A recently pre-filed bill in the Alabama Senate would make it a Class C felony to injure a public official.
Sen. Chris Elliott’s Senate Bill 20 expands the definition of assault in the second degree to include “injury to a current or former local, state, or federal public official during or as a result of the performance of the current or former official’s duty…”
Without the proposed specification, such an assault is now a misdemeanor.
Elliott, R-Josephine, said the proposed change is meant to be a deterrent.
“We know that (public officials are) just doing a job and attacking them for just doing their job and making tough decisions is not acceptable,” he told Alabama Daily News. “They’re just trying to do the job and serve the public and should not be targets for anger or whatever it may be over their particular decision.”
The legislation coincides with the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kirk wasn’t an elected official, but the shooting on a Utah college campus has increased concerns about public officials’ safety, especially at public events. But Elliott said he began working on the bill earlier this month after the alleged assault of Bay Minette City Councilman Matt Franklin at his workplace.
The suspect, Baldwin County attorney Harry Still, later told Lagniappe he was the injured party in the incident.
“The bill was in the works before the Charlie Kirk assassination, but I think it is all the more appropriate because of that,” Elliott told Alabama Daily News.
The 2026 legislative session starts Jan. 13.