The bill amends the Code of Alabama 1975 to enhance the criminal penalties for first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy when the victim is under the age of 12, classifying these offenses as capital crimes. This change aims to reflect the serious nature of crimes against very young victims. The bill also includes several modifications to existing legal language, such as replacing "the age of 14 years" with "14 years of age" and clarifying conditions related to protective orders and the presence of children during the commission of a crime.

Additionally, HB49 Engrossed expands the definition of victims in capital offenses to include police officers, federal law enforcement officers, and first responders, regardless of whether the defendant was aware of their status. It specifies that individuals aged 16 or older who engage in sexual acts with victims under 12 years of age will face enhanced penalties. The bill establishes that punishments for violations involving minors will follow specific guidelines and mandates a minimum of 30 years before parole eligibility for defendants sentenced to life for capital offenses. The new legal language includes various insertions and deletions to ensure clarity and precision in the law, with the act set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 13A-5-40, 13A-5-49, 13A-6-61, 13A-6-63, 13A-6-65
Engrossed: 13A-5-40, 13A-5-49, 13A-6-61, 13A-6-63, 13A-6-65