HB128 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg Wren

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Energy Policy, Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on, established, members, duties regarding state energy plan, subcommittees, reporting of recommendations to Legislature and Governor, Legislative Energy Policy Office, established

Summary

HB128 creates a Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Energy Policy and a Legislative Energy Policy Office to develop and oversee Alabama's long-term energy plan.

What This Bill Does

It establishes a joint legislative committee to study energy and produce an Alabama Energy Plan with recommendations for action by the Governor and Legislature. It creates the Legislative Energy Policy Office with staff to supervise the committee, forms advisory subcommittees, and allows the committee to receive grants and reimburse meeting expenses. It directs the plan to address diverse fuel sources, energy efficiency, bioenergy and clean energy technologies, and infrastructure, and to propose related legislation and initiatives, with ongoing reporting requirements. It also sets membership rules, meeting schedules, governance, and a funding cap, and transitions from a prior energy act with a defined effective date.

Who It Affects

• State lawmakers and legislative staff who will form, staff, and oversee the committee and its subcommittees, prepare reports, and consider energy-related legislation.
• Energy producers, technology developers, private sector organizations, and government entities in Alabama that would participate in advisory subcommittees, potentially locate operations in Alabama, and engage with incentives and plans designed to expand energy production and efficiency.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Energy Policy to develop the Alabama Energy Plan and advise the Governor and Legislature on actions.
• Establishes the Legislative Energy Policy Office with a director and staff, supervised by the committee, to carry out the plan and related duties; may be housed in Montgomery and funded through committee appropriations.
• Forms advisory subcommittees (Biofuels and Alternative Fuels; Efficiency and Conservation; Environmental Issues; Infrastructure and Expansion; Renewable Power and Electric Generation; Research and Development; Technology and Communications; The Incentives Subcommittee) with legislative and private or governmental co-chairs and diverse representation.
• Specifies committee composition including chairs of key House and Senate committees and additional appointed members from both chambers, with diversity requirements and terms aligned with elected terms.
• Requires the committee to study energy supply, develop actions and legislation, and create the Alabama Energy Plan with goals such as a diverse fuel mix, bioenergy and clean energy uptake, energy efficiency, and expanded energy infrastructure.
• Provides that the plan include actions already in process, prioritized non-legislative items, legislative proposals, and areas for further research; mandates annual recommendations by a set legislative day and allows ongoing studies as needed.
• Imposes an annual expense cap of $10,000 for committee operations and outlines compensation and travel for legislators and non-legislative members working with the committee.
• Replaces the prior Act 2007-150 HJR152 but preserves its provisions related to annual expenses and governance until January 1, 2011, after which the new act fully governs.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Legislative Committees