Legislation Acted on in Montgomery This Week

Of all the legislation passed this week in Montgomery, three stand out, two in the house and the other in the senate.

House Bill 41 was co-sponsored by every Republican in the West Alabama Delegation and signed into law by Governor Ivey. The bill allows the death penalty for individuals convicted of the sexual assault of a child under the age of 12, explicitly challenging the 2008 Supreme Court ruling in Kennedy v. Louisiana. That 2008 ruling declared the death penalty for child sexual assault is unconstitutional. Five other states currently have passed a similar law that will no doubt be challenged, but this time in a significantly more conservative high court.

When Ivey signed the legislation, she told bill sponsors and the media in attendance, "“For too long, the most vulnerable of our society have lacked the most stringent legal protection from child predators,” Ivey stated. “Through the Child Predator Death Penalty Act, Alabama now joins just a handful of states imposing the toughest penalty possible for child predators. Those who target the youngest among us for the vilest crimes will soon be met with the harshest punishment under the law.”

House Bill 392 Would change PSC membership from elected to appointed but it was originally positioned at the top of a proposed special-order calendar but was quietly removed without explanation.

Senate Bill 30 aims to invalidate nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in civil cases involving sexual abuse. The bill declares that contracts prohibiting the disclosure of sexual abuse, as defined in the bill, are against public policy and unenforceable. The bill passed the senate and is now in the house.

Other Legislative activity this week (NOTE: Only bills with statewide implications or sponsored by West Alabama lawmakers are listed).

In The Senate:

Senate Bill 15, Passed 32-0. Allows an organization to designate its assets and liquidate them, which will then be distributed to creditors instead of filing for federal bankruptcy. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 16, Passed 32-0. Sponsored by Bibb County Sen. April Weaver, R-Hoover, exempts Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit organization that builds and delivers beds for children in need, from paying county and municipal sales taxes. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 26, Passed 26-5.  Would allow county and city governments to fire members of local library boards. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 28, Passed 32-0. It would allow retired law enforcement officers to work as sheriff’s deputies and retirees licensed to practice law to work as assistant district attorneys without losing their retirement compensation. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 63, Passed committee. It does not ban the use of AI when health insurers determine what is and is not covered by health insurance plans. It requires a health care professional to make the final decision when coverage is denied. The bill now goes to the full senate.

Senate Bill 71, Prevents state agencies from adopting environmental regulations stricter than federal standards. Passed the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee and now moves to the House floor.

Senate Bill 72, Lowers the eligibility age for the adult learner grant program from 25 to 22. The bill now goes to the house.

Senate Bill 74, Renames and expands the Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program (AMSTEP) to the Loan Assistance in Support of Educators in Alabama (LASEA) Program to address teacher shortages. The bill now goes to the house.

Senate Bill 79, Passed 32-0. Excludes employer contributions to a federal “Trump Account” and qualified student loans from taxable income. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 89, Creates a new, temporary teaching certification for qualified military veterans without a bachelor's degree. The bill now goes to the house.

Senate Bill 92, Requires any campaign contributions made with a credit card to include a billing address, and prohibits most campaign contributions from credit cards located outside the United States. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.

Senate Bill 109, Passed 89-7 with eight abstentions. Authorizes the creation of peer-to-peer car sharing programs and provides the rules pertaining to such programs. The bill goes to Gov. kay Ivey for her signature.

Senate Bill 160, sponsored by Sen. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, adds Alabama to the Athletic Trainer Interstate Compact. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.

Senate Bill 212, sponsored by Jasper Sen. Matt Woods (R-5), Amends the Alabama Constitution to cap the property tax at the current rate for Fayette County residents who are 65 years old and older. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.

Senate Bill 213, sponsored by Jasper Sen. Matt Woods (R-5) allows qualified taxpayers older than 65 to claim a senior property tax exemption for real property owned in Lamar County. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.

Senate Bill 215, Requires a residential home builder to let the homeowner know if they do or do not have liability insurance in writing. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House.

Senate Bill 115, Passed 98-3. It creates a limited exemption from competitive bidding requirements for vehicle repair contracts of $15,000 or less under specific conditions. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

Senate Bill 134, The Senate General Fund Committee approved legislation (part of a broader push) to enhance eligibility checks for state benefits. 

Senate Bill 138, Passed the senate 30-1. Prohibits a franchisor from requiring existing franchisees with sincerely held religious beliefs to operate on religious days. There are a few exceptions, including when an original franchise agreement required operation on a religious day. The bill now goes to the house.

Senate Bill 155, Passed 32-0. Sponsored by Jasper Sen. Matt Woods (R-5), co-sponsored by Greensboro Sen. Bobby Singleton (D-72), creates the Coal-Impacted Communities Economic and Workforce Development Grant Program to distribute grants to local development organizations for regional economic and workforce development initiatives in coal-impacted communities. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 177, Passed the Senate to require health plans to cover breast cancer screenings for women over 40. The bill goes to the house.

Senate Bill 183, Passed unanimously. It removes hair braiding and weaving from the definition of cosmetology and exempts natural hair styling from regulation by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 194, Eliminates a requirement that a candidate must submit a statement of economic interest to the State Ethics Commission once they have qualified if they have proof they have already done so. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.

Senate Bill 196, Exempts the purchase of playground equipment from competitive bidding when its price exceeds $100,000. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.

Senate Bill 185, Passed 30-0.  Authorizes the transit authority in counties with populations larger than 600,000 to participate in business organizations relating to transit operations, land acquisitions, and activities relating to the operation of the authority. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 228, Passed unanimously. Renames the Alabama Space Authority the Alabama Aerospace Authority and adds the state’s finance director to membership. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 231, Passed unanimously. Provides for security from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency at the new Alabama Statehouse, its parking deck and adjacent park, once it is constructed. The bill goes to the House.

Senate Bill 241, sponsored by Sen. Matt Woods (R-5), allows the Walker County probate judge to appoint temporary judges under specific circumstances so long as the appointment does not last 90 days. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.

Senate Bill 253, Passed unanimously. Creates a rebate incentive program for small productions within the Alabama Entertainment Office. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to the House.

Senate Bill 259, sponsored by Greensboro Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-72), changes the dataset used to determine county official salary categories from the most recent U.S. Census to the 1990 census; sets payments for county commissioners; county commission chairs; probate judges; sheriffs; tax assessors; tax collectors; revenue commissioners; license commissioners and elected assistant tax assessors or collectors to the annual base compensation paid as of May 31, 2026 and provides for salary adjustments for succession in office. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.

In The House:

House Bill 1, Co-sponsored by Tuscaloosa Rep. Chris England (D-70). Passed 103-0, this legislation increases penalties for leaving the scene of an accident involving injury from a Class C to a Class B felony. The bill now goes to the senate.

House Bill 10, Passed 103-1. It allows traffic and water safety citations to be written for 14- and 15-year-olds for anything except driving or operating a vessel under the influence. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 26, Passed unanimously. Authorizes the probation officer of someone convicted of a sexual offense that involved a minor to restrict the person from access to a post office box and from having electronic media and allow the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles to order the person into treatment and require polygraph examinations. The bill passed 103-0. It moves to the Senate.

House Bill 27, Passed unanimously. Provides further for other expenses covered by catastrophe savings accounts and caps the amounts contributed to catastrophe savings accounts to cover expenses. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

House Bill 54, Approved by the House Judiciary Committee. The bill would allow women who are incarcerated to remain on probation for several weeks after they give birth.

House Bill 66, Passed 32-0. Requires the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to establish a method for individuals to voluntarily disclose on their identification that they have an invisible disability. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

House Bill 107, Passed 105-0. It establishes a combat action special license plate and criminal penalties for anyone who falsely obtains one. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 119, Passed 30-0 Amends the Alabama Code to further provide for the collection of fire service fees to maintain firefighting districts by providing a definition for “residence” and makes other no substantive changes to update the code language to existing style in Mobile County. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

House Bill 136, Passed 104-0. Requires the governor to sign emergency rules for state agencies that are an immediate threat to public health, safety or welfare before the emergency rule can become effective. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 142, Passed 30-0. Allows Class 2 municipalities to include up to 50% of the total value of equalized taxable property to be included in tax increment districts within the municipality. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

House Bill 153, Passed 32-0. Would authorize a Class 8 municipality with a population of 25,000 or more and a corporate limit to opt out of a county personnel system and set up its own civil service system. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

House Bill 155, Passed 105-0. It allows permanently and totally disabled veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces to be exempted from the annual verification requirement for homestead exemptions. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 160, sponsored by Tuscaloosa and Pickens counties Rep. Ron Bolton (R-61), excludes the city of Tuscaloosa’s public safety director from overtime pay and allows first responders engaged in fire protection to take overtime as additional pay or leave. The bill passed 29-0. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

House Bill 161, The bill unanimously passed the house. It requires app store providers to verify user ages and obtain parental consent for minors. The bill now goes to the senate.

House Bill 175, passed unanimously. Establishes a tax credit for farmers who donate “edible farm products” to foodbanks. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 189, Passed 102-2 with one abstention. It requires juvenile courts to notify local school superintendents if a student is charged or convicted of rape, sodomy or murder. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 190, Passe 103-0 with two abstentions. Amends the Railroad Modernization Act of 2019 to increase the per mile credit amount; increase the year cap on income tax credits and extends the program through 2032. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 214, Passed 94-0 in the house. Prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to state or local political campaigns, PACs, or ballot measures. Bill now goes to the senate.

House Bill 226, Passed unanimously. Expands the definition of nolo contendere pleas for habitual offenders to include in and out-of-state convictions. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 227, Passed 102-0 with three abstentions. Authorizes the Administrative Office of the Courts to establish a nonprofit and use and collect non-public funds; to hold non-public funds in accounts outside the State Treasury, and transfer state funds to the nonprofit for judicial education. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 228, Passed unanimously. Sets terms and conditions for pretrial hearings and detention. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 243, The bill passed 103-0 with two abstentions. The bill enhances the penalty for driving under the influence from a Class A misdemeanor to either a Class C felony or Class B felony depending on the injury of the victim.  The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 245, Passed the House unanimously. It clarifies how tax credits can be applied to support rural hospitals. The bill now goes to the governor. 

House Bill 250, Passed 85-0 with 18 abstentions. Excludes contributions made by employers to Trump Accounts from the gross income of individual taxpayers and permanently excludes the same amount paid by an employer on qualified education loans for the individual taxpayers. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 253, Passed 92-3 with eight abstentions. Co-sponsored by Alabaster Rep. Russell Bedsole (R-49) and Tuscaloosa, Fayette and Jefferson counties Rep. Bryan Brinyark (R-16). Increases the fees for volunteer and professional firefighter distinctive motor vehicle license plates and determines the organizations that would receive the fees. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 261, Co-sponsored by Tuscaloosa Rep. Chris England (D-70). The bill allows that as a result of an acquittal or dismissal of a felony, misdemeanour, violation, traffic violation, boating violation, or municipal ordinance violation, the defendant may petition the circuit court in which the charges were filed to have the records expunged.

House Bill 268, Passed 100-0 with three abstentions. Authorizes the state 911 Board to monitor call statistics of local communication districts and share crime reporting data with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office; investigate claims the district’s emergency response is inadequate; assume control of the local district if needed and authorizes the Attorney General’s Office to file a civil lawsuit.  The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 271, Passed unanimously. Establishes lifetime disabled state resident special hunting and fishing licenses. The bill passed 105-0. It moves to the Senate.

House Bill 282, Passed 105-0. Changes the start date of the terms of members of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles from July 1 to March 1. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 276, Co-sponsored by Tuscaloosa Rep. Bill Lamb (R-62) and Tuscaloosa, Fayette and Jefferson counties Rep. Bryan Brinyark (R-16). Passed the house on a 99-0 vote. It would allow certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNP), nurse midwives and physician’s assistants (PA) to sign off athletic physicals for K-12 students. The bill now goes to the senate.

House Bill 292, Allows any veteran who has at least a 50% disability to get a special disabled veteran license plate. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

House Bill 318, Passed unanimously. Authorizes the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) to create an electronic notification system to notify a minor’s parent or legal guardian whenever a minor is cited for a traffic infraction. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 323, Passed 104-0. Co-sponsored by Jasper Matt Wood (R-5). Changes the requirements for National Guard members to be presented with specific awards and creates new awards for individuals for specific accomplishments. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 329, Passed 100-0. Requires students in Alabama public schools to complete a computer science class. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 343, Passed unanimously. Removes a requirement for rural electrification authorities and electric membership corporations to get approval from the Department of Finance before bonds are issued or evidence of indebtedness. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 359, Passed 99-5. It clarifies awards under the Sweet Home Alabama Tourism Investment act and requires cost documentation for projects. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 383, Passed 17-0 with 86 abstentions. Sponsored by Tuscaloosa Rep. Bill Lamb (R-62) authorizes a probationary period for new hires and allows some employees for Tuscaloosa County to work part-time. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 384, The bill passed 14-0 with 90 abstentions. Sponsored by Tuscaloosa and Pickens counties Rep. Ron Bolton ( R-61), extends a $60 processing fee on documents processed by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office to mental health documents and orders issued by the local probate judge. The bill moves to the Senate.

House Bill 385, The bill passed 14-0 with 90 abstentions. Sponsored by Sponsored by Tuscaloosa and Pickens counties Rep. Ron Bolton (R-61), authorizes the Tuscaloosa County Tax Assessor and Tax Collector to establish a process for people to file business and personal property tax returns. The bill moves to the Senate.

Lawmakers enter week five of the 2026 legislative session next week with the house convening at 1:00pm Tuesday and the senate gavelling into session at 2:00pm.