Indecent Exposure Crimes and Inpatient Custodial Sexual Misconduct
Summary
Alabama Governor signed SB203 into law on April 1, 2026, expanding the state's criminal code to cover additional victims in indecent exposure and sex crime statutes. The bill establishes the new crime of inpatient custodial sexual misconduct and modifies domestic violence offenses to include additional victim categories. The legislation passed the Senate 34-0 and the House 103-0 with multiple amendments.
What changed
Alabama enacted SB203 on April 1, 2026, making substantive changes to the criminal code by: (1) expanding indecent exposure and sex crime statutes to cover additional victim categories; (2) establishing a new crime of inpatient custodial sexual misconduct; and (3) modifying domestic violence offenses to include additional victims and enhanced criminal penalties. The bill underwent three amendments in the Senate and one in the House before final passage.
Legal professionals and compliance officers representing healthcare providers, correctional facilities, and institutions with inpatient care should review their policies to ensure compliance with the new inpatient custodial sexual misconduct provisions. Criminal defense attorneys should familiarize themselves with the expanded victim definitions under indecent exposure and sex crime statutes. The unanimous legislative passage (Senate 34-0, House 103-0) suggests strong enforcement intent.
What to do next
- Review institutional policies for inpatient care facilities to ensure compliance with new custodial sexual misconduct provisions
- Update training materials for healthcare and correctional staff on expanded sex crime victim categories
- Consult legal counsel regarding domestic violence offense modifications
Penalties
Criminal penalties for violations - specific penalty amounts not detailed in bill summary
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Alabama / SB203 Signed by Governor SB203 Senate Bill Signed by Governor 2026-04-01
Crimes and procedure; crimes of indecent exposure and other sex crimes further provided to include additional victims; crime of inpatient custodial sexual misconduct, established; domestic violence offenses, further provided to include additional victims and criminal penalties
Bill Details
State Alabama
Session 2026 Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search
LegiScan View on LegiScan
Sponsors
Vivian Figures (Sen - D)
Action History
2026-04-01 H Signature Requested 2026-04-01 S Delivered to Governor 2026-04-01 S Enrolled 2026-04-01 S Ready to Enroll 2026-04-01 H Third Reading in Second House 2026-04-01 H Third Reading in Second House 2026-03-31 H Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1096 2026-03-31 H Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1095 XD1QDE7-1 2026-03-31 H Judiciary Engrossed Substitute Offered XD1QDE7-1 2026-03-31 H Third Reading in Second House 2026-02-19 H Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar 2026-02-18 H Reported Out of Committee Second House from House Judiciary XD1QDE7-1 2026-02-10 H Pending House Judiciary 2026-02-10 H Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary 2026-02-05 S Engrossed 2026-02-05 S Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 260 2026-02-05 S Figures motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 259 QNSPZ54-1 2026-02-05 S Figures 2nd Amendment Offered QNSPZ54-1 2026-02-05 S Carried Over to the Call of the Chair 2026-02-05 S Figures motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 252 PSLP1RE-1 2026-02-05 S Figures 1st Amendment Offered PSLP1RE-1 2026-02-05 S Third Reading in House of Origin 2026-01-29 S Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar 2026-01-28 S Reported Out of Committee House of Origin 2026-01-21 S Pending Senate Judiciary 2026-01-21 S Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary
Votes
2026-02-05 SBIR: Passed by House of Origin Yea: 34 Nay: 0 2026-02-05 Third Reading in House of Origin Yea: 34 Nay: 0 2026-02-05 Figures motion to Adopt - Roll Call 252 PSLP1RE-1 Yea: 34 Nay: 0 2026-02-05 Figures motion to Adopt - Roll Call 259 QNSPZ54-1 Yea: 34 Nay: 0 2026-02-05 Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Roll Call 260 Yea: 34 Nay: 0 2026-03-31 HBIR: Passed by Second House Yea: 101 Nay: 0 2026-03-31 Third Reading in Second House Yea: 101 Nay: 0 2026-03-31 Motion to Adopt - Roll Call 1062 XD1QDE7-1 Yea: 103 Nay: 0 2026-03-31 Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Roll Call 1063 Yea: 103 Nay: 0 2026-03-31 HBIR: Passed by Second House Yea: 66 Nay: 0 2026-04-01 Third Reading in Second House Yea: 66 Nay: 0
Committee Referrals
2026-01-21 S Judiciary 2026-02-10 H Judiciary
Amendments
2026-02-05 Senate Figures motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 259 2026-02-05 Senate Figures motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 252 2026-02-18 House Judiciary Reported Out of Committee Second House
Bill Text Versions
2026-01-21 Introduced 2026-02-05 Engrossed 2026-04-01 Enrolled
Subjects
Crimes & Offenses Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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