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HB 16

Crimes and offenses; authorizes law enforcement officer to demand suspect's date of birth in certain circumstances, criminalizes providing false date of birth to law enforcement

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Ron Bolton

Alabama bill criminalizes providing false birth dates to law enforcement, allowing officers to demand this information during unspecified circumstances to improve identification accuracy.

Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
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Bill Summary · HB 16

Legislative bill overview

HB 16 authorizes law enforcement officers to demand a suspect's date of birth during certain circumstances and makes it a crime to provide false date of birth information to police. The bill creates a new criminal offense with penalties for individuals who deliberately give incorrect birth dates to law enforcement.

Why is this important

Accurate identification is fundamental to law enforcement operations, affecting arrest records, warrant verification, and criminal history checks. This bill attempts to close a potential loophole where individuals could provide false biographical information to obstruct investigations or avoid apprehension.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope and triggers: The bill language "in certain circumstances" is vague—it's unclear exactly when officers can demand this information, potentially raising concerns about arbitrary enforcement or stops without probable cause
  • Misidentification risks: False identification can occur unintentionally due to memory issues, confusion, or legitimate name changes; criminalizing it may penalize honest mistakes rather than deliberate deception
  • Constitutional questions: Demanding identification raises Fourth Amendment considerations about when such demands are permissible without violating rights against unreasonable searches or self-incrimination

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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