Editorial from the Gadsden Times:

Some were looters, lowlifes who were willing to kick people when they were down. Even if they were caught stealing, the punishment did not fit the crime because Alabama does not have a law that specifically criminalizes looting.

If Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange has his way, that will soon change.

Strange started talking about the need for a specific law concerning looting almost immediately after the state was raked by multiple storms last spring. Looters are subject to prosecution under a variety of charges such as burglary and theft, but in special circumstances, extra protection is warranted.

Read more at GadsdenTimes.com.

Attorney General Luther Strange and state Representative John Merrill introduced a bill Thursday that makes looting a felony.

It's punishable by up to ten years behind bars and a fine of up to $15,000.

Strange and Merrill say they were both asked to have legislation like this to protect the people of Alabama from this type of crime.

Read more at WNCFTV.com (video also).

Lawmakers in Montgomery are trying to make looting a felony charge during an official state of emergency.

The important facts: Alabama's attorney general introduced Senate bill 302 and House bill 340.

Both specifically criminalize looting and make it a class "c" felony. Two lawmakers from Tuscaloosa were among the co-sponsors of the bill.

Watch video at Alabamas13.com.

Attorney General Luther Strange spoke on a variety of legal issues facing Alabama at the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet Friday morning.

Strange said that most pressing items on his agenda right now were trying to his crime package passed, as well as the BP oil spill case.

Strange’s law enforcement package addresses such problems as illegal gambling, metal theft, banning synthetic drugs and combating looting.

Read more at AlexCityOutlook.com.

Editorial from the Montgomery Advertiser:

It's difficult to imagine that the Alabama Legislature will not respond positively to a request by the state's attorney general to pass a new, tough and specific law against looting in the wake of a disaster.

...

The legislation appears very likely to pass -- there are 11 co-sponsors in the Senate and 53 co-sponsors in the House. But it is important not only to pass these bills, but also to ensure that they are in no way watered down during the legislative process.

Read the entire editorial at MontgomeryAdvertiser.com.

Editorial from the Times-Journal:

...The Birmingham News reported online Thursday that Attorney General Luther Strange urged the bill that would make looting a class C felony. People convicted of it could face between one and 10 years in prison.

It's reprehensible that people would try to take items from storm victims, but it does happen. The state is right to consider a change in the law so that people will think twice - or be held to account if they decide to take advantage of a bad situation....

Read the entire editorial at Times-Journal.com.

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange is asking the Legislature to pass a tough new bill that makes looting a crime that can send a violator to prison for up to 10 years.

Strange said Thursday at a Statehouse news conference the law would only be enforced if the governor had declared a state of emergency.

Read more at TuscaloosaNews.com.

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange met with the Luverne Rotary and Kiwanis clubs for a joint meeting on Monday.

Strange informed the group about a number of issues his office is currently facing, including drugs and copper theft. “Being the father of two sons, I’m worried about the influence of drugs on our youth,” he said. As part of the effort to crack down on illegal substances, Strange said his office has banned “spice,” or synthetic marijuana, and other synthetic drugs that are often sold over the counter at places like gas stations. “There were a rash of deaths, so we’ve worked to take those off the shelf,” he said.

The issue of copper thefts is one that Strange said tends to affect rural counties and that the money from selling stolen copper is often used to buy drugs. “Copper theft has become a big deal,” he said. “We’re going to try to find a way to deal with that issue in the next legislative session.”

While those two issues are on the forefront of the agenda, Strange also said there are several issues that he gets asked about on a regular basis, including the BP oil spill, gambling and immigration.

Read more at GreenvilleAdvocate.com.