This bill requires all Alabama public school districts to implement a policy allowing students to earn elective credit for attending religious instruction during the school day, provided specific conditions are met. It mandates parental consent, prohibits public funding for instruction, and requires private religious entities to handle transportation, liability, and attendance records. Students may earn credit equivalent to standard elective courses, but cannot be released from required core classes for this purpose. The policy directly affects public school students seeking religious instruction, local school boards (now required to adopt the policy), and private religious providers. It builds on a 1952 Supreme Court precedent upholding such programs, ensuring compliance with constitutional and legal standards.
HB 12 prohibits employers, public accommodations, hospitals, health insurers, and licensing boards from discriminating against individuals who refuse certain vaccines, drugs, or facial coverings for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs. It allows affected individuals to seek court injunctions and damages, while authorizing Alabama’s Attorney General to enforce the law or defend entities facing federal penalties related to compliance. The bill specifically exempts surgical masks during medical procedures and covers immunization status in healthcare and employment contexts. It directly affects workers, patients, and applicants who face refusal-based discrimination, with key provisions applying to hiring, services, medical care, and licensing decisions. The law creates a legal pathway for private lawsuits and state enforcement without requiring security deposits for filing claims.
HB 14 proposes adding a citizen initiative process to Alabama's constitution, allowing voters to directly propose new general laws or constitutional amendments. To qualify, citizens must first gather 1,000 verified signatures (with a $1,000 refundable fee), then collect signatures equaling 7% of the previous gubernatorial election votes (with minimum district representation) within two years. The proposal would be published online for 90 days, reviewed by the Legislature during its regular session, and treated like any other bill - though it would not require the Governor's signature. This process would apply to both general laws and constitutional amendments, subject to the same legal constraints as legislative proposals.
HB 18, titled "The Good Dad Act," creates rebuttable legal presumptions in Alabama family court cases involving child custody, visitation, and support when a valid paternity acknowledgment exists. It presumes joint custody is in the child's best interest, requires equal shared parenting time if parents live within 40 miles, and prohibits moving a child out of state without the other parent's consent or court approval. These presumptions can be challenged with evidence but include exceptions for cases involving domestic violence. The bill directly affects unmarried parents who have formally acknowledged paternity through the Alabama Office of Vital Statistics. It amends Alabama Code §26-17-305 and takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 6 would expand a retirement benefit to include State Police Tier II Plan members in Alabama's Employees' Retirement System. Currently, certain law enforcement officers (like those in the Department of Corrections) can receive payment for up to 80 hours of unused annual leave each year beyond a 480-hour threshold. This bill specifically adds State Police Tier II members to that same provision, allowing them to cash out up to 80 hours of accrued unused leave annually. The change applies only to retirement plan members and mirrors the existing benefit for other law enforcement personnel. It does not create new leave accruals but modifies payment eligibility under existing law.
HB 21, the Parental Right to Participate in Schools Act, allows Alabama parents and guardians of school-age children to take up to 48 hours annually for school-related activities like conferences, sports events, or performances. Employers must permit this leave unless it would substantially disrupt business operations, and employees must provide at least 10 days' advance notice (unless the event was unforeseeable). Employers must post workplace notices about the law and face $100 daily fines for non-compliance. The Alabama Department of Workforce will enforce the law, which takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 5 requires companies selling service contracts (like extended warranties) to clearly state in advertisements if they can refund less than repair costs or if contracts have limitations. It directly affects providers of these contracts, mandating specific disclosures about refund terms and contract exclusions before consumers purchase them. The bill updates Alabama's existing service contract rules to strengthen transparency for consumers, though it maintains current exemptions for warranties, utility contracts, and low-cost agreements under $250. This focuses on informing buyers about potential restrictions, not changing what contracts cover.
HB 36 authorizes Alabama's Attorney General and Governor to appoint an interim police chief for a municipality only if they determine a specific public safety threat exists due to a 30%+ drop in police staffing compared to the prior decade, after reviewing crime data and consulting local officials. The interim chief serves for up to six months, reports to the AG/Governor (not local officials), and must maintain the police department's previous funding level. The bill requires the municipality to continue funding the department at prior levels and prohibits state funds if they fail to comply. The AG and Governor may seek reimbursement from the municipality for costs through court if all conditions were met at appointment.
HB 29 amends Alabama's manslaughter law to include cases where sexual extortion of a minor under 18 directly causes the victim's death. The bill specifically adds that if a person commits sexual extortion (as defined in Section 13A-6-241) against a minor and the victim dies, the perpetrator can be charged with manslaughter if the court finds the sexual extortion was the proximate cause of death. It clarifies that a victim's suicide following sexual extortion is deemed a foreseeable consequence, not an independent cause. This change elevates such cases to a Class A felony (the highest penalty for manslaughter), directly affecting minors subjected to sexual extortion and those who commit such acts. The law would take effect October 1, 2026.
This bill requires Alabama's Department of Human Resources to request a federal waiver from the USDA to prohibit SNAP benefits from being used to purchase soda, energy drinks, candy, and prepared desserts. If approved, the state would ban SNAP recipients from buying these items with their benefits starting October 1, 2026. The department must annually reapply for the waiver if initially denied, until approval is granted. This directly affects Alabama SNAP recipients by potentially restricting their food purchasing options and places responsibility on the state agency to pursue the federal waiver.
HB 30 would expand an existing exemption from solid waste collection fees to include households whose sole income comes from veterans' benefits, in addition to those relying on Social Security benefits. The bill amends Alabama Code Section 22-27-3 to explicitly add "veterans' benefits" to the list of qualifying income sources for fee exemptions. Households seeking this exemption must provide proof of their income source to the county health officer annually. This change directly affects veterans and their households receiving benefits as their sole income, making them eligible for the same fee exemption previously available only to Social Security recipients. The bill is pending committee review in the Alabama House of Representatives.
HB 24 would expand vaccine exemption options for students in Alabama. For K-12 public schools, it allows parents to exempt children from vaccine requirements using a simple written statement (without needing to explain or get approval). For public colleges and universities, it requires these institutions to offer both religious exemptions (via a student's written statement about religious beliefs) and medical exemptions (via a doctor's certification) for mandatory vaccines or disease testing. The bill, currently pending committee review, would take effect October 1, 2026, if passed.
