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SB 114

Criminal procedure; out-of-state warrants, arrest authorized for crime punishable by more than one year, arrest by out-of-state officers authorized

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Lance Bell

Alabama authorizes arrests under out-of-state warrants for crimes with 1+ year sentences and permits out-of-state officers to make arrests within the state.

Enacted
#criminalprocedure
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 114

Legislative bill overview

SB 114 expands Alabama's authority to allow arrests based on out-of-state warrants for crimes punishable by more than one year of imprisonment. The bill also explicitly authorizes out-of-state law enforcement officers to make arrests in Alabama under these warrant conditions, streamlining interstate law enforcement cooperation.

Why is this important

This legislation affects how fugitives are pursued across state lines and determines which law enforcement officers can make arrests within Alabama's borders. It increases coordination between states in criminal cases but raises questions about due process protections and the scope of authority granted to non-Alabama officers operating within the state.

Potential points of contention

  • Due process concerns: Arrests on out-of-state warrants may proceed with varying standards across jurisdictions, potentially affecting the reliability of warrant documentation and suspect identification
  • Out-of-state officer authority: Granting arrest power to non-Alabama law enforcement within Alabama borders raises federalism and sovereignty questions about who controls law enforcement within state boundaries
  • Threshold ambiguity: The "more than one year" punishment threshold is broad and could capture misdemeanor-adjacent offenses, potentially expanding arrest authority beyond serious felonies

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

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