HB49 Summary - Alabama Church Protection Act

• Amends Alabama Code Sections 13A-3-20 and 13A-3-23 to allow persons to use physical force, including deadly force, in self-defense or defense of others on church premises under specified conditions.

• Provides legal presumption of justified use of deadly force when defending against crimes involving death, serious physical injury, robbery, kidnapping, rape, sodomy, or sexual crimes against children under age 12 on church premises.

• Grants immunity from criminal prosecution and civil action for use of justified force on church premises, unless force is determined to be unlawful.

• Requires courts to conduct pretrial hearings to determine if force was justified, with defendant bearing burden of proof by preponderance of evidence; if justified, charges must be dismissed.

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