HB 224 Summary

• Amends Section 13A-5-13 of the Alabama Code to expand hate crime penalties to include offenses motivated by a victim's actual or perceived employment as a law enforcement officer or firefighter.

• Establishes mandatory minimum sentences for felony convictions: Class A felonies minimum 15 years, Class B felonies minimum 10 years, Class C felonies minimum 2 years, and Class D felonies minimum 18 months.

• Requires misdemeanors motivated by victim's employment as law enforcement officer or firefighter to be charged as Class A misdemeanors with a minimum 3-month sentence.

• Defines "law enforcement officer" as an officer with arrest power employed by any state agency, department, board, commission, or any municipality or county in Alabama.

• Defines "firefighter" as any person employed as a firefighter by a city or municipality certified by the Alabama Firefighters Personnel Standards and Education Commission, or any volunteer firefighter with a certified volunteer fire department.