Rep. Ben Robbins

Maddy summaryHB 376 requires Alabama public K-12 schools to implement age-appropriate screen time limits and internet access restrictions for each grade level. It mandates the State Board of Education to create a model policy for technology use in classrooms, which local school boards must adopt and implement by the 2027-2028 school year. The bill also requires schools to provide parents with access to a list of instructional technology used in their child's classroom and, upon request, details about device usage and browsing history. All instructional technology must support learning, avoid distractions, comply with privacy laws, and be evidence-based. The State Board must adopt implementing rules to enforce these requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 176 requires Alabama's Environmental Management Department to adopt rules by January 1, 2027, enabling the beneficial reuse of foundry sand - waste material from metal casting - instead of landfilling. The rules would allow foundry sand to be used as raw material in asphalt/cement, road subbase, landfill drainage, flood control sandbags, and other applications that substitute for virgin materials. This directly affects foundries producing the sand and industries using construction materials, promoting waste reduction and resource efficiency under state environmental regulations. The bill mandates specific reuse pathways while maintaining existing regulatory oversight for solid waste management.

Maddy summaryHB 288 (Alabama House Bill 288) changes how estates moved from probate court to circuit court are handled. Currently, circuit courts must follow probate court decisions when an estate is transferred; this bill allows circuit courts to start the case over ("trial de novo") unless all parties agree to use the probate court's record. It directly affects heirs, executors, and administrators involved in estate disputes who seek to move cases to circuit court. The bill makes this procedural change to Section 12-11-41 of Alabama's code while updating technical language. The bill is pending committee review and would take effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 172 clarifies food labeling rules in Alabama by defining key terms: an "artificial ingredient" is synthetically created or modified by humans, while a "natural ingredient" contains no synthetic chemicals normally not expected in that ingredient. The bill explicitly prohibits food manufacturers from labeling products as "all-natural" or "only natural ingredients" if they contain any artificial ingredient. This directly affects food companies that use "natural" claims on packaging, requiring them to ensure all ingredients meet the new definition. The change amends existing misbranding laws (Code §20-1-25) to prevent misleading consumer claims about ingredient composition.

Maddy summaryHB 171 would require social media platforms to implement age verification or obtain parental consent before allowing minors under 18 to access algorithmically curated content streams ("addictive feeds"). It prohibits platforms from sending notifications to minors between midnight and 6 a.m. and mandates disclosure of how algorithms prioritize content. The bill authorizes Alabama's Attorney General to enforce these rules, allowing platforms to correct violations before legal action. This legislation directly affects social media operators hosting such feeds in Alabama and applies to users under 18, though it remains pending committee review.

Maddy summaryHB 170 requires content creators to establish a trust for minors under 19 featured in social media content when specific compensation thresholds are met. It mandates that content creators calculate and transfer a portion of earnings from the minor's featured content into the trust, with funds becoming accessible to the minor upon turning 19. The bill creates legal causes of action against non-compliant content creators, trustees, or parents/guardians, and requires social media companies to enable minors to request removal of their childhood content. It exempts minors with employment contracts with content creators and prohibits parents/guardians from accessing trust funds before age 19.

Maddy summaryHB 177 prohibits abandoning dogs or cats in Alabama by defining abandonment as leaving a pet without minimum reasonable care. It creates a new criminal offense (a Class C misdemeanor) for intentionally or recklessly abandoning a dog or cat, with penalties for violations. The bill updates existing animal cruelty laws to explicitly include abandonment as a punishable act and clarifies enforcement procedures for law enforcement. This law directly affects pet owners who abandon animals, effective October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHJR 291 is a resolution that urges the newly formed Board of Directors of the Alabama Veterans Resource Center to include Dovetail Landing as a vital partner. Dovetail Landing is a veterans resource center located in Lincoln, Alabama, which offers comprehensive support programs for military veterans and their families. The resolution highlights Dovetail Landing's established network for providing services and resources to veterans.

Maddy summaryHJR 290 creates a Study Commission on Protecting Minors from Online and Technological Threats. This commission is established to investigate issues concerning the safety of minors in the digital environment. An amendment to the bill specifies that members from the Broadband Association and Children's of Alabama will be appointed to this commission.

Maddy summaryHB 449 creates new criminal offenses related to the unlawful use of an individual's DNA sample or genetic data without their explicit permission. The bill defines "express consent" as clear authorization provided after a disclosure about how the DNA will be collected, used, or shared. It establishes three degrees of unlawful DNA use, with penalties ranging from a Class A misdemeanor for unauthorized collection or retention to a Class C felony for intentionally selling or transferring another person's DNA without consent. Exceptions are provided for uses by law enforcement, criminal investigations, court orders, and certain regulated entities.