HB278 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gregory Canfield

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Paul DeMarcoPhil Williams

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Ethics law, substantially altered, statement of economic interests, categories revised, Ethics Commission, appointment and confirmation of members, complaints further provided for, definition of lobbying, family members of public employees, personal gain, confidential information, filing of electronic reports, mandatory ethics training, Secs. 36-25-1, 36-25-3, 36-25-4, 36-25-5, 36-25-10, 36-25-14, 36-25-18, 36-25-19, 36-25-20 am'd.; Act 2009-225, 2009 Reg. Sess. am'd.

Summary

HB278 would overhaul Alabama's ethics laws by expanding reporting, broadening lobbying rules, creating a new Ethics Commission with stronger enforcement, and mandating ethics training and electronic filing.

What This Bill Does

It revises how statements of economic interests are reported and allows electronic filing. It broadens the definition of lobbying to include the executive branch and adds detailed registration and disclosure requirements for lobbyists and their principals. It creates a five-member State Ethics Commission with a defined appointment/confirmation process and enables four members to initiate complaints, with hearings and referrals to prosecutors. It also imposes mandatory ethics training for public officials, public employees, and lobbyists, and outlines enforcement mechanisms and penalties for violations.

Who It Affects

• Public officials and public employees (including legislators, constitutional officers, cabinet officers, executive staff, and municipal/county officials) who would have new or expanded obligations to file electronic statements of economic interests, receive mandatory ethics training, and comply with broader lobbying rules and penalties.
• Lobbyists and their principals (including consultants and organizations that employ lobbyists) who would face new registration requirements, annual fees, quarterly and client-based disclosures, detailed expenditure reporting, and mandatory ethics training.

Key Provisions

• Creates a five-member State Ethics Commission with appointment by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and presiding officers of the Senate and House, Senate confirmation, and terms of office; includes a Black-appointee vacancy rule.
• Revamps the Statement of Economic Interests: broadens reporting categories, allows electronic filing, and requires annual disclosures with detailed financial information and family/household data; includes penalties for late or false filings and a cure period for inadvertent omissions.
• Broadens lobbying to cover the executive branch; defines lobbyist and principal, establishes registration, annual fees, and quarterly reporting of client categories and expenditures; requires training for lobbyists and relevant officials.
• Establishes a complaint and enforcement framework: four commission members may institute complaints; hearings conducted by a panel of three judges; referrals to district attorneys or the Attorney General; confidentiality protections in investigations.
• Imposes mandatory ethics training for legislators, constitutional officers, cabinet members, executive staff, municipal and county officials, and lobbyists; training to occur at specified intervals (quadrennium) with ongoing updates when laws change; funding and administration handled by the Commission.
• Includes provisions on electronic access to reports, operational rules for the Commission, and an exemption stating that employees of hospitals or health care corporations are not subject to the chapter.

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

Subjects

Ethics Commission