The bill introduces a new section, Section 13A-5-14, to the Code of Alabama 1975, which imposes increased penalties for crimes committed against election officials when motivated by the victim's role. It sets minimum sentences for felonies and misdemeanors targeting election officials, ranging from three months for misdemeanors to at least 15 years for a Class A felony. The bill also states that these enhanced sentences can be combined with punishments under the Alabama Habitual Felony Offender Act. The definition of "election official" covers a broad spectrum of roles within the electoral process.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 17-3-30.1, updating references to the Alabama Constitution and detailing a comprehensive list of felonies considered to involve moral turpitude, which leads to the disqualification of voting rights. The list includes serious offenses such as murder, rape, human trafficking, and terrorism-related crimes. The bill specifies that only the felonies listed can result in the loss of voting rights upon conviction. It also adds a new felony to this list: any felony committed against an election official. The bill introduces language that considers attempts, conspiracies, and solicitations to commit these felonies as crimes of moral turpitude themselves. It changes the term "person" to "individual" in the context of voting disqualification and removes the provision allowing for future amendments to add additional felonies to the list. The bill is scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2024, and was passed by the Senate on May 8, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 17-3-30
Engrossed: 17-3-30
Enrolled: 17-3-30