Republican lawmakers will try again next month to pass legislation to prevent judges from granting youthful offender status to those age 16 or older who are charged with capital murder or intentional murder.
Current law says those younger than 19 and charged with murder can receive youthful offender status at a judge’s discretion. The status carries a lighter sentence, with no more than three years in prison and three years of probation. Court records are also sealed.
House Bill 11 by Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Killen, and Senate Bill 25 by Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, say those 16 and up must be charged as adults.
Pettus carried the same bill in the 2025 session. It passed the House on a 65-29 vote and was approved in the Senate Judiciary Committee, but didn’t get a Senate floor vote in the final weeks of the session.
The bill creates Jolee’s Law, named for Jollee Callan, a Clay County 18-year-old who was killed by her ex-boyfriend, Loren Bunner, 10 years ago. Bunner was initially granted youthful offender status. That decision was reversed after objections from prosecutors.
Pettus said he originally sponsored the bill before he was aware of Callan’s story and was asked to name it for her.
His original impetus for the bill was the 2023 shooting at a birthday party in Dadeville that left four dead and dozens injured. Multiple arrests were made and some of those charged applied for youthful offender status.
“That’s what made me say, we shouldn’t be doing this,” Pettus told Alabama Daily News.
Even if they’re denied youthful offender status, the motions and denials take up courts’ time, Pettus said.
“They’re already backed up,” Pettus said. “This just takes one thing off the court system’s plate.”
There was some opposition to the bill in the House this year, including from a few Republicans who said they didn’t want to take away a judge’s ability to make decisions.
“I am absolutely opposed to any bill that removes discretion from our judges,” said Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, on the House floor. He’s a former circuit and district court judge.
An amendment on the House floor by Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, made the proposed law apply only to intentional murder. That change is in the 2026 bill. It also includes a Senate committee amendment from last session that says youthful offender status may be applied for if the initial charge of murder is reduced to a lesser charge.
Pettus pre-filed the bill for the upcoming session in an effort to pass it quickly.
“Hopefully we get it through the House real quick and get it to the Senate,” he said.
The legislative session starts Jan. 13.