Alabama House Bill HB243

Alabama 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/14/26
• Refer: 1/14/26
• Report Pass: 2/4/26

Caption

Crimes and offenses; manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and other motor vehicle crimes amended, restitution amended

Summary

HB243 revises Alabama criminal law in several related areas involving deaths caused by vehicles, vessels, and drug distribution. First, it adds a new manslaughter provision for a person who drives or operates a motor vehicle or vessel while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and causes another person’s death. Under the bill, that conduct would be punished as manslaughter, a Class B felony, rather than being treated as criminally negligent homicide in some circumstances. The bill also changes the penalty structure for criminally negligent homicide when the death is caused by an impaired driver or operator. In those cases, the offense remains criminally negligent homicide but is elevated to a Class C felony. In addition, HB243 amends the hit-and-run or accident-reporting provisions in Section 32-10-6 so that violations involving physical injury are punished as a Class C felony, while violations involving serious physical injury or death are punished as a Class B felony. It also expands restitution by treating any person who suffers damage or loss from criminal conduct resulting in a conviction under those motor-vehicle-accident provisions as a victim for restitution purposes.

Impact

HB243 would amend Sections 13A-6-3, 13A-6-4, and 32-10-6 of the Code of Alabama 1975, increasing criminal exposure for impaired driving deaths and for failures to comply with legal duties after motor vehicle accidents. It would shift certain fatal DUI-related cases from criminally negligent homicide to manslaughter, raise the penalty for impaired-driving criminally negligent homicide to a felony, and create a more severe felony tier for accident-related violations involving serious injury or death. The bill also broadens who may receive restitution in cases arising from those offenses, affecting victims, defendants, prosecutors, and courts handling sentencing and restitution.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong bipartisan support and no recorded opposition: the bill passed the House of Origin 94-0, passed third reading 94-0, and a related motion was adopted 99-0. The bill’s title and sponsor framing suggest a public-safety focus, and the absence of negative votes indicates broad agreement with tougher penalties for impaired driving and hit-and-run conduct. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate reflecting dissent.

Contention

No specific contention is documented in the provided materials, but the main policy issue inherent in the bill is the increase in criminal penalties for impaired driving deaths and accident-related violations. Potential points of debate would likely involve whether elevating some cases to manslaughter and Class B or Class C felonies is proportionate, how the bill distinguishes between criminally negligent homicide and manslaughter, and whether the expanded restitution definition could affect sentencing or civil-like recovery in criminal cases. The unanimous votes suggest these issues did not generate visible opposition in the recorded proceedings.