Rep. Chris Sells

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the Department of Workforce's regulations by adjusting certain fees, establishing exemptions for boiler and pressure vessel requirements, and updating elevator safety standards. It directly affects businesses and individuals operating boilers, pressure vessels, elevators, or related conveyances within the state. The legislation extends the license renewal period for certain certifications and prohibits specific alterations to conveyances to ensure continued safety compliance. The primary change involves setting a new certificate fee of fifteen dollars while streamlining regulatory requirements for covered equipment and services.

Maddy summaryHB 267 revises three specific provisions related to Alabama's forestry operations. It updates the benefits and compensation structure for the State Forester, modifies the process for obtaining burn permits (used by landowners and managers for controlled burns), and adjusts penalties for violations of forestry regulations. These changes directly affect the State Forester's role, landowners conducting prescribed burns, and individuals or entities operating under forestry rules. The bill focuses on procedural updates to existing statutes without creating new programs or funding. (Note: This bill is pending committee action as of the provided dates and has not yet been enacted.)

Maddy summaryHB 266 expands Alabama's reckless endangerment law to specifically address risks to multiple people, creating a new offense for reckless conduct that endangers more than one individual. It increases penalties: endangering multiple people becomes a Class C felony (up from a misdemeanor for single-person endangerment), and using a firearm during such an act elevates the charge to a Class B felony. The bill directly affects individuals whose reckless actions - like reckless driving in a crowd or threatening a group - create serious injury risks to multiple people, with harsher consequences when firearms are involved. These changes clarify and strengthen penalties for group endangerment scenarios under existing Alabama law.

Maddy summaryHB 360 creates an annual sales tax holiday for firearms, ammunition, and specific hunting gear (like archery equipment, holsters, and suppressors) during the last weekend of August each year. This exempts the state sales tax on these purchases, directly affecting consumers buying these items during that period. Counties and municipalities may also choose to exempt local sales taxes on the same items during the holiday. The holiday runs from 12:01 a.m. on the last Friday in August until 12:00 a.m. on the following Sunday. Local governments must adopt opt-in resolutions by June 1 each year to participate.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires owners of large solar energy projects in Alabama to register with the state Department of Environmental Management every three years and pay a $5,000 filing fee. It mandates that project operators submit detailed plans for shutting down and restoring the land, along with financial guarantees like bonds to cover these costs. The law also gives the department authority to take over decommissioning and restoration if a project is abandoned, using money from a newly created state fund. These rules apply specifically to ground-mounted solar projects covering at least two acres that connect to the electrical grid, excluding smaller systems used for personal energy needs.

Maddy summaryHB 610 requires businesses in Alabama to provide clear and conspicuous disclosures to consumers before entering into automatic renewal or continuous service agreements. The bill mandates that businesses inform customers about recurring charges, cancellation policies, and renewal terms in a visible manner, and must allow cancellation through the same method used to make the original purchase. It also prohibits businesses from obstructing or delaying the cancellation process and requires reminders before each billing cycle. Violations of these requirements could be treated as deceptive trade practices, allowing the state Attorney General to enforce civil and criminal penalties. The law directly affects consumers who sign up for subscriptions or services that automatically renew and the businesses that offer them.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows experienced teachers from accredited private schools to receive a starting salary increase when they transfer to public schools in Alabama. To qualify, teachers must have at least five years of full-time teaching experience at a private school, with salary adjustments ranging from 2.5 to 10 years based on their private school service. The adjustment applies beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, though those who transferred between 2022 and 2026 can still claim it by submitting documentation during that school year. Years of private school service counted toward this salary adjustment cannot be used for retirement purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 463 prohibits transporting live catfish harvested from Alabama public waters outside the state. It directly affects anglers, commercial harvesters, and anyone moving live catfish (specifically from the Ictaluridae family) out of Alabama. The bill amends existing law to add criminal penalties: a $1,000 fine for a first violation (Class B misdemeanor) and $2,000 for repeat offenses (Class A misdemeanor). The key provision bans out-of-state transport of live catfish - unlike the existing rule for other fish that allows limited personal use transport. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 161 requires app stores and developers to implement age verification and obtain parental consent for certain apps targeting minors. It directly affects app providers, developers, and parents of children under 18. The bill authorizes Alabama's Attorney General to enforce violations as deceptive trade practices and allows parents to file civil lawsuits for noncompliance. Key provisions include mandatory age checks before app downloads and clarifying that this law doesn't override other state age verification requirements. The bill is currently pending in the Alabama House of Representatives.

Maddy summaryHB 140 modifies subdivision regulations by creating a limited exception for developers transferring land to immediate family members. The bill allows such transfers to be exempt from standard subdivision rules for a maximum of 24 months. This exception does not apply in counties where local law already requires land division via recorded plat. The bill directly affects developers making family transfers and county governments managing land subdivision requirements. It clarifies that existing recorded plat requirements remain in place, limiting the exception's scope.