Alabama's 2026 Legislative Session Begins In Election Year

Today is the 1^st day of the 2026 Alabama legislative Session and with this being an election year, lawmakers will want to keep controversy to a minimum so they can get the session behind them and campaign for re-election.

Today's first day of the session will deal with organizational matters and the first reading of prefiled legislation, 205 of them between the house and the senate. Tomorrow will be committee meeting day where various committees will discuss legislation assigned to them. Thursday will be the first day for floor debate.

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The main business for lawmakers is passage of the state's education and general fund budgets. That takes precedence over any other legislation and that could be one of the sticking points of this session.

There have been declines in some major revenue for both the Education Trust Fund (ETF) and the General Fund. This will, no doubt, result in Alabama’s fiscally conservative Republican majority nervous. The General Fund has seen about 2% growth so far, this fiscal year; the ETF has seen a 2% decline, including dips in income and sales tax receipts.

While there are surpluses that can help cover those costs there are other factors that have some lawmakers concerned, most notably the continue rise in the cost of the educator healthcare program known as PEEHIP and the need to continue to increase teacher pay to match surrounding states.

Legislative leaders like Senate General Fund Chairman Greg Albritton (R-22, Baldwin County) are cautious. Albritton believes the legislature will deal with one of the educator issues but not both.

West Alabama Rep. Curtis Travis (D-72, Bibb, Greene, Hale, Tuscaloosa counties) fears not dealing with both could hurt the state, "If we don't resolve the healthcare and salary problems, it is going to be hard for us to keep teachers in the state."

Among the major proposed legislation that could be contentious are three death penalty bills, four crime bills, six health and safety bills, four education/workforce bills, and four voting/election bills.

West Alabama Congressional Delegation Members alone have filed 34 bills they are sponsoring (this does not include co-sponsored legislation):

House -

Representative Russell Bedsole (R-49, Bibb, Chilton, Shelby counties) = 0 bills,
Representative Ron Bolton (R-61, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties = 6 bills,
Representative Bryan Brinyark (R-16, Fayette, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa counties) = 3 bills,
Representative Prince Chestnut (D-67, Dallas and Perry counties) = 0 bills,
Representative Chris England (D-70, Tuscaloosa County) = 4 bills,
Representative Tracy Estes (R, Lamar, Marion Winston counties) = 3 bills,
Representative Thomas Jackson (D-68, Clarke, Conecuh, Marengo counties) = 0 bills,
Representative Bill Lamb (R-62, Tuscaloosa County) = 2 bills
Representative Artis 'A.J.' McCampbell (D-71, Marengo, Pickens and Sumter counties) = 1 bill,
Representative Curtis Travis (D-72, Bibb, Greene, Hale and Tuscaloosa counties) = 1 bill,
Representative Tim Wadsworth (R-14, Winston, Walker and Cullman counties) = 0 bills,

Senate -

Senator Gerald H. Allen (R-21, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties) = 6 bills,
Senator Bobby D. Singleton (D-Choctaw, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties) = 0 bills,
Senator April Weaver (R-14, Bibb, Chilton and Shelby counties) = 5 bills,
Senator Matt Woods (R-5, Fayette, Jefferson, Lamar, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties) = 3 bills.

A key force in this year's legislative session is the date May 19. That is the day of the republican and Democrat Party Primaries. That will influence how many and what bills make it to a vote in advance of what is expected to be an early adjournment.

State lawmakers are allowed 30 meeting days during the 105-day session that is scheduled to end no later than March 27th.

Gov. Ivey delivers her 10th and final State of the State Address at 6:00pm in the old State Capitol House Chamber.

Tuscaloosa Thread will provide coverage of the 2026 Alabama Legislature throughout the session.