Legislation Expanding Death Penalty, Addressing Secondhand Marijuana Smoke & More Making Progress
February 2, 2026 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House
Lots of bills with local application only passed through the House, the Senate or both last week, putting multiple pieces of legislation on Governor Ivey’s desk awaiting her pen. But here, we highlight a few broader policies that advanced last week and/or made headlines.
Bill to Expand Death Penalty to Child Sexual Assault Gains Support & Criticism
A former child crimes prosecutor, Representative Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, saw his bill that would make sexual assault of a child under the age of 12 a capital offense in Alabama pass the House on a 73 to 6 vote last Tuesday. He and supporters of the legislation claim the punishment fits the crime, pointing to the damage inflicted on child victims of sexual assault and the lasting trauma they endure.
Critics note the bill is unconstitutional, according to the 2008 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kennedy v. Louisiana prohibiting the death penalty for child rape, and say the current sentence, life behind bars without the possibility of parole, is sufficient. They also say knowing the death penalty is on the table could make victims less likely to report the crime, especially when their abuser is a family member or someone else close to them.
Simpson’s bill made the same headway last session, clearing the House. But it never made it to the Senate for a vote. Stay tuned to see how far the bill goes this year. Read more here.
Looking Back: Bills On the Move Last Week
Check out the bills that got one step closer to becoming law last week.
Bills exempting seniors from property tax hikes in multiple counties passed the House and Senate last week and will now appear on the ballot as a constitutional amendment requiring the people’s vote.
SB114 passed both chambers and is ready for the governor’s signature. The legislation expands the instances in which an arrest without a warrant is allowed and also permits law enforcement from out of state to make arrests in Alabama when they are in pursuit of a felony suspect.
Several measures gained unanimous bi-partisan approval: HB11 stops judges from giving youthful offender status to those age 16 and older if they are charged with murder or capital murder. It now goes to the Senate. SB41 is heading to the House after easily passing the Senate last week. The bill keeps anyone convicted of elder abuse from reaping financial gains from their crime by prohibiting them from “retaining property interests in or receiving benefits or bequests from a will from a victim’s estate.” It now goes to the House.
And HB78, which requires that screen time for children under five be limited, almost garnered full support, passing the House on a 101-1 vote. If it passes the Senate and becomes law, the bill puts the burden on the Department of Early Childhood Education, Alabama State Department of Education and Department of Human Resources to work together to create the specific guidelines that would have to be followed by licensed child-care facilities, public kindergarten classrooms and specific Pre-K classrooms in the state.
Read more here.
Image via Unsplash and by Elsa Olofsson
Looking Ahead: Bills to Watch This Week
An effort to protect children from exposure to secondhand marijuana smoke is getting attention. If it becomes law, HB72 would make smoking weed in a vehicle with a child under the age of 19 present a misdemeanor. It would also put new reporting requirements into effect, including mandating that teachers and others to report parents to the Department of Human Resources when their students arrive at school smelling like marijuana. Supporters note the serious and negative long-term health impacts attributed to secondhand marijuana smoke, like respiratory issues and developmental delays. Read more here.
A bill that failed to make it last session is back, but sponsor Representative David Standridge, R-Hayden, says he’s feeling good about the legislation’s chances this time around. His bill, HB2, mandates that city, county and state entities and their employees use the term Gulf of America, not Gulf of Mexico, in all instances — “in all newly created maps, documents, educational materials, websites, official communications, and other resources” — referring to the large body of water abutting the bottom of Alabama. The measure is consistent with President Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf last year and inline with measures recently enacted by other coastal states on the Gulf. Read more here.
The Sabans Hope to Score a Touchdown With Tuscaloosa Education Hub
Legendary University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban hopes to add points to the positive impact he and his wife have already made in Tuscaloosa with the opening of The Saban Center, a facility designed to boost area students’ career development opportunities. The Center, expected to open in 2027, plans to marry the arts, experiential learning and STEM topics to educate kids, train teachers and serve employers around the state thanks to its workforce development focus. Saban and his wife “Miss Terry” were in Montgomery last week to promote the Center alongside State Superintendent Eric Mackey. In 2023, the legislature appropriated $25 million for the Center. Read more here.
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Meet The Bloom Group: (left to right) John Guthrie Jr., Harris Sanderson, Stephanie Norrell, Hal Bloom (principal/founder), Allen Sanderson (principal), Sara Elizabeth Burnham (vice president), James Dupree Jr., John Floyd.