HB113 Summary

• Exempts death penalty cases from Rule 32.2(c) of Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure and establishes specific filing deadlines for post-conviction relief petitions: 180 days after filing initial direct appeal brief or one year from death sentence, whichever applies.

• Requires direct appeal and post-conviction remedies to proceed concurrently in capital cases, with trial judges appointing appellate counsel for both within 30 days of pronouncing the death sentence.

• Prohibits filing or consideration of post-conviction petitions 180 days after final affirmation of death sentence on direct appeal, and requires courts to hear properly filed pending petitions within 180 days of that affirmation.

• Expands capital offenses to include murder of prosecutors, murder on school campuses, murder in day care facilities, murder during illegal narcotics transactions, murder of judges, murder motivated by gang/organized crime activity, and murder of family members of law enforcement or judges committed to avenge or retaliate.

• Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and approval by the Governor.