Alabama Bills

HR 342 is a resolution honoring senior athlete Makayla Amador for her outstanding performance, securing three sectional titles in track and field. It also commends the Skyline High School varsity girls track and field team for their exemplary skill and achievements.

HB 603 permanently establishes the Alabama Resilience Council as an appointed advisory group within the executive branch of state government. This council is tasked with coordinating state government activities and fostering private sector interaction to proactively address harmful impacts on Alabama communities and infrastructure. The bill outlines the council's duties, which include developing resilience strategies, enhancing community awareness of hazards, and assisting in a statewide resilience plan. It also authorizes the appointment of a Chief Resilience Officer and requires a comprehensive statewide risk and vulnerability assessment.

SB 119 revises state law concerning firearm possession and related offenses. It expands the list of individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm to include anyone convicted of any felony offense, not just specific violent crimes. The bill also prohibits firearm possession for individuals charged with certain violent or domestic violence offenses who have been released pending or during trial. Additionally, it increases the penalty for discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling to a Class A felony and mandates or allows for the revocation of parole or probation for firearm possession. Finally, it adds certain firearm-related offenses to the list for which a judge may deny bail.

SB 36 revises competitive bidding and contract protest procedures for government entities. It specifies that volunteer fire departments and rescue squads will be governed by local competitive bid laws. The bill shortens the deadline for protesting a competitive bid contract from 14 days to 5 days and exempts these protest procedures from the Administrative Procedure Act. Additionally, it modifies requirements for financial disclosure statements, allowing for alternative forms, annual submissions for multiple proposals, and exempting contracts with publicly traded companies and economic development incentives.

HB 185 makes supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, affecting several state entities. It allocates $100,000 to the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy and over $12.5 million to the Unified Judicial System for general operations, including salaries and personnel costs. Additionally, the bill amends the General Fund Appropriation Bill to increase funds for the Alabama Department of Transportation by $13 million, specifically for paying the principal and interest on bonds for public highways and bridges.

HB 184 appropriates $169,633 from the State General Fund to the Coalition Against Domestic Violence for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. This bill directly affects the Coalition by providing financial support for its operations. Before any funds are released, the Coalition must submit an operations plan for fiscal year 2026 and an audited financial statement for fiscal year 2024. Additionally, the bill requires the Coalition to provide quarterly reports on planned expenditures and accomplishments, along with an end-of-year performance report detailing services provided and their costs and effectiveness.

HB 460 proposes supplemental appropriations of $41,059,071 from the Opioid Treatment and Abatement Fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. These funds are allocated to various state agencies and institutions to address opioid-related issues. Key provisions include funding for the Department of Mental Health for services like the 988 Crisis Line, residential detox, and grants, as well as for the purchase of Naloxone. It also provides funds to the Department of Corrections for addiction programs, universities for substance abuse education and training, and the Department of Public Health for overdose response. The bill aims to support a range of prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives across the state.

HB 183 appropriates over $80 million in total from the Children First Trust Fund and other tobacco settlement revenues for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. These funds are allocated to various state agencies and programs, including the Departments of Human Resources, Medicaid, Mental Health, Public Health, and Youth Services, to support designated services. The bill requires tobacco settlement revenues to be deposited into the Children First Trust Fund within 30 days and mandates quarterly allocations to agencies, conditioned on revenue availability. It also transfers funds previously allocated for the State Board of Education from the Children First Trust Fund to the State General Fund for FY2026, and requires agencies to submit an approved plan of investment to receive funds.

SB 113 makes supplemental appropriations from the Education Trust Fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. This bill allocates additional funds to various educational programs and institutions. Key provisions include funding for school security and safety contracts, college and career readiness initiatives, and specific career and technical education programs. It also designates funds for the Veterans Education Benefits Program, directly affecting students, schools, and veterans.

Senate Bill 111 proposes to transfer $375,000,000 from the Education Opportunities Reserve Fund to the Renewing Alabama's Investment in Student Excellence (RAISE) Fund. This transfer is intended to provide initial funding for the implementation of the RAISE Act during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. The bill's provisions will only become effective if either House Bill 533 or Senate Bill 305 of the 2025 Regular Session is enacted, as these bills establish the RAISE Fund.

SB 150 appropriates $1,326,157 from the Education Trust Fund to Talladega College for the support and maintenance of its educational programs during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. This funding directly affects Talladega College and its students. Before receiving these funds, the college must submit an operations plan for fiscal year 2026 and an audited financial statement for fiscal year 2024. Additionally, the bill requires the college to provide quarterly reports and an end-of-year performance report on how the funds were used.

SB 122 proposes to appropriate $450,000 from the Education Trust Fund to Southern Preparatory Academy in Camp Hill, Alabama. These funds are designated for the support and maintenance of the institution's educational program for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. Before any funds are released, the academy must submit an operations plan for fiscal year 2026 and an audited financial statement for fiscal year 2024. The bill also requires the academy to provide quarterly expenditure reports and an end-of-year performance report to the Director of Finance.