Alabama House Passes Bill Increasing Penalties for Eluding Police

The legislation elevates the base punishment from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 7:06pm

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The Alabama House of Representatives has passed a bill that increases penalties for eluding a police officer. Senate Bill 233, sponsored by Sen. Lance Bell, R-Pell City, elevates the base punishment from a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail, to a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.

Why it matters

The bill aims to crack down on individuals who intentionally flee from law enforcement during traffic stops or arrests, but has faced opposition from some Democrats who raised concerns about police profiling and the history of police brutality against Black Americans.

The details

Under the bill, an individual will be charged with a felony if they intentionally flee from an officer while operating a motor vehicle on a highway, road, alley or street. Individuals would be charged with a misdemeanor for eluding an officer on foot if they know the officer is attempting to make an arrest.

  • The bill passed the Alabama House on April 5, 2026.
  • If signed, the bill will go into effect on October 1, 2026.

The players

Sen. Lance Bell

The Republican senator from Pell City who sponsored Senate Bill 233.

Rep. Reed Ingram

The Republican representative from Pike Road who carried the bill in the House and sponsored a similar House version that passed in February.

Rep. Napoleon Bracy

The Democratic representative from Prichard who raised concerns about individuals being able to identify plain-clothes officers.

Rep. Juandalynn Givan

The Democratic representative from Birmingham who cited the history of police brutality against Black Americans and listed the names of victims such as Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, and George Floyd.

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What they’re saying

“You do have stuff like ... where you have these officers that are working maybe, like, a drug task force or something like that. How would a person know if that's a person because you may be running, you may think you're being robbed by a rival whatever it is that you're into.”

— Rep. Napoleon Bracy, Democratic Representative from Prichard

“In their community, they're targeted. In their community, they feel as if law enforcement officers are the bad cops instead of the good cops because they feel as if they're profiled.”

— Rep. Juandalynn Givan, Democratic Representative from Birmingham

What’s next

If signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, the bill will go into effect on October 1, 2026.

The takeaway

This bill highlights the ongoing tensions between law enforcement and communities of color, particularly around issues of police profiling and the use of force. While the legislation aims to deter individuals from fleeing police, some lawmakers argue it could further erode trust between the public and law enforcement.