Bill > HB293

This bill amends existing Alabama law regarding harassment and harassing communications, primarily by clarifying terminology and adding a new penalty for offenses against public officials. The changes replace the word "person" with "individual" throughout the relevant sections to ensure consistent language. It also clarifies that harassment includes physical contact or abusive gestures, and defines harassment to include threats that would cause a reasonable individual to fear for their safety. The bill also expands the definition of harassing communications to include electronic communication and clarifies that making a phone call with no legitimate purpose is a violation. Crucially, it introduces a new provision that elevates the crime of harassment or harassing communications to a Class B misdemeanor, a more serious offense, if the victim is a public official, as defined by Section 36-25-1 of the Alabama Code, which refers to individuals holding public office. The bill also explicitly states that these provisions do not apply to legitimate business telephone communications and will take effect on October 1, 2026.

Justice

https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search