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify how it will be enforced.
  • It is unclear what specific measures will be taken to ensure compliance with the new penalties.

Amendments

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

W17XSEE-1

R 546 • Givhan

Adopted

Plain English: W17XSEE-1 : 2/4/2026 : THR 1ST GIVHAN AMENDMENT TO SB233 OFFERED BY SENATOR GIVHAN Page 1 Replace lines 68 through 70 on page 3 with the following: (c)(1) A violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a Class A misdemeanor Class D felony .

  • W17XSEE-1 : 2/4/2026 : THR 1ST GIVHAN AMENDMENT TO SB233 OFFERED BY SENATOR GIVHAN Page 1 Replace lines 68 through 70 on page 3 with the following: (c)(1) A violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a Class A misdemeanor Class D felony .
  • (2) A violation of subsection (b) is a Class D felony.
  • (2)(3) A violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a Class C Replace line 87 on page 4 with the following: (3)(4) A violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a Class B Replace lines 118 through 123 on page 5 with the following: intent of stopping the vehicle at the nearest safe place." 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.
6YBTMZ3-1

R 547 • Bell

Adopted

Plain English: 6YBTMZ3-1 : 2/24/2026 : KMS 1ST BELL AMENDMENT TO SB233 OFFERED BY SENATOR BELL Page 1 Replace line 104 on page 4 with the following: subsection (a) or (b) within a five year period of time, as Replace line 110 on page 4 with the following: violation of subsection (a) or (b) within a seven-year period of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

  • 6YBTMZ3-1 : 2/24/2026 : KMS 1ST BELL AMENDMENT TO SB233 OFFERED BY SENATOR BELL Page 1 Replace line 104 on page 4 with the following: subsection (a) or (b) within a five year period of time, as Replace line 110 on page 4 with the following: violation of subsection (a) or (b) within a seven-year period of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.
EJKZVC9-1

V • Bell

Adopted

Plain English: EJKZVC9-1 : 2/2/2026 : THR 1ST JUDICIARY AMENDMENT TO SB233 OFFERED BY SENATOR BELL Page 1 Replace line 68 on page 3 with the following: (c)(1) A Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3), a violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a Class Replace lines 118 through 123 on page 5 with the following: intent of stopping the vehicle at the nearest safe place." 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

  • EJKZVC9-1 : 2/2/2026 : THR 1ST JUDICIARY AMENDMENT TO SB233 OFFERED BY SENATOR BELL Page 1 Replace line 68 on page 3 with the following: (c)(1) A Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3), a violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a Class Replace lines 118 through 123 on page 5 with the following: intent of stopping the vehicle at the nearest safe place." 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 Senate

    Enacted

  2. 2026-04-02 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1180 (Yeas 80, Nays 15)

  3. 2026-04-02 House

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 85, Nays 12)

  4. 2026-04-02 House

    Signature Requested

  5. 2026-04-02 Senate

    Delivered to Governor

  6. 2026-04-02 Senate

    Enrolled

  7. 2026-04-02 Senate

    Ready to Enroll

  8. 2026-03-05 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  9. 2026-03-04 House

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  10. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 548 (Yeas 34, Nays 0)

  11. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Bell motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 547 (Yeas 34, Nays 0)

  12. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Givhan motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 546 (Yeas 34, Nays 0)

  13. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 32, Nays 0)

  14. 2026-02-24 House

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  15. 2026-02-24 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

  16. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Engrossed

  17. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Bell 1st Amendment Offered

  18. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Givhan 1st Amendment Offered

  19. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Bell motion to Table - Adopted Voice Vote

  20. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Judiciary 1st Amendment Offered

  21. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Carried Over

  22. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  23. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  24. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Judiciary 1st Amendment

  25. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  26. 2026-01-29 Senate

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

Official Summary Text

This act amends Section 13A-10-52, Code of Alabama 1975, to: (1) increase the penalty for fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer while operating a vehicle from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony; (2) add that fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer while operating a vehicle with a child under 14 years of age in the vehicle is a Class C felony; (3) add that fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer while operating a vehicle by an individual released on bail, probation, parole, community corrections, or work release is a Class C felony; (4) add that fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer while operating a vehicle by an individual who has previously been convicted of fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer is a Class C felony; (5) add that striking a law enforcement officer or a vehicle occupied by a law enforcement officer while fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer is a Class B felony; (6) add that fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer by an individual who has two or more previous convictions for fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer is a Class B felony; (7) add that a second conviction for fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer within five years shall result in a minimum of 90 days confinement; and (8) add that a third or subsequent conviction for fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer within seven years shall result in a minimum of 180 days confinement.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB233 ENROLLED
Page 0
SB233
YMRFX6N-3
By Senator Bell
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 29-Jan-26
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SB233 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 29-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to crimes and offenses; to amend Section
13A-10-52, Code of Alabama 1975; to include various conditions
under which the crime of eluding or attempting to elude a law
enforcement officer is subject to heightened criminal
penalties; and to provide certain mandatory minimum penalties
for multiple convictions of eluding or attempting to elude a
law enforcement officer.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 13A-10-52, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§13A-10-52
(a) It shall be unlawful for a person to intentionally
flee by any means from anyone the person knows to be a law
enforcement officer if the person knows the officer is
attempting to arrest the person.
(b) It shall be unlawful for a person , while operating
a motor vehicle on a street, road, alley, or highway in this
state, to intentionally flee or attempt to elude a law
enforcement officer after having received a signal from the
officer to bring the vehicle to a stop.
(c)(1) A violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a Class
A misdemeanor Class D felony .
(2) A violation of subsection (b) is a Class D felony.
(2)(3) A violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a Class
C felony if any of the following occur:
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SB233 Enrolled
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C felony if any of the following occur:
a. The flight or attempt to elude causes the offender
to strike or collide with another vehicle or pedestrian.
b. The flight or attempt to elude causes physical
injury to any other person.
c. The flight or attempt to elude results in the
offender crossing the lines of this state into a neighboring
state.
d. During the flight or attempt to elude, a child under
14 years of age is present in the vehicle.
e. The flight or attempt to elude occurs while the
offender is released on bail, probation, or parole, or while
the offender is serving a sentence in a community corrections
or work release program.
f. At the time of the offense, the offender has a
previous conviction for a violation of subsection (a) or (b).
(3)(4) A violation of subsection (a) or (b) is a Class
B felony if either any of the following occur:
a. The flight or attempt to elude causes serious
physical injury or death to any other person.
b. During the flight or attempt to elude , the person
exceeds 20 miles per hour over the legal maximum speed limit.
c. During the flight or attempt to elude, the offender
strikes or attempts to strike a law enforcement officer or a
vehicle occupied by a law enforcement officer.
d. At the time of the offense, the offender has two or
more previous convictions for a violation of subsection (a) or
(b).
(d)(1) Upon conviction for a violation of subsection
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SB233 Enrolled
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(d)(1) Upon conviction for a violation of subsection
(a) or (b), the court shall order the suspension of the driver
license of the defendant for a period of not less than six
months nor more than two years.
(2) Upon a second conviction for a violation of
subsection (a) or (b) within a five year period of time, as
measured from the dates of previous arrests for which
convictions were obtained to the date of the current arrest
for which a conviction is obtained, the court shall sentence
the defendant to a minimum of 90 days confinement.
(3) Upon a third or subsequent conviction for a
violation of subsection (a) or (b) within a seven-year period
of time, as measured from the dates of previous arrests for
which convictions were obtained to the date of the current
arrest for which a conviction is obtained, the court shall
sentence the defendant to a minimum of 180 days confinement.
(e) It is not a violation of this section for an
individual to continue traveling at or below the speed limit,
with or without the vehicle's flashers turned on, with the
intent of stopping the vehicle at the nearest safe place."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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SB233 Enrolled
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1, 2026.
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
SB233
Senate 24-Feb-26
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and passed
the Senate, as amended.
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
House of Representatives
Passed: 02-Apr-26
By: Senator Bell
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