HB114 Summary

• Establishes the crime of "interference with public safety communication" as a Class C felony in Alabama.

• Prohibits knowingly and intentionally damaging, removing, tampering with, or rendering inoperable public safety communication equipment including transmitters, receivers, towers, antennas, cables, telephone lines, dispatching equipment, and related infrastructure.

• Prohibits knowingly and intentionally interfering with transmission or reception of public safety communications, operating apparatus that disrupts public safety communications, and intercepting encrypted public safety transmissions.

• Exempts certified law enforcement officers, authorized agency personnel, utility personnel acting within scope of duties, and persons with written permission from the head of a law enforcement or emergency service agency.

• Requires law enforcement to seize equipment used in violation of the law, and upon conviction, courts must order such equipment destroyed or forfeited to the State of Alabama or authorized jurisdiction.

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