The bill amends Sections 12-15-128 and 12-15-208 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to introduce electronic monitoring for juveniles released from custody under certain conditions. It allows the Board of Pardons and Paroles or other state agencies to monitor alleged delinquent children electronically if their alleged acts would be serious felonies if committed by adults. Additionally, electronic monitoring is required for juveniles with three or more prior felony convictions. The bill also revises the criteria for releasing allegedly delinquent children, permitting restrictions on their travel and associations, and allowing electronic or telephone monitoring as a condition of their release.

Moreover, the bill modifies detention rules for status offenders who violate valid court orders, allowing for a first violation to result in detention for up to 72 hours and subsequent violations for up to seven days, contingent upon a written detention order. It replaces "person" with "individual" in custody contexts and removes the previous six-month limitation on detention for status offenders. The bill also prohibits the detention of individuals under 18 in adult jails, mandates juvenile court hearings for violations, and ensures no contact with adult inmates. It requires juvenile facilities to be licensed and establishes a statewide system of juvenile detention facilities, with law enforcement responsible for the security and transportation of children to these facilities. The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 12-15-128, 12-15-208
Engrossed: 12-15-128, 12-15-208
Enrolled: 12-15-128, 12-15-208