Alabama Legislature At Halfway Point in Session
Depending on your particular point of view, it was another productive on "Goat Hill" as the Alabama Legislature made another dent in the over 600 bill submitted so far this session.
Many of the bills passed in the senate were for the extension of various boards and commissions. Many House Bills were of local nature. There was action on issues of healthcare and emergency preparedness at summer camps.
Here is a rundown of what passed in the house and senate. Only legislation of statewide application, local bills or bills sponsored by West Alabama lawmakers are listed.
The House
House Bill 182, Requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to credit education or training acquired in the military toward an emergency medical services personnel license. The bill passed 104-0. It goes to the Senate.
House Bill 296, Creates the Rental Home Marketplace Guarantees Act to define rental home market guarantees, provide administration registration and provide financial penalties for violating the act. The bill passed 97-1. It moves to the Senate.
House Bill 300, Would require all health benefit plans to cover breast cancer screenings for women over 40 years old. The bill passed 99-0. It moves to the Senate.
House Bill 381, Requires camps in the state to have emergency preparedness standards. The bill passed 104-0. It moves to the Senate.
House Bill 408 sponsored by Alabaster Rep. Russell Bedsole (R-49), allows the Alabaster City Council to establish and regulate entertainment districts. The bill passed 16-0. It moves to the Senate.
House Boll 409, sponsored by Alabaster Rep. Russell Bedsole (R-49) Authorizes the removal of weeds from public properties in Alabaster when they become a public nuisance and provides for their removal. The bill passed 10-0. It moves to the Senate.
House Bill 413, sponsored by Northport Rep. Ronald Bolton (R-61) gives annual longevity pay offered to other full-time Tuscaloosa County employees to the Tuscaloosa sheriff, tax assessor and tax collector. The bill passed 16-0. It moves to the Senate.
The Senate
Senate Bill 24, Would streamline the process for formerly incarcerated Alabamians to get their voting rights restored. The bill passed 26-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 54, Extends the Alabama Surface Mining Commission to Oct. 1, 2030. The bill passed 98-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 63, Regulates the use of artificial intelligence in determining health care coverage. The bill passed 27-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 70, Expands the crime of transmitting obscene material to a child by computer to include events in which the crime is committed with the victim intended to be a child. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 77, Extends the 911 Board until Oct. 1, 2028, and changes the members’ appointment manner to where they can serve until the Alabama Senate can reject their appointment. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 78, Extends the Board of Examiner of Assisted living Administrators until October 2028, and requires the governor to appoint a board member if the nominator does not do so in a timely manner. The bill passed 104-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 83, Adds procedures and requirements for removals of guardianships, conservatorships and protective proceedings. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 84, Requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to conduct sanitation inspections in cafeterias operated by the Department of Corrections and county and municipal jails and take action on its findings. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 88, Exempts “covered” K-12 schools and higher education institutions from construction projects costing less than $750,000 from all state inspections. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 94, Requires the caretaker of a person with a disability to notify the Department of Revenue of the person’s death within 90 days or the time of probate proceedings so that their removable windshield placard will become invalid for handicap parking. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 100, Extends the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy until Oct. 1, 2027, and changes the criteria for the Speaker of the House’s appointee. The bill passed 99-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 101, Extends the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors to Oct. 1, 2028. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 102, Extends the Board of Home Medical Equipment until Oct. 1, 2027. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature
Senate Bill 103, Extends the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute until October 2030, and places it under the administration of the Alabama Department of Workforce. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 104, Requires members of agencies that are subject to the Alabama Sunset Law to complete a five-hour training course within 150 days of starting their term. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 113, Extends the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board until October 2027 and places it under the administration of the Alabama Department of Mental Health. The bill passed 92-1. The Senate later concurred 27-0 with House changes. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 122, Extends the Alabama State Board of Registration for Foresters until 2030. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 126, Extends the Alabama Private Investigation Board to Oct. 1, 2028. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 127, Extends the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling under the Sunset Law until Oct. 1, 2028. The bill passed 104-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 128, Moves the Sickle Cell Oversight and Regulatory Commission under the oversight of the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), and extends it to Oct. 1, 2030. The bill passed 103-0. The Senate later concurred 27-0 with House changes. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 136, Extends the Alabama Massage Therapy Licensing Board until Oct. 1, 2027, and places it under the oversight of the Alabama Department of Public Health. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.
Senate Bill 170, Protects health savings accounts (HSAs) from any state benefit mandate or federal copay adjustment, regulation or guidance in relation to high-deductible health insurance plans. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 173, Allows circuit and district courts to have jurisdiction over prosecutions for a violation of a domestic violence protection order. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 197, Exempts mobile food vendors from local health and fire inspections as long as they get regular inspections from state authorities. The bill passed 27-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 205, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, establishes procedures for excavators following large projects under the Underground Damage Prevention Program. The bill passed 27-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 209, Requires public schools teaching sex education to teach “sexual risk avoidance” instead of “comprehensive” sex education. The bill passed 26-3. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 210, sponsored by Sen. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, requires chiropractors wishing to practice in Alabama to be a graduate of a school accredited by the Council of Chiropractic Education or a successor entity. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 213, sponsored by Sen. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, allows qualified taxpayers older than 65 to claim a senior property tax exemption for real property owned in Lamar County. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 66-0. It now goes to a future election.
Senate Bill 239, Removes a child custody provision requiring a temporary placement made under emergency jurisdiction to be final and only allows such placement if a custody proceeding is not made within six months of the emergency placement. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 242, Requires all commercial drivers to be proficient in English and provide valid entry documents if their license is from another country. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 247, Would allow health insurers in Alabama to reorganize under a holding company, with the stated purpose of helping the state’s dominant health insurer. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 248, Allows the State Board of Education and local boards to adopt policies on release time religious instruction and requires it to allow students’ parents to choose whether or not their students participate in a program. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 249, Increases the annual fee for volunteer and professional firefighter license plates from $1 to $10. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 251, Removes references to the Accelerate Alabama Strategic Economic Development Plan in the state’s research and development grants for economic development. The bill passed 26-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 271, Amends the Alabama Constitution to require an election to fill a vacancy in the lieutenant governor’s office at the next state general election if the vacancy occurs in the first two years of the lieutenant governor’s term. The measure, a statewide constitutional amendment, passed 29-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 272, Allows for redactions in public records requested from local boards of education that contain lists of names and addresses of individuals or entities for the purpose of solicitation. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 288, Requires agriculture boards to appoint their own successors, instead of the Legislature, every five years. The bill passed 26-1. It goes to the House.
Senate Bill 303, Authorizes and sets restrictions for the use of off-road vehicles on public roads. The bill passed 29-1. It goes to the House.
With the conclusion of this week, the Alabama Legislature is halfway through the 2026 session. The House returns to work Tuesday at 1:00pm while the Senate convenes at 2:00pm.
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