HB194 Summary

• Establishes the Alabama State of Emergency Consumer Protection Act creating a new Class C felony offense for "aggravated home repair fraud" committed during gubernatorial emergency declarations.

• Criminalizes deceptive home repair practices including material misrepresentation, false promises, identity concealment, coercion to modify contracts, and unlicensed contractor violations following prior convictions.

• Makes it a Class C felony to intentionally damage property to solicit home repair contracts or to impersonate government/utility employees to fraudulently enter repair agreements for properties during declared emergencies.

• Amends existing statutes (§13A-9-114, §34-14A-14, §34-31-32, §34-36-16, §34-37-17) to clarify that violations constitute Class A misdemeanors on first offense and Class C felonies on subsequent convictions, except where aggravated home repair fraud applies.

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