Alabama Child Safety Bill Fails to Pass Before Legislative Session Ends

Advocates say vulnerable children remain at risk of abuse in 24-hour youth facilities

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:41am

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A nostalgic, cinematic painting of a solitary youth facility building in warm sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of melancholy and neglect surrounding the issue of child abuse in these facilities.The failure to pass a bill aimed at protecting vulnerable children in Alabama's 24-hour youth facilities leaves a somber shadow over the state's legislative efforts.Today in Birmingham

A bill aimed at increasing transparency, accountability, and reporting requirements for 24-hour youth facilities in Alabama failed to pass before the state's legislative session ended. The Paris Hilton Child Safety and Accountability Act, introduced as Senate Bill 336, would have given the Department of Human Resources and law enforcement more tools to investigate allegations of abuse. However, the bill ran out of time and did not make it across the finish line.

Why it matters

The failure to pass this bill means that for at least another year, vulnerable children and teens placed in 24-hour youth facilities in Alabama will remain at risk of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Advocates say these facilities have been 'houses of horrors' with numerous cases of children suffering broken bones, concussions, and even death.

The details

Senate Bill 336 was meant to protect Alabama's most vulnerable children by changing licensing requirements and providing more oversight of 24-hour youth facilities. The bill, co-sponsored by Senator Will Barfoot, passed out of the Judiciary Committee with no objections, but ultimately ran out of time before the legislative session ended.

  • The 2026 Legislative Session is in its final days.
  • Senate Bill 336 was introduced for the first time this year.

The players

Tommy James

An attorney who represents children and families who say they have experienced abuse in 24-hour youth facilities in Alabama.

Paris Hilton

An advocate for the Paris Hilton Child Safety and Accountability Act, who has spoken about her own experiences of abuse in the 'troubled teen industry'.

Senator Will Barfoot

The co-sponsor of Senate Bill 336, the Paris Hilton Child Safety and Accountability Act.

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What they’re saying

“'They're houses of horrors from what I've seen over my career, and it's a shame our state is letting this happen to our kids, and we've got to do something about it.'”

— Tommy James, Attorney

“'I was taken from my bedroom in the middle of the night and transported against my will, to four facilities where I was emotionally, physically, and sexually abused. I'm a survivor of the troubled teen industry and I'm here to ask you to protect children in residential programs in Alabama.'”

— Paris Hilton

What’s next

Because more eyes are on this issue now, advocates hope the Paris Hilton Child Safety and Accountability Act will be reintroduced and ultimately passed in the next legislative session.

The takeaway

The failure to pass this bill is a setback in efforts to protect vulnerable children in Alabama, but the issue of abuse in 24-hour youth facilities remains a pressing concern that will likely continue to be a focus for advocates and lawmakers in the future.