AlabamaAlabama law sets penalties for repeated harmful stalking
Starting October 1, 2026, Alabama law sets penalties for repeated, intentional contact that causes serious emotional harm or reasonable fear about a person's work.
What it does
Starting October 1, 2026, second-degree stalking carries a misdemeanor penalty, with a felony penalty for a second or later violation. The conduct must cause the stated harm or work-related fear, and the person must have been told to stop.
Argument forCriminal penalties may give people facing repeated harmful contact a way to seek accountability when the person has been told to stop.
Argument againstA felony penalty for a second or later violation could have lasting effects on a person's life.
More detail
The law sets a misdemeanor penalty for second-degree stalking and a felony penalty for a second or later violation. The conduct may target a person, a member of that person's immediate family, or someone that person knows. The conduct must be intentional and repeated, done with an improper purpose, and cause material harm to a person's mental or emotional health or reasonable fear that their work, business, or career is threatened. The person must have been previously told to stop the conduct. The act takes effect on October 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 16EnactedBecame Law
- Apr 9Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1352Passed House
- Vote recorded Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1352. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9Ready to Enroll
- Apr 9EnrolledTo Governor
- Apr 9Signature Requested
- Apr 9Delivered to GovernorMinor
- Mar 5Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Judiciary)Minor
- Mar 4Reported Out of Committee Second House
- Feb 24Third Reading in House of Origin
- Vote recorded Third Reading in House of Origin. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 574. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 24Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 574Passed Senate
- Feb 24Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Feb 24Pending Committee Action in Second House (Judiciary)
- Feb 19Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Judiciary)Minor
- Feb 18Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Feb 10Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Feb 10Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Judiciary)Introduced
Criminal Justice