HB263 Summary

• Creates the Alabama Church Protection Act to authorize use of deadly physical force in self-defense or defense of others on church premises under specified conditions.

• Permits a person to use deadly force if they reasonably believe another person is using or about to use unlawful deadly force against anyone lawfully present during a church-sanctioned worship service, meeting, event, or program.

• Defines "church premises" to include church buildings and real property where the church conducts authorized activities, but excludes private dwellings.

• Grants individuals using deadly force in accordance with this act all justifications, defenses, immunities, and procedural protections under existing Alabama Code Section 13A-3-23, including pretrial immunity hearings and legal presumption of justified use upon prima facie evidence.

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