SB 117 Summary

• Amends Alabama Code Sections 13A-5-45, 13A-5-46, and 13A-5-47 to prohibit courts from overriding jury verdicts in capital cases.

• Changes jury recommendations in capital sentencing from "advisory verdicts" to binding verdicts that courts must follow when determining whether to impose life imprisonment without parole or death sentences.

• Requires courts to sentence defendants to death when the jury returns a verdict of death and to life imprisonment without parole when the jury does not recommend death.

• Court must still consider written findings on aggravating and mitigating circumstances, but the jury's verdict on sentence becomes binding rather than merely recommendatory.

• Becomes effective immediately upon passage and gubernatorial approval or upon becoming law by other means.