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 299 would update Alabama's regulations for respiratory therapists by allowing them to practice under the direction of advanced practice healthcare providers (such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants) in addition to physicians. The bill revises licensing requirements, adds a member to the Alabama State Board of Respiratory Therapy, and creates temporary licenses for new practitioners. It also establishes criminal penalties for fraudulently obtaining a license or falsely claiming to be a licensed respiratory therapist. These changes directly affect respiratory therapists, healthcare facilities, and the state board governing the profession.
SB 80 requires all Alabama hospitals with emergency departments (regardless of classification) to have at least one physician physically present and responsible for the emergency department at all times it is open. This requirement becomes a condition for hospital licensing and renewal under Alabama law. The bill directly affects every hospital operating an emergency department in the state. It takes effect on October 1, 2026, and does not change current staffing levels beyond ensuring a physician is on-site during all open hours.
HB 115 replaces Alabama's existing rural physician tax credit with a new program. It ends the current $5,000 annual credit (set to expire in 2028) by moving the termination date to December 31, 2026, while allowing physicians who used the old credit for fewer than five years to continue claiming it under the new rules through 2026. The new credit provides $10,000 annually for up to four years (for tax years 2027-2031) to physicians practicing in defined rural communities (populations under 75,000, including small municipalities or unincorporated areas). Physicians must apply through the Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Center Program Office, which verifies eligibility and issues certification before claiming the credit.
HB 156 adopts the Physician Assistant (PA) Licensure Compact, allowing PAs licensed in one participating state to practice in other member states without obtaining separate licenses. This directly affects licensed PAs and patients across participating states, enabling easier access to care, especially for military families who can now practice across states with a single unrestricted license. Key provisions include creating a national commission to manage the compact, requiring states to share disciplinary actions and background check data, and establishing that PAs must follow the licensing rules of the state where the patient is located during care. The bill standardizes licensing requirements while maintaining each state's authority to discipline PAs under their own laws.
This resolution (SJR 20) formally commends the Alabama Birth Equity Initiative, a Black women-led coalition addressing Alabama's maternal health crisis. It recognizes their work to combat high maternal mortality rates - disproportionately affecting rural, Black, and Indigenous communities - through midwifery training, mobile health units, and addressing systemic issues like medical racism and food insecurity. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but expresses legislative support for the initiative's community-centered approach to improving prenatal care and birth outcomes. It specifically highlights their focus on expanding midwifery access and "wraparound" services like housing and childcare support.
SB 170 creates a "safe harbor" to protect health insurance plans that qualify for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) from conflicting state or federal rules. It ensures these plans remain eligible for federal HSA benefits by requiring that cost-sharing rules (like copays) only apply after the federal minimum deductible is met. The bill directly affects individuals enrolled in high-deductible health plans that allow HSA contributions, preventing state mandates or federal guidance from disqualifying their plans. It requires Alabama's Insurance Commissioner to adopt rules implementing this protection, maintaining federal HSA eligibility for enrollees.
HB 132 revises Alabama's assault in the second degree law to expand protections for specific professionals during work. It adds new circumstances where assaulting peace officers (including off-duty officers in approved uniform), teachers, healthcare workers (including home health care providers), social workers, letter carriers, or children in schools during their duties constitutes second-degree assault. The bill specifies that these protections apply when the assault occurs while the victim is performing their job, with exceptions for assaults by impaired patients on healthcare workers. Assault in the second degree remains classified as a Class C felony under this revision.
HB 283 creates a "safe harbor" to protect health savings account (HSA) qualified plans in Alabama from state regulations that might conflict with federal rules. It ensures that if a state cost-sharing requirement (like copays or deductibles) would disqualify a plan as a high-deductible health plan under federal law, that requirement only applies *after* the federal minimum deductible is met. This directly affects Alabama residents enrolled in HSA-qualified health insurance plans, preserving their eligibility for tax-advantaged health savings accounts. The bill updates state insurance code references to incorporate this coordination mechanism, preventing state laws from unintentionally disrupting federal HSA program compliance.
SB 153 appropriates $36.6 million from Alabama's Children First Trust Fund and $43.8 million from other tobacco settlement funds for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027. The funds will be distributed quarterly to child and family services agencies, including the Alabama Department of Human Resources ($8.85M) and Alabama Medicaid Agency ($1.39M), based on tobacco settlement revenues received within 30 days. The bill requires written notifications of allocations by the State Director of Finance, conditions funding on actual tobacco revenue receipt, and transfers a portion of the fund to the State General Fund for the State Board of Education. Unused funds remain in the Children First Trust Fund rather than reverting to the general budget.
