Rep. Ben Robbins

Maddy summaryHB 177 proposes changes to Medicaid policy regarding children's healthcare costs. It aims to require employer-provided insurance to serve as the primary payer for health services for eligible children. The bill specifies that the state agency may pursue reimbursement from a parent for amounts paid, treating these reimbursements as a collectible debt. This provision applies to any parent of a child approved for benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 385 prohibits various governmental and quasi-governmental agencies in Alabama from acquiring real property through eminent domain. This includes entities such as the Alabama Surface Mining Reclamation Commission, Bear Creek Development Authority, and Alabama State Board of Pharmacy, among others subject to the Alabama Sunset Law. Effective June 1, 2025, these agencies will no longer possess the power to purchase or acquire land using eminent domain. However, the bill grandfathers in any real property that has already been acquired or is in the process of closing by that date.

Maddy summaryHJR 289 creates the Study Commission on the Sale of Naming Rights to State-Owned Land, Properties, and Buildings. This commission is tasked with evaluating the potential for the state to generate revenue by selling naming rights to its properties. It will examine the economic and fiscal impacts, how revenue would be managed, and any potential environmental considerations. Composed of legislative members, state officials, and appointed experts, the commission must submit a report with legislative recommendations to the Legislature by the fifth day of the 2026 Regular Session.

Maddy summaryHB 144 establishes a specific mechanic's lien for individuals or businesses that provide storage, fuel, repairs, or maintenance services for aircraft. This lien covers the amount due for these services, applying to written storage contracts or verbal contracts for at least 30 days. The lien is subordinate to any existing security interests perfected under the Uniform Commercial Code, unless the secured party authorized the work. The bill authorizes lienholders to record this lien with the Federal Aviation Administration for U.S.-registered aircraft, or with the Alabama Secretary of State for aircraft not registered in the U.S. or any national jurisdiction.

Maddy summaryHB 302, the "Alabama Foreign Worker Transparency Act," requires labor brokers recruiting foreign workers with temporary or asylum status to register with Alabama's Department of Workforce and report hiring details. It also imposes reporting obligations on charitable organizations providing financial support to these workers and authorizes investigations into violations, with civil and criminal penalties. The bill aims to increase transparency around foreign worker recruitment pathways, ensuring employers and sponsors comply with disclosure requirements for public benefits and financial support.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 436 prohibits businesses (covered entities) in Alabama from sharing or using consumers' biological or neural data - like genetic information or brain activity data - without the consumer's explicit written or electronic consent. It bans using this data for marketing, transferring it to third parties without permission, or employing it beyond what's necessary for the services the consumer requested. Businesses must notify consumers before any data transfer or use and allow them to block it. The Alabama Attorney General's Consumer Interest Division can enforce the law and impose $3,000 penalties per violation, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 381 requires Alabama’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to issue "recycle credits" to businesses that use recyclable materials to produce new products or energy. These credits can be used by businesses to pay solid waste disposal fees instead of cash, replacing fees for one ton or four cubic yards of waste. Credits can be transferred to other businesses for a fee but expire after three years or when used. The bill also establishes civil penalties of up to $1,000 for falsifying credit applications and directs fees collected to three funds: 40% to the Solid Waste Fund, 40% to DEM for administration, and 20% to the Alabama Recycling Fund.

Maddy summaryHB 321 creates an Alabama income tax credit for farmers who donate edible farm products (like fruits, vegetables, or livestock) to qualifying food banks. Eligible farmers - those earning at least $1,000 annually from growing food or filing USDA acreage reports - can claim a credit equal to 15% of the donation's value, up to $5,000 per year. The credit is non-refundable, cannot reduce taxes below zero, and is capped at $2 million total annually across all taxpayers. It applies to donations made between 2026 and 2030, requiring farmers to file an annual report and receive a tax credit certificate from the Department of Revenue.

Maddy summaryHB 143 prohibits Alabama's Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources from banning the possession of certain-sized fish in tournaments on the Coosa River unless evidence proves prior restocking attempts in that area failed. This directly affects fishing tournaments held on the Coosa River and its reservoirs. The bill requires the commissioner to provide documented proof of failed restocking before implementing size restrictions, rather than allowing automatic rule changes. It applies only to the Coosa River system and takes effect October 1, 2025. The law does not create new fishing rules but restricts the commissioner's authority to adopt them without specific evidence.