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Senate adopts amendments to firearms measure; bill passes after changes narrowing felony prohibition
Summary
Senate amended and passed SB119, a firearms bill, after lawmakers adopted floor amendments that narrowed a proposed felony disqualification window to felonies within the prior five years and specified how multiple convictions are counted; final passage recorded 26–1.
Senate Bill 119, a firearms‑related measure, passed the Alabama Senate on April 9 after senators adopted a series of floor amendments that narrowed and clarified provisions about when a criminal conviction disqualifies a person from possessing a firearm.
Sponsor Senator Barfoot introduced and guided three amendments through the floor. The principal change narrowed a proposed blanket felony disqualification so it applies to felony convictions within the previous five years rather than for the person’s entire life. Another amendment clarified that a disqualifying count of “three or more convictions” would not double‑count multiple felony counts arising from a single indictment or incident; the text counts separate convictions that arise from distinct indictments or complaints.
Senator Barfoot said the adjustments were intended to balance public safety concerns with fairness and to avoid life‑long firearm bans for older convictions. He also offered technical clean‑ups to align domestic‑violence statutory definitions used elsewhere in code. The Senate tabled an earlier committee amendment and then adopted the sponsor’s three amendments before final passage.
The final roll call on SB119 was 26 ayes and 1 nay. The bill proceeds to enrollment for transmission to the governor.
