Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Bill SB247 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	SB247INTRODUCED
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3	3	SB247
4	4	261PKSS-1
5	5	By Senator Orr
6	6	RFD: County and Municipal Government
7	7	First Read: 18-Mar-25
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12	12	5 261PKSS-1 12/11/2024 THR (L)ma 2024-3186
13	13	Page 1
14	14	First Read: 18-Mar-25
15	15	SYNOPSIS:
16	16	This bill would prohibit a person from using
17	17	artificial noise amplification to picket or protest at
18	18	or near a residence of any individual with the intent
19	19	to harass, intimidate, or disturb.
20	20	This bill would prohibit a person from picketing
21	21	or protesting at or near the residence of any
22	22	individual with the intent to harass, intimidate, or
23	23	disturb during the period starting 30 minutes after
24	24	sunset and ending 30 minutes before sunrise.
25	25	This bill would prohibit a person from blocking
26	26	any public road, the ingress or egress of any
27	27	residence, or the ingress or egress of any place of
28	28	employment while picketing or protesting.
29	29	This bill would provide criminal penalties for
30	30	violations.
31	31	This bill would require law enforcement officers
32	32	to ask a person who is picketing or protesting to
33	33	peacefully leave the premises before placing that
34	34	person under arrest.
35	35	This bill would allow municipalities or counties
36	36	to adopt ordinances or resolutions to regulate the time
37	37	and noise level of any picketing or protesting in a
38	38	residential area.
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66	66	28 SB247 INTRODUCED
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68	68	A BILL
69	69	TO BE ENTITLED
70	70	AN ACT
71	71	Relating to crimes and offenses; to prohibit a person
72	72	from picketing or protesting in certain circumstances; to
73	73	allow counties and municipalities to adopt ordinances or
74	74	regulations regarding time and noise regulations in certain
75	75	circumstances; and to provide criminal penalties for
76	76	violations.
77	77	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
78	78	Section 1. (a) For the purposes of this section, the
79	79	following terms have the following meanings:
80	80	(1) LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. An officer employed by the
81	81	state, a county, or a municipality who is certified by the
82	82	Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission and
83	83	who has the power to arrest.
84	84	(2) RESIDENCE. A building or structure, having a
85	85	physical address or street number, that provides shelter in
86	86	which an individual resides.
87	87	(b) No person may use artificial noise amplification to
88	88	picket or protest at or near a residence occupied or used by
89	89	any individual with the intent to harass, intimidate, or
90	90	disturb that individual or other individuals who reside at
91	91	that residence.
92	92	(c) No person may picket or protest at or near a
93	93	residence occupied or used by any individual with the intent
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123	123	residence occupied or used by any individual with the intent
124	124	to harass, intimidate, or disturb that individual or other
125	125	individuals who reside at that residence during the period
126	126	starting 30 minutes after sunset and ending 30 minutes before
127	127	sunrise.
128	128	(d) No person may block any public road, the ingress or
129	129	egress of any residence, or the ingress or egress of any place
130	130	of employment while picketing or protesting.
131	131	(e) A violation of this section is a Class C
132	132	misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation of this section
133	133	is a Class B misdemeanor.
134	134	(f) Prior to making an arrest for a violation of this
135	135	section, a law enforcement officer shall instruct the person
136	136	who is picketing or protesting to immediately and peaceably
137	137	disperse.
138	138	(g)(1) Municipalities and counties, by ordinance or
139	139	resolution, may adopt more stringent regulations to limit the
140	140	time frame and noise level of any picketing or protesting in
141	141	residential areas.
142	142	(2) Violations of ordinances or resolutions adopted
143	143	pursuant to this subsection shall be enforced in the same
144	144	manner as violations of this section.
145	145	(h) Nothing in this section shall limit a person's
146	146	freedom of speech or freedom to assemble in any public park or
147	147	other similar traditional public forum.
148	148	Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
149	149	1, 2025.
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