It happened fast. On March 19, 2025, Governor Kay Ivey put her pen to SB116, officially making "Glock switches" a state-level felony in Alabama. Honestly, if you’ve been following the news in Birmingham or Montgomery lately, this shouldn't come as a huge surprise. The state has been grappling with a massive spike in gun violence, and these little nickel-sized pieces of plastic or metal have been right at the center of it.
Basically, a Glock switch—or more technically, a machine gun conversion device—is a small part that snaps onto the back of a semi-automatic pistol. It changes the internal mechanics so that instead of one shot per trigger pull, the gun just keeps dumping lead until the magazine is empty. We're talking about a rate of fire that hits roughly 1,200 rounds per minute. That’s faster than some military-grade rifles.
Why Alabama Bothered with a State Ban
You might be thinking, "Wait, aren't those already illegal?"
You're right. They are. Under federal law, these devices have been strictly prohibited since 1986. But here’s the kicker: before this bill was signed, local police in Alabama were often stuck in a weird legal limbo. If a Montgomery officer pulled someone over and found a switch, they couldn't just charge them under state law. They had to call the feds.
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The feds are busy. They don't take every single case. This meant a lot of people caught with these "giggle switches" were just walking free because the paperwork was too much of a headache for a local jurisdiction to handle alone.
By signing SB116, Ivey basically gave local DAs the "teeth" they needed. Now, if you're caught with one in Jefferson County, the local prosecutor can throw the book at you without waiting for a call back from a federal agent in D.C. It streamlines the whole process of getting these things off the street.
The Nitty-Gritty of the New Penalties
The law is pretty straightforward, but the consequences are heavy. We're looking at a Class C felony. If you're convicted, you're facing:
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- A prison sentence ranging from one year and one day to 10 years.
- Fines that can go up to $15,000.
- A permanent felony record, which means kiss your legal gun rights goodbye.
Interestingly, the bill was amended during the legislative process to be extra tough. The final version doesn't even require prosecutors to prove you knew the device was illegal. If you have it, you're liable. Period. This "strict liability" approach has sparked some debate among defense attorneys, but for the Alabama legislature, the priority was clear: stop the spray of bullets.
Who is exempt?
It isn't a total dragnet for everyone. The law specifically carves out exceptions for:
- Law enforcement officers acting in their official capacity.
- Military personnel who are authorized to have them.
- People who have gone through the rigorous process of registering their devices with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (though for a standard Glock switch, this is virtually impossible for a civilian due to the 1986 cutoff).
The "Safe Alabama" Package
Governor Ivey didn't just sign this in a vacuum. It’s part of a much larger push she’s calling the Safe Alabama public safety package. The state has been reeling from high-profile tragedies, like the mass shooting at Birmingham’s Hush Lounge in late 2024 and another heartbreaking incident during Tuskegee University’s homecoming.
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Rep. Phillip Ensler, a Democrat from Montgomery, had been pushing for this for years. It’s rare to see such a "gun-friendly" state legislature move this quickly on a firearm restriction, but the sheer volume of "switched" guns being recovered—a 1,200% increase according to some ATF data—made it a bipartisan necessity.
What Most People Get Wrong
There’s a lot of misinformation floating around on social media about this. Some folks think this bans certain types of triggers or "binary triggers." It doesn't. The law is very specific about devices that enable a gun to fire more than one shot with a single function of the trigger. If you have a legal semi-auto and you're just a fast shooter, you're fine.
Another misconception is that these devices are hard to get. Sadly, they aren't. They’re often 3D-printed in basements or ordered off shady websites disguised as "bicycle parts" or "tools." This law aims to make the risk of owning one so high that the "cool factor" or tactical advantage isn't worth a decade in Donaldson Correctional Facility.
Actionable Steps for Alabamians
If you own firearms or work in the industry, here’s how to navigate this new landscape:
- Check Your Gear: If you bought a "precision backplate" or a "full-auto kit" online out of curiosity, get rid of it. Under the new law, even having the parts—unattached to a gun—is enough for a felony charge.
- Know the Difference: A "binary trigger" (which fires on the pull and the release) is still legal under this specific state statute, as each shot is technically a separate trigger function. However, always stay updated as local ordinances can change.
- Surrender Illegal Devices: If you find yourself in possession of a conversion device, do not just toss it in the trash where someone else can find it. Contact a local attorney to discuss the best way to surrender it to authorities or destroy it according to ATF guidelines (usually involves specific torch cuts).
- Stay Informed on SB116: Watch how local DAs in cities like Birmingham and Mobile begin to implement this. The first few cases will set the precedent for how "strict" the "strict liability" clause really is in practice.