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Read. Follow. Verify.Alabama increases firearm discharge penalty for occupied school buildings to Class A felony and removes minor age exemption
Last action · April 17, 2026: EnactedSponsor: Mack Butler
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What This Bill Does
Alabama increases the criminal penalty for shooting into an occupied school bus or building from a Class B to a , effective October 1, 2026. The legislation also eliminates a previous rule exempting individuals under 19 years of age from prosecution under this statute.
People under 19 years old can now face felony charges for discharging firearms into occupied school buildings or buses, exposing youthful offenders to significantly longer prison sentences.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Minors under 19 years of age
Individuals under 19 years of age are no longer exempt from prosecution and can face felony charges for discharging firearms into occupied school buildings.
Students and school staff
Penalties for discharging firearms into occupied school buses and buildings are increased, altering legal protections around educational facilities.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new felony classification for shooting into an occupied school building?
Can minors under 19 still be prosecuted under this law?
When does this change go into effect?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law.
Procedural history
19 actions- Apr 17, 2026HouseEnrolledEnacted
- Apr 9, 2026HouseEnrolledDelivered to Governor
- Apr 9, 2026SenateSignature Requested
- Apr 9, 2026HouseEnrolled
- Apr 9, 2026HouseReady to Enroll
- Apr 8, 2026SenateFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1274
Show 13 earlier actions
- Mar 19, 2026SenateRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Mar 18, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee Second House
- Mar 5, 2026SenateCommitteePending Committee Action in Second House
- Mar 5, 2026SenateIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary
- Mar 5, 2026HouseEngrossed
- Mar 5, 2026HouseFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 753
- Mar 5, 2026HouseMotion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 752
- Mar 5, 2026HouseJudiciary Engrossed Substitute Offered
- Mar 5, 2026HouseThird Reading in House of Origin
- Feb 19, 2026HouseRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Feb 18, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Feb 10, 2026HouseCommitteePending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Feb 10, 2026HouseIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Removal of Minor Exemption
The legislation specifically targets juvenile accountability by deleting the statutory provision that previously shielded individuals under 19 from prosecution under this code section.
Connected Entities
Sources
alison.legislature.state.al.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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