HB489 Summary

• Applies exclusively to Escambia County and authorizes certified law enforcement officers from designated agencies to take individuals into protective custody when they have reasonable cause to believe the person is mentally ill and an immediate danger to themselves or others.

• Requires law enforcement to transport the individual to a hospital or designated treatment facility for evaluation and treatment; officers may use reasonable force if the individual does not consent to transport.

• Individuals must be released within 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, unless a probate judge orders further inpatient or outpatient treatment under existing Alabama law.

• Protective custody under this act is not considered an arrest and creates no criminal record; hospitals must notify law enforcement if an individual is determined not to be mentally ill or dangerous, and officers must facilitate their immediate release.

• Provides civil liability immunity to law enforcement officers, hospitals, physicians, and medical providers acting in good faith under this act, treating them as state agents; does not modify existing medical liability laws.