Senate Bill 20 aims to expand Alabama’s assault laws by making it a more serious crime to attack law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and other protected officials such as firefighters and EMS personnel while they are performing their duties.
Currently, some assaults are charged as misdemeanors, carrying a penalty of up to one year in jail. The proposed bill would reclassify certain specified cases as class C felonies, potentially resulting in a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
The higher legal penalties would apply to former officials if the motive of the attack relates to their prior service, such as a retaliatory attack against a former police officer for actions taken while on duty…