SB 327 requires all Alabama employers with drug or alcohol testing policies (including those previously covered under workers' compensation law) to provide employees with verbal and written notice of the policy at hiring and post it prominently. Employers must also give at least 10 days' notice before implementing policy changes, using methods like written copies, email, or posted notices. The bill mandates that notices include details about testing types, consequences of positive results, and information about employee assistance programs. Additionally, employers must encourage employees who test positive to seek rehabilitation before taking disciplinary action.
HB 461 creates a new program at Marion Military Institute (MMI) that allows students to earn an associate's degree and complete the required basic training to become Alabama law enforcement officers. Graduates of this program receive provisional certification from the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission (APOST) upon graduation, which becomes full certification if they are hired by an Alabama law enforcement agency within six months. The bill requires APOST to recognize MMI as an official training academy and exempts students from needing full-time law enforcement employment while enrolled. This directly affects MMI students pursuing law enforcement careers by streamlining their certification path without requiring additional training after graduation.
SB 323 creates a formal right of appeal for both criminal defendants with mental illness and the Alabama Department of Mental Health regarding court orders committing defendants to mental health facilities or modifying conditional release terms. The bill amends Alabama code to grant the Court of Criminal Appeals exclusive jurisdiction to hear these appeals, replacing the previous lack of appellate review. It directly affects defendants found not guilty by reason of insanity or mental illness who are committed to state mental health facilities, as well as the Department of Mental Health. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, and makes minor technical updates to existing legal language.
HB 455 amends Alabama law to allow the Contract Review Permanent Legislative Oversight Committee to formally recommend that the Governor not sign certain state contracts. The committee currently reviews contracts for personal or professional services paid from state funds (over $50,000), and this bill adds the specific authority to advise against signing such contracts. It does not give the committee veto power - only a recommendation - and applies to state departments seeking to enter these contracts. The change updates existing code language to clarify the committee's role during its review process. The bill is pending further legislative action and would take effect on October 1, 2026.
HB 244 exempts electricity and natural gas used in commercial greenhouses, pivot irrigation systems, and poultry houses from Alabama’s utility gross receipts tax and utility service use tax. This directly affects agricultural businesses operating these facilities by reducing their energy-related tax burden. The bill amends Alabama tax code sections to explicitly add these uses to existing exemptions, clarifying that energy used for heating or operation in these specific agricultural settings is not subject to the taxes. The change takes effect September 1, 2026, and does not alter tax rates for other energy uses.
HB 136 requires Alabama's Governor to certify that an immediate danger to public health, safety, or welfare justifies an emergency rule before it can take effect. This bill directly affects state agencies that issue emergency rules (e.g., health or safety regulations) by adding a new step: the Governor must formally confirm the emergency justification before the rule becomes effective. The key mechanism is amending Section 41-22-5 of Alabama law to mandate this certification, which must be filed with the Legislative Services Agency alongside the rule. Emergency rules would still be limited to 120 days and require justification for renewal, but this bill specifically adds the Governor's certification as a prerequisite. The bill does not change how agencies identify emergencies but adds a state executive-level checkpoint.
SB 70 expands Alabama's law against transmitting obscene material to children by making it illegal to send such material to someone the sender *believes* is a child, not just to actual minors. The bill specifically targets online content depicting nudity, sexual conduct, or extreme sexual acts, whether real or simulated. It maintains the offense as a Class B felony, requiring adult trials with no option for record sealing or expungement. This change directly affects individuals who send inappropriate material online while mistakenly believing the recipient is underage, broadening the scope of the existing law.
SB 84 requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to establish and enforce sanitation standards for food services in state correctional facilities, county jails, and municipal jails. The bill mandates regular inspections of food preparation, storage, and serving areas, and obligates facilities to correct identified violations. It grants the Department authority to issue sanitation scores and prescribe corrective actions but prohibits suspending food services without approval from the facility's governing body (e.g., the Corrections Commissioner for state facilities or local government for county/municipal jails). The law takes effect on October 1, 2026.
HB 355 extends the maximum service period for temporary probate judges in Houston County from 90 to 180 days per appointment and increases their compensation from $50 to $100 per hearing. This bill directly affects temporary probate judges and Houston County's probate court system by modifying how long these judges can serve and how they are paid. Non-employee temporary judges receive the $100 per hearing rate from the judge's discretionary fund, while court employees serving as temporary judges receive no additional pay under this provision. The changes apply to Houston County probate court operations and take effect October 1, 2026.
HB 296 creates the Rental Home Marketplace Guarantees Act to regulate protections offered by rental platforms (like Airbnb) when renters cause property damage. It requires platforms operating in Alabama to register with the Insurance Commissioner, obtain insurance backing for guarantees, and clearly disclose that these guarantees are not insurance. The bill mandates specific language in guarantees stating that renters can claim directly from the insurer if the platform fails to pay within 180 days. The Insurance Commissioner gains enforcement power to investigate violations and impose fines. This directly affects rental platforms and protects renters who may need reimbursement for property damage.
SB 227 establishes a centralized Office of Occupational and Professional Licensing within Alabama's Department of Workforce to oversee all existing licensing boards for professions like healthcare, construction, and cosmetology. It transfers the authority, assets, and staff of individual licensing boards to this new office, which will handle applications, fees, investigations, and enforcement under an appointed executive director. The bill maintains the validity of all current licenses and rules until updated by the new office, and creates a dedicated fund to collect and manage licensing fees for operational costs. This change affects licensed professionals who must now interact with the centralized office instead of separate boards, while ensuring continuity of existing licensing requirements.
SB 79 would amend Alabama's tax code to exclude employer contributions to "Trump Accounts" from an employee's taxable income, currently required to be included under federal law. It also makes permanent an existing exclusion for employer-paid amounts toward qualified education loans, which was set to expire. These changes directly affect Alabama individual taxpayers who receive such employer benefits. The bill updates Section 40-18-14 of the Alabama Code to reflect these tax exclusions without altering other tax provisions.
