---
type: "Bill"
title: "Crimes and offenses; crime of swatting created; penalties established; jurisdiction provided for; restitution required"
description: "Crimes & Offenses"
jurisdiction: "us/states/al"
legislature: "Alabama Legislature"
session: "2024rs"
identifier: "HB 78"
citation: "Alabama HB 78 (2024rs)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Crimes & Offenses"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Phillip Ensler"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 22
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2024-02-01T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2024-05-09T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/aeb1ddbe-7c70-4778-a98b-f613ff4da7a5"
source_url: "https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search"
source_hash: "9097052fbdbf8e41999c52c920ee57ca1d27a90b232c55eb804b9db335c424ae"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-al"]
---

# Alabama HB 78 (2024rs) — Crimes and offenses; crime of swatting created; penalties established; jurisdiction provided for; restitution required

Crimes & Offenses

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2024RS/HB78-int.pdf)
2. **Act 2024-297** (committee substitute) — [source](http://arc-sos.state.al.us/ucp/L1542701.AI1.pdf)
3. **Amendment 6T9M33Z-1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2024RS/6T9M33Z-1.pdf)
4. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2024RS/HB78-eng.pdf)
5. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2024RS/HB78-enr.pdf)

## Votes

- Roll of the S for Vote 936 on HB78 (2024 Regular Session) — **30–0** (pass) · upper
- Roll of the H for Vote 36 on HB78 (2024 Regular Session) — **97–0** (pass) · lower
- Roll of the S for Vote 937 on HB78 (2024 Regular Session) — **30–0** (pass) · upper
- Roll of the H for Vote 37 on HB78 (2024 Regular Session) — **97–2** (pass) · lower
- Roll of the H for Vote 38 on HB78 (2024 Regular Session) — **99–2** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Phillip Ensler — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2024-02-01T05:00:00+00:00** Filed `filing`
- **2024-05-09T04:00:00+00:00** Enacted `became-law`
- **2024-05-02T04:00:00+00:00** Enrolled
- **2024-05-02T04:00:00+00:00** Delivered to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2024-05-02T04:00:00+00:00** Signature Requested
- **2024-05-02T04:00:00+00:00** Ready to Enroll
- **2024-05-02T04:00:00+00:00** Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 937 `passage`
- **2024-05-02T04:00:00+00:00** Third Reading in Second House
- **2024-03-21T04:00:00+00:00** Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Judiciary)
- **2024-03-20T04:00:00+00:00** Reported Out of Committee Second House
- **2024-02-21T05:00:00+00:00** Pending Committee Action in Second House (Judiciary)
- **2024-02-21T05:00:00+00:00** Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary `reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2024-02-20T05:00:00+00:00** Engrossed
- **2024-02-20T05:00:00+00:00** Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 38 `passage`
- **2024-02-20T05:00:00+00:00** Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 37
- **2024-02-20T05:00:00+00:00** JUDY 5th Reported Substitute Offered (Judiciary) `amendment-introduction`
- **2024-02-20T05:00:00+00:00** Third Reading in House of Origin
- **2024-02-14T05:00:00+00:00** Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Judiciary)
- **2024-02-14T05:00:00+00:00** Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
- **2024-02-06T05:00:00+00:00** Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Judiciary)
- **2024-02-06T05:00:00+00:00** Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary `reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2024-05-08T19:45:00+00:00** Enacted as 2024-297 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/aeb1ddbe-7c70-4778-a98b-f613ff4da7a5`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Alabama legislature records).