The bill establishes new criminal offenses related to mail theft and receiving stolen mail in Alabama. It defines "mail" as any sealed article delivered by the United States Postal Service or other carriers that has not yet been received by the addressee or has been left for delivery. A person commits mail theft if they take mail addressed to another without consent and with the intent to deprive the addressee of it. The penalties for mail theft vary based on the number of addresses affected, with a Class A misdemeanor for theft from fewer than 10 addresses, escalating to a Class C felony for theft from 30 or more addresses. Additionally, if the theft is intended to obtain sensitive personally identifying information for fraudulent purposes, the penalties increase to a Class C felony for fewer than 10 addresses and a Class B felony for more than 10.

The bill also criminalizes receiving stolen mail, defining it as intentionally receiving or disposing of mail known to be stolen, unless the intent is to return it to the owner. The penalties for receiving stolen mail are set as a Class A misdemeanor, with an increased penalty to a Class C felony if the mail contains sensitive personally identifying information intended for fraud. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025. The bill includes no deletions from current law but introduces significant new legal language to define these offenses and their associated penalties.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 8-38-2
Enrolled: 8-38-2