Legislative Wrap-Up, 0713 ALBJ, 74 The Alabama Lawyer 270 (2013)
| Author | Othni J. Lathram |
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\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This update is being written in the days just after adjournment sine die of the 2013 Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature. The session was busy and, at times, contentious. While the debate over the substance of some of the legislation passed might continue on for some time, there is no doubt that a lot was done. In the final tally, 1, 176 bills were filed; 304 of those bills were passed by both houses, with more than one-third passed on the final day. Of the bills that passed both houses, more than 170 dealt with a single state agency or were local in nature.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0The Law Institute had a good session in both the passage of ALI bills and the services provided to the legislature. This success is due to the tremendous legislative leadership provided by our president and vice president, Senator Cam Ward and Representative Marcel Black, respectively, and the other legislative members of our executive committee: senators Arthur Orr and Rodger Smitherman and representatives Paul DeMarco, Demetrius Newton and Bill Poole.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0As of the writing of this article, a number of these bills have not been acted upon yet by the governor and, therefore, do not have act numbers. There is some possibility that by the time of publication some of these might have been vetoed, but the final status of any bill listed below without an act number can be found at http://alisondb. legislature, state, al. us.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Alabama Law Institute Legislation
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Four pieces of legislation prepared by the Alabama Law Institute were passed during the 2013 Legislative Session. My column in the September issue of The Alabama Lawyer will focus more in depth on these acts.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0HB394 Alabama Unitrust Act (Act 2013-336)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Sponsored by Representative Chris England and Senator Tammy Irons
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0HB396 Alabama Uniform Collaborative Law Act (Act 2013-355)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Sponsored by Representative Marcel Black and Senator Cam Ward
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0HB399 UCC Article 4A Amendments (Act 2013-337)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Sponsored by Representative Demetrius Newton and Senator Jerry Fielding
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0HB403 Amendments to Title 10A relating to Name Reservations (Act 2013-338)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Sponsored by Representative Bill Poole and Senator Jerry Fielding
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Crimes, Punishment and Imprisonment
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0HB1 Failure to Report a Missing Child
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This bill, to be known as Caylee's Law, creates crimes relating to failure to report or making a false report regarding a missing or deceased child 18 years old or younger.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0HB14 Notification of Escapes (Act 2013-305)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This act creates a notification system to get information to state and local agencies as well as the media when a prisoner escapes.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0HB27 Cruelty to Animals
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This bill relates to the crime of cruelty to animals by eliminating the requirement of intent and instead requires only a person act recklessly or with criminal negligence. The bill also provides for increased penalties.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0HB105 Trespass on a School Bus (Act 2013-347)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This bill creates the Charles "Chuck" Poland, Jr. Act which provides that a person commits the crime of trespass on a school bus in the 1st degree if he or she is found guilty of intentionally demolishing, destroying, defacing, burning, or damaging any public school bus, or entering a school bus without a lawful purpose.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0HB262 Capital Murder Mini-Trials (Act 2013-354)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This act would...
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