The Alabama Senate on Tuesday voted to outlaw “machine gun conversion devices,” also known as Glock switches.
Senate Bill 116 is a GOP priority and part of Gov. Kay Ivey’s anti-crime legislation package. It’s supported by law enforcement agencies and the mayors of the state’s largest cities.
The devices can modify firearms to fire at rates comparable to a fully automatic weapon. They’re already banned by federal law, but the pending state legislation would let law enforcement arrest people in possession of the devices.
“As a proponent of Second Amendment rights and owner of several firearms, there is a balancing act here,” bill sponsor Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, said on the Senate floor. “But again, already under federal law these conversion devices are illegal, and we’re giving our local law enforcement the ability to arrest and prosecute these folks who would take these conversion devices and convert a semi-automatic legal pistol into a fully automatic weapon.”
The bill was approved 28-0.
It now goes to the House, where Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, has carried a similar bill for the past two years. Last year it passed the House and died in the Senate before becoming a GOP priority.
The Senate also approved Barfoot’s Senate Bill 118, which would expand under existing law the crimes for which judges may deny bail to defendants. It adds attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and soliciting murder, as well as shooting into an occupied dwelling or vehicle.
“A judge could deny bail under those circumstances,” Barfoot said. It was approved 29-0.
Assuming the bill passes the House, Alabamians will vote on it in a statewide election.
The Senate delayed a vote on Senate Bill 119, the enabling legislation to SB119, because of concerns raised by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham.
It would make shooting into an occupied building or vehicle a Class A felony, rather than a Class B felony.
The Senate also quickly approved Tuesday afternoon three other bills.
Senate Bill 108, by Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, increases the penalties for serial mail thieves. Someone who steals mail from 10 or more addresses is guilty of a Class B felony. The bill also increases the penalty for intentionally stealing mail containing sensitive personal information.
Senate Bill 47, by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, gives community first responders the same civil liability protections when rendering emergency aid as firefighters or police officers as long as they’ve had training recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Senate Bill 68, by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Center, expands the use of reciprocal agreements between emergency response organizations.