Sex Crimes and Domestic Violence Statute Expansions
Summary
Alabama SB203 was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey on April 1, 2026, expanding sex crime statutes and domestic violence provisions. The bill creates a new crime of inpatient custodial sexual misconduct and extends existing sex crime and domestic violence protections to additional victim categories. The legislation passed unanimously in both chambers.
What changed
Alabama SB203 amends the state's criminal code to create the new offense of inpatient custodial sexual misconduct and expands the scope of existing sex crime statutes to include additional protected victims. The bill also modifies domestic violence offenses to cover additional victim relationships and categories. These changes represent a substantive expansion of criminal liability under Alabama law.
Healthcare providers, correctional facilities, and any entities with custodial responsibilities must review their policies and training programs to ensure compliance with the new inpatient custodial sexual misconduct provisions. Law enforcement agencies should update procedures for investigating and prosecuting the newly defined offenses. The effective date is April 1, 2026, with no transition period specified.
What to do next
- Review institutional policies on custodial settings to address the new inpatient custodial sexual misconduct offense
- Update training programs for staff in healthcare and correctional facilities on recognizing and reporting conduct now classified as criminal
- Coordinate with legal counsel to assess expanded domestic violence offense implications for relevant institutional policies
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
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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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