SB 290, the "Pregnancy Resource Act," creates a state income tax credit for Alabama residents and businesses that make cash contributions to eligible pregnancy centers or residential maternity facilities. The credit covers up to 50% of a taxpayer’s state income tax liability (capped at $10 million annually), provided the recipient organization is federally tax-exempt, operates in Alabama with specific service requirements (e.g., 20+ weekly hours, free pregnancy support services), and certifies it does not provide or support abortion services. Taxpayers must submit contribution details to the Department of Revenue, and organizations must annually verify eligibility through written certification. The credit applies to contributions made in 2026-2030, with a maximum 50% limit per organization per year.
HB 514 allows municipal employees in Alabama to receive grant funds flowing through their municipality's treasury, provided they meet two conditions: the grant benefits must be identical to those given to other recipients, and the employee cannot participate in decisions about who receives the funds. This changes existing law that generally prohibited employees from having financial interests in municipal contracts. The exception does not apply to elected municipal officials. The bill specifically references community development block grants as an example of eligible programs. It aims to clarify and update conflict-of-interest rules for grant programs while maintaining safeguards against misuse.
HB 30 requires county canvassing boards to conduct post-election audits by manually examining at least 30 randomly selected ballots per audit, comparing each to ballot counter results. This applies directly to county election officials responsible for certifying election results. The bill mandates that audits be completed by the deadline for certifying election returns to the Secretary of State. The changes replace specific sections of election law to standardize the audit process using random selection and manual verification.
HB 519, known as The Adaline Deal Act, prohibits hospitals, transplant centers, insurance providers, and healthcare professionals from requiring individuals to be vaccinated (or unvaccinated) to donate or receive organs. It directly affects organ donation processes by banning vaccine status as a condition for either donation or transplantation. The bill authorizes Alabama’s Attorney General to enforce this rule, seek court orders to stop violations, and impose $50,000 fines on violators. The law takes effect on October 1, 2025, and is currently pending in the House Health Committee.
HB 373 renames the Alabama Film Office to the Alabama Entertainment Office and updates the state's entertainment incentive program. It increases the maximum spending threshold for rebate eligibility, adds music albums as qualified productions with minimum spending requirements, and raises the annual cap on incentives. The bill also allocates a portion of annual incentives specifically for music albums and allows unspent incentives to carry forward to future years. These changes directly affect entertainment companies producing films, TV shows, and music albums in Alabama seeking tax rebates for qualified production spending.
SB 294 regulates health insurance prior authorization in Alabama by setting strict time limits for insurers to approve or deny requests (72 hours for non-urgent cases, with extensions for complex medical necessity questions). It requires insurers to use licensed physicians or healthcare professionals - not automated systems - to make coverage decisions and mandates that insurers grant "gold card" status to providers with consistently high-quality medical necessity claims, waiving prior authorization for them. The bill directly affects health insurers, healthcare providers, and patients by reducing administrative delays for routine care while ensuring decisions are made by qualified medical professionals. It aims to modernize the process without changing coverage rules, focusing on faster access to medically necessary services.
HB 101 authorizes the Mobile County Sheriff's Office to use credit or debit cards for purchasing physical goods or approved services, directly affecting the sheriff's office operations. It requires the sheriff to establish written policies including spending limits per transaction and monthly, secure access controls, detailed record-keeping, and monthly bill reviews to prevent unauthorized charges. The bill mandates full monthly payment to avoid fees and specifies that any rewards from card use must be deposited into the sheriff's discretionary fund. It explicitly prohibits overspending beyond legally appropriated funds or creating debt for the county commission.
HB 193 alters the boundary lines of Childersburg and Bon Air in Talladega County, removing a 26.38-acre parcel of property from Bon Air's corporate limits and adding it to Childersburg. The affected property, located in specific sections of Talladega County, will now fall under Childersburg's jurisdiction. This boundary adjustment, effective October 1, 2025, directly impacts residents and property owners on that parcel. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on geographic jurisdiction without introducing new policies or taxes.
SB 162 amends Alabama law to change how Marshall County distributes Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) payments that replace property taxes. It directs 25% of these funds to local school systems (Arab, Guntersville, Albertville, and Boaz) based on student enrollment, and allocates specific dollar amounts to key local services: $247,000 for economic development, $50,000 for mental health services, $25,000 for the arts council, $30,000 for school resource officers, and smaller amounts for ambulance services, domestic violence programs, and community college. The bill ensures these funds are distributed according to a detailed spending plan approved by the county legislative delegation. It takes effect June 1, 2025.
HB 211 allows Calhoun County commissions and local municipalities to create rules for regulating halfway houses and similar facilities. It establishes a framework for enforcement of these regulations and specifies that the law will expire on June 1, 2028. The bill directly affects local governments in Calhoun County, giving them authority to set standards for these residential facilities. This is a policy change that modifies local regulatory power without altering existing state laws governing halfway houses. The bill is currently pending in the House of Origin committee.
HB 104 allows Class 2 municipalities in Alabama to declare abandoned or discarded debris (such as furniture, trash, tires, or metal) a public nuisance if it poses a fire risk, breeds pests, or is otherwise dangerous. This expands existing law, which previously only covered certain weeds, to include specific debris types. The bill requires municipalities to follow the same process as for weeds: issue a public notice, hold a hearing, and give property owners 30 days to remove the debris before the municipality can order abatement at the owner’s expense. Property owners would be responsible for costs, and the law makes minor technical updates to align with current code formatting.
HB 243 reverses certain tax breaks for new industrial property tax abatements granted on or after June 1, 2026. It requires collecting 1.0 mill of state ad valorem taxes and 0.75% of construction transaction taxes that would have been waived, directing these funds into the new Alabama Development Fund. The bill applies only to future abatements (not existing agreements) and mandates the Department of Revenue to share abatement data with the Department of Commerce for economic development planning. The Alabama Development Fund, managed by the Department of Commerce, will use these funds for economic development initiatives, with unspent balances carried forward annually.
