Youthful offender status, to prohibit a judge from granting youthful offender status to any person who is 16 years of age and older and charged with capital murder or murder

SB 25, or Jolee's Law, prohibits Alabama judges from granting youthful offender status to individuals aged 16 or older charged with capital murder or murder. This directly affects young adults facing these serious charges, requiring them to be tried as adults rather than as youthful offenders under current law. The bill amends existing statute to remove this option for initial charges of capital murder or murder, though eligibility for youthful offender status may still apply if the charge is reduced to a lesser offense. It takes effect on October 1, 2026.