House committee gives favorable reports on multiple criminal-justice, privacy and tech bills
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Summary
A House committee advanced several bills — including measures on crimes against children, biometric data retention, school-bus shootings and health-app data protections — issuing favorable committee reports on multiple items and carrying HB414 (feral hogs) to next week after a public hearing.
A House committee on [date not specified] advanced multiple bills spanning criminal penalties, privacy and technology and held a public hearing on livestock and wildlife policy.
The panel approved amendments and gave favorable reports on Senate Bill 203 (enhanced penalties for crimes against children), SP118 (background checks and biometric data provisions, substituted), HB420 (raising penalties for shooting into occupied school buses or buildings), HB263 (health and wellness mobile applications data protections, substituted), HP327 (rights in name, image and likeness, substituted) and HP348 (pretrial detention presumptions for noncitizens charged with violent offenses, as amended). Several sponsors offered narrow amendments that were adopted before favorable reports were recorded.
Notable procedural outcomes and recorded votes: - SP203: Sponsor described expanded offenses and evidentiary clarifications; a technical amendment replacing "residential drug rehabilitation" with "substance abuse disorder treatment program" was adopted, and the committee voted to give the bill a favorable report. - SP118: The substitute clarified definitions for biometric data and notice requirements; the substitute was adopted and the bill received a favorable report. - HB420: An amendment removing an age exemption was adopted and the bill received a favorable report as amended. - HB363: Sponsor’s substitute and a short amendment were adopted; members engaged in extended debate over scope and enforcement (see separate article). The committee recorded a roll-call vote and gave HB363 a favorable report (roll-call recorded by name; committee chair announced the motion carried). - HP348: An amendment narrowed the enumerated offenses to those listed in section 15-13-3(b), Code of Alabama 1975; the amendment was adopted and the committee gave the bill a favorable report as amended.
Several bills were carried over or not voted on: HB405 and HB261 were carried over earlier in the docket; HB414 (wild/feral hog transport/release) was the subject of a public hearing with four opponents and was carried to next week for further consideration.
Next steps: Bills that received favorable reports will proceed according to legislative procedure (to the full House or the next step in the session calendar); HB414 returns to committee next week for further action.
Sources: Committee proceedings, sponsor explanations and recorded roll-call on HB363.