This bill, SB 154, updates the requirements for real estate licensees when interacting with consumers regarding property disclosures and brokerage agreements. It mandates that consumers receive a written disclosure of brokerage services and general compensation information from a licensee before viewing a property. While consumers can choose to enter a brokerage agreement, this bill clarifies that a written agreement is not required for a licensee to show a property. Instead, a written brokerage agreement, which must include compensation terms, is only required if the licensee will list a property for sale or submit an offer on behalf of the consumer. The bill also requires referral agreements between real estate licensees to be in writing.
SB 307 requires all county commissions and municipalities to publish their financial statements, audits, monthly expenditures, and budgets online. This information must be prominently displayed on the county's or municipality's official website. If an official website does not exist, the required data must be posted on the websites of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama or the Alabama League of Municipalities. This bill aims to make local government financial information accessible to the public online. The act is scheduled to become effective on October 1, 2025.
SB 195 amends existing law concerning the Public Education Employees' Health Insurance (PEEHIP) Board. Currently, the PEEHIP Board is required to renegotiate contracts for health benefit plans every three years. This bill specifically changes that requirement for Medicare retiree health benefit plans, mandating their renegotiation every five years instead. This means contracts for health benefits provided to Medicare-eligible retired public education employees would be re-evaluated on a five-year cycle.
Senate Bill 249 would change the procedure for municipalities when levying new taxes or license fees, or increasing existing ones, directly affecting local governments and their residents. The bill would require that these actions be enacted solely through an ordinance, rather than a resolution. It would also mandate a public hearing before such an ordinance can be considered for adoption, with at least 30 days' public notice. This notice must detail the proposed change, the amount of the tax or fee, and the hearing information, and must be published in a newspaper and posted on municipal and state websites.
SB 213 proposes to exempt natural gas and electricity used in poultry houses from specific state taxes. The bill would exclude the use or purchase of these utilities for consumption in poultry houses from both the utility gross receipts tax and the utility service use tax. This change directly affects poultry house operators by reducing their tax liability on energy used for heating. The bill amends existing sections of the Code of Alabama 1975 to implement these new exclusions, effective September 1, 2025.
SB 31 is a legislative bill that addresses firearms. It proposes to prohibit the possession of machine guns. The bill also establishes a criminal penalty for individuals who violate this prohibition.
SB 210, titled "Hospital liens, to limit," primarily defines what constitutes a "clean electronic claim" and a "clean written claim" in health care billing. These definitions specify that a clean claim must include all necessary data for accurate processing, without requiring additional information from the health care provider or a third party. The bill clarifies that health care payors, including insurers and government programs, cannot demand data beyond standard forms for an initial claim to be considered clean. These standardized definitions replace previous language regarding "accurate and properly coded claims" in the context of claim submission and payment timelines.
SB 12 prohibits state and local government agencies from requiring a business to obtain a license or permit from *another* separate agency as a condition for issuing their own license or permit. This means agencies cannot make their permit issuance dependent on a business first securing a different permit from a different governmental body. The bill applies to licenses and permits necessary to operate a business, but it does not include certifications from occupational licensing boards. It aims to streamline the process for businesses seeking operational permits by clarifying agency coordination requirements.
SB 231 proposes to expand the regulatory oversight of privately owned sewer and wastewater systems in Alabama. Currently, some of these systems are exempt from the Alabama Public Service Commission's (PSC) jurisdiction. This bill would subject privately owned sewer and wastewater systems with a design flow greater than 5,000 gallons per day to the PSC's regulatory authority, regardless of their waste disposal method. This change aims to bring more systems under state utility regulation, affecting the entities operating these systems and their customers.
SB 10 renames the existing Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act to the Vivian Davis Figures Clean Indoor Air Act. The bill expands the current law, which prohibits tobacco smoking in most public places and at public meetings, to also include the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems, commonly known as vaping. This means that vaping would be prohibited in the same indoor public spaces and at public gatherings where traditional smoking is already banned, affecting individuals who vape and the operators of public venues.
SB 49 aims to change employment practices by making it unlawful for employers to ask job applicants about their arrest or conviction history, or other criminal record information. This bill directly affects job seekers with past criminal records and businesses that are hiring new employees. It establishes a general prohibition on inquiring about criminal records, though the bill text indicates that certain exceptions exist.
SB 209 aims to update the state's sales tax exemptions for certain items during tax-free weekends. It requires the Department of Revenue to adjust the dollar value caps for exempt items, such as clothing, computers, and school supplies, based on the Consumer Price Index. This adjustment, starting in 2026 and repeating every five years, will help ensure the exemption limits keep pace with inflation. Additionally, the bill increases the timeframe local governments have to adopt these sales tax exemptions for their own jurisdictions.
