HJR 40 is a resolution passed by the Alabama Legislature recognizing specific occupations - including nursing, physical therapy, social work, architecture, accounting, and engineering - as professional careers. It directly affects these professions, which require advanced degrees, supervised training, and state licensure, and are vital to Alabama's healthcare, education, and economy. The resolution formally urges the U.S. Department of Education to reconsider a proposed federal reclassification that would exclude these fields from "professional degree programs." As a non-binding resolution, it does not change federal policy but seeks to influence the federal review process through official communication to the Secretary of Education and congressional leaders. The bill is currently pending committee action in the Alabama House.
SB 82 would eliminate the requirement for rural healthcare providers to obtain state approval (a "certificate of need") before building new facilities or expanding services. This directly affects rural hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers seeking to grow or establish operations in designated rural areas. The bill maintains a requirement for these rural providers to submit reports to the State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA). It also makes minor technical updates to existing healthcare regulations to remove outdated language.
SB 97 establishes the Alabama Health Command, an independent agency, to designate a state-approved virtual AI-assisted health platform for rural communities. The platform would connect rural patients with health care providers for non-medical services like wellness education, appointment scheduling, and follow-up assistance - **not diagnosis or treatment**. Rural hospitals, clinics, and health care providers that contract to use the platform would be exempt from competitive bidding laws. The bill requires the agency to set standards for privacy, prevent misinformation, and ensure the platform does not constitute the practice of medicine. It focuses on improving access to basic health services through technology, not on changing medical care delivery.
SB 63 prohibits Alabama health insurers from using artificial intelligence (AI) exclusively to decide coverage for medical services. It requires final decisions to deny or reduce coverage to be made by a licensed physician or qualified health care professional, not AI alone. Insurers must disclose to enrollees when AI is used in coverage determinations and annually certify their AI tools comply with fairness and transparency standards. The Alabama Department of Insurance can investigate and impose penalties for violations of these requirements.
HB 71 makes it a Class C felony for medical examiners in Alabama to keep a deceased person's organs without first notifying and getting consent from the next of kin. Currently, medical examiners must notify next of kin if they retain organs to determine identification or cause of death, and they are already prohibited from using organs for other purposes without consent. This bill strengthens that rule by imposing criminal penalties for unauthorized retention beyond the existing requirements. It directly affects medical examiners and forensic staff working in Alabama counties, requiring them to obtain explicit consent before retaining organs for any purpose other than identification or cause of death.
This bill renames Alabama's Clean Indoor Air Act to honor Vivian Davis Figures and expands the smoking ban to include vaping. It prohibits the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (vaping) in all public places where tobacco smoking is already banned, such as restaurants, government buildings, hospitals, and public transit. The law applies the same rules to vaping as to tobacco, affecting businesses and public spaces that must enforce the ban. It becomes effective October 1, 2026.
HB 46 would expand abortion access in Alabama by adding two new exceptions: abortions necessary to preserve a mother's health (beyond current medical emergency standards) and abortions resulting from rape or incest. It requires men convicted of rape or incest that caused a pregnancy to pay for the abortion and related medical costs, and to undergo a vasectomy or castration. Mothers seeking abortions for health reasons could petition courts to compel the father to cover all pregnancy and abortion expenses, while fathers could avoid payment by agreeing to a vasectomy. The bill also establishes court procedures for resolving paternity disputes related to these financial obligations. (Note: This bill is pending review by the House Health Committee as of January 2026.)
This bill requires Alabama's Department of Human Resources to request a federal waiver from the USDA to prohibit SNAP benefits from being used to purchase soda, energy drinks, candy, and prepared desserts. If approved, the state would ban SNAP recipients from buying these items with their benefits starting October 1, 2026. The department must annually reapply for the waiver if initially denied, until approval is granted. This directly affects Alabama SNAP recipients by potentially restricting their food purchasing options and places responsibility on the state agency to pursue the federal waiver.
SB 19 requires Alabama health insurance plans to cover prostate cancer screening with no deductibles or copays for two groups: all men over 50 and men at high risk (defined as African American men or those with a father, brother, or son diagnosed with prostate cancer or related risk factors). It expands existing law, which previously only mandated free screening for men over 50, to include high-risk younger men starting at age 40. The bill applies to all health insurance plans in Alabama and takes effect October 1, 2026. This policy change directly affects insurers (mandating coverage without cost-sharing) and beneficiaries (eliminating out-of-pocket costs for specified screenings).
HB 12 prohibits employers, public accommodations, hospitals, health insurers, and licensing boards from discriminating against individuals who refuse certain vaccines, drugs, or facial coverings for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs. It allows affected individuals to seek court injunctions and damages, while authorizing Alabama’s Attorney General to enforce the law or defend entities facing federal penalties related to compliance. The bill specifically exempts surgical masks during medical procedures and covers immunization status in healthcare and employment contexts. It directly affects workers, patients, and applicants who face refusal-based discrimination, with key provisions applying to hiring, services, medical care, and licensing decisions. The law creates a legal pathway for private lawsuits and state enforcement without requiring security deposits for filing claims.
