The bill amends Section 13A-6-3 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to redefine the crime of manslaughter. It introduces new legal language that specifies that a person commits manslaughter if they knowingly sell, furnish, give away, deliver, or distribute a controlled substance containing fentanyl or its analogues, and the recipient dies as a result. The bill clarifies that it is not a defense if the seller was unaware that the substance contained fentanyl or its analogues. Additionally, the bill maintains that manslaughter remains classified as a Class B felony.

The bill also notes that while it may require new or increased local expenditures, it is exempt from further requirements under Section 111.05 of the Alabama Constitution of 2022 because it establishes a new crime or modifies an existing one. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 13A-6-3
Engrossed: 13A-6-3
Enrolled: 13A-6-3