HB12 Alabama 2011 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Low Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Jack Williams
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2011
Title: Municipalities, ordinances, planning, zoning, or licensing of businesses, publication or posting further provided for, Sec. 11-45-8 am'd.
Summary: HB12 would change how Alabama municipalities publish certain ordinances by allowing summarized notices in newspapers for planning/zoning or business licensing, and by updating posting and website notice requirements.
What This Bill Does
It amends Section 11-45-8 to let municipalities publish a synopsis of planning/zoning or business licensing ordinances in a newspaper instead of full text, under specific conditions. It preserves traditional full newspaper publication or posting in public places for general ordinances, and it adds requirements for timing, accessibility (including website posting), and a certificate of publication. It also clarifies related rules on adoption by reference, exemptions from publication, and when the new publication methods take effect.

Who It Affects
Municipal governments (city/town governing bodies and clerks) who must choose between full newspaper publication, posting, or synopsis publication for certain ordinances and ensure proper notices and records.
Residents, property owners, and businesses within municipalities who receive notices about planning/zoning changes or business licensing through newspaper synopses, postings, or online postings and who rely on the full text being available upon request.

Key Provisions
Authorize publication of a synopsis of planning/zoning or business licensing ordinances in a newspaper of general circulation as an alternative to full publication.
Specify content required in the synopsis (purpose/effect, affected properties or business categories, dates of passage and effective date, and where to obtain the full ordinance).
Maintain traditional publication options for general/permanent ordinances (newspaper, or posting in three public places if no newspaper exists), with special rules for towns under 2,000 population.
Set effective dates: newspaper publication takes effect on first publication; posting takes effect five days after posting, with at least 30 days of ongoing posting and 30 days of website posting if applicable.
Require a certificate of publication to be added to the ordinance record, serving as presumptive proof of publication.
Require franchises to be published at the expense of the franchise grantee.
Allow adoption by reference of certain codes and establish related public hearing and notice requirements for such codes.
Exclude certain ordinances (e.g., utility contracts, debt securities) from general publication requirements.
Provide that these publication provisions do not apply to codification of ordinances; set the effective date for the act as the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

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