HB 88 requires Alabama's driver's license examinations - covering written, oral, vision, and driving portions - to be administered exclusively in English, affecting all applicants for initial licenses or renewals needing an exam. The bill prohibits the use of translation tools, electronic devices, or interpreters during testing and updates existing law to mandate this language requirement. It makes minor technical revisions to align the code with current formatting but does not alter eligibility rules for license applicants. The bill is pending in the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee and would take effect October 1, 2026.
SB 34 proposes creating the Imagination Library of Alabama Program, which would provide free age-appropriate books monthly to children aged birth to five in participating counties through Dolly Parton's existing Imagination Library program. The bill requires Alabama's Department of Early Childhood Education to coordinate with a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization to administer the program, matching local funding at 50% to cover book costs. It establishes a special fund for donations, grants, and state appropriations to support the initiative, with funds not expiring annually. The program would directly affect Alabama children and local communities by delivering books to homes at no cost to families while requiring local partners to contribute matching funds.
SB 25, or Jolee's Law, prohibits Alabama judges from granting youthful offender status to individuals aged 16 or older charged with capital murder or murder. This directly affects young adults facing these serious charges, requiring them to be tried as adults rather than as youthful offenders under current law. The bill amends existing statute to remove this option for initial charges of capital murder or murder, though eligibility for youthful offender status may still apply if the charge is reduced to a lesser offense. It takes effect on October 1, 2026.
HB 70 allows certain defendants convicted of capital murder before June 1, 2026, to seek resentencing if a jury previously recommended life without parole but a judge overruled that recommendation to impose a death sentence. The bill requires courts to resentence eligible defendants under current law (which follows jury recommendations) if they meet specific criteria: the sentence was imposed under pre-April 2017 law, the jury advised life without parole, and the judge overruled that advice. Petitions for resentencing must be filed with the original sentencing court and are free of filing fees. The bill repeals an existing resentencing provision and takes effect October 1, 2026. It directly affects capital murder defendants whose sentences were altered via judicial override before the specified date.
HB 94 revises the State Auditor's duties in Alabama, primarily creating a new Division of Property Investigations to handle cases of lost or stolen state property. The bill requires state agencies to report property losses or thefts and exempts Department of Corrections and Department of Youth Services facilities (property behind security bars) from standard inventory audits. This division would investigate negligent losses, demand repayment for damaged property, and refer criminal cases to the Attorney General or district attorneys. The bill directly affects state agencies, property managers, and the State Auditor's office, with no impact on general public or private entities.
SB 29 revises qualifications for the Alabama State Board of Chiropractic Examiners and chiropractic licensure. It removes requirements that board members must have graduated from a chiropractic school requiring in-person attendance and eliminates the bachelor's degree and standardized test requirements for new license applicants. The bill also updates outdated code language to current style without changing substantive rules. These changes directly affect chiropractic board members and individuals seeking to practice chiropractic in Alabama.
HB 81 prohibits Alabama state government entities from using the term "West Bank" to refer to Judea and Samaria in any official documents, such as rules, press releases, or communications. It directly affects all Alabama state agencies, departments, and subdivisions that produce government materials. The bill allows the head of a government entity to waive this prohibition if they determine it serves the state's interests, but requires a written explanation submitted to the legislature or legislative council within 30 days. The law would take effect on October 1, 2026.
HB 76 proposes amending Alabama's constitution to permanently ban the death penalty for all future crimes. If approved by voters in the 2028 primary election, it would require the legislature to pass laws prohibiting the death penalty and void any existing laws allowing it as a punishment. This change would end the death penalty as a sentencing option for murder or other crimes in Alabama, affecting only future cases (not current death row inmates). The bill is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee after being filed in December 2025.
SB 27 changes the composition of Alabama's Department of Archives and History Board of Trustees from 12 to 17 members. It revises how members are appointed, creating 16 specific seats (including 7 district-based seats and 9 at-large seats) with detailed appointment rules for each seat's term start dates and appointing authorities (Governor, House Speaker, or Senate President). The bill also includes a retroactive effect, meaning the new structure applies as if it had been in place since January 1, 2025. This procedural change affects the board members who govern the state's historical archives and records.
SB 1 (Alabama Senate Bill 1) regulates hemp-derived consumable products containing nonpsychoactive cannabinoids like CBD. It requires all such products (e.g., gummies, oils, topicals) to be sold only in pharmacies certified by the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy, starting January 1, 2026. The bill mandates lab testing for safety and potency before sale, limits products to those made from Alabama-grown hemp, and creates a seed-to-sale tracking system managed by the Department of Agriculture. This directly affects pharmacies, hemp manufacturers, and consumers purchasing these products, while excluding vaping products, food items, and medical cannabis.
SB 3 requires Alabama public K-12 schools to teach only abstinence-focused sex education, banning any instruction about contraception or abortion referrals. Parents must receive notice and can opt their children out of sex education classes. The bill mandates specific content, including pregnancy costs, abortion laws, adoption processes, and parenting responsibilities, while prohibiting demonstrations of contraceptive use or sexually explicit materials. School boards cannot partner with organizations that advocate for abortion or non-abstinence approaches, and the Attorney General is authorized to enforce these requirements.
This bill prohibits LP-Gas permittees from filling or storing cylinders for retail sale within 3,000 feet of schools, churches, hospitals, athletic fields, or other public gathering places. It directly affects businesses operating bulk LP-Gas facilities that distribute cylinders to retailers. The key provision creates a mandatory buffer zone around these locations, with an exception for retail facilities offering cylinder exchange programs. The law, set to take effect October 1, 2026, aims to enhance safety near high-occupancy areas by restricting LP-Gas storage and handling.
