HB 54 Alabama House · 2025 Regular Session

Juvenile court; additional courts authorized to issue emergency ex parte orders for protection of juveniles; process provided for

This bill expands which courts can issue emergency orders protecting children from immediate harm. It allows circuit and district courts (not just juvenile courts) to issue these emergency orders when there's evidence of child abuse or neglect, requiring specific findings about the child's safety. If a child must be removed from home, the court must place them with relatives or temporarily with the county child welfare department. The order remains in effect until a juvenile court holds a hearing to review it, typically within days. This directly affects children in urgent danger, their families, and county human resources departments that must respond to the orders.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Oct 2024
Committee Review
Feb 2025
House Passage
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Oct 1, 2024 Last action Feb 20, 2025
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
11
Key actions
5
Committee
4
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Out of Committee Second House
upper
Feb 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Pending Committee Action in Second House (Judiciary)
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 61
lower
Feb 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Judiciary)
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Matt Simpson
Matt Simpson
RRepublican
AL
96