HB136 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Ball

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

State parks and certain retail businesses, alcoholic beverages, sale of authorized, referendum, State Park Environmental Protection and Promotion (STEPP) Act

Summary

This bill would allow Sunday alcohol sales in state park areas of certain Alabama municipalities, but only if a local vote approves it.

What This Bill Does

It lets properly licensed alcohol retailers in the state park portion within a municipality where sales are allowed to sell alcohol on Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with lounges barred from Sunday service. The change is subject to a municipal referendum. It requires a petition of at least 500 residents to trigger the vote, and the municipality bears the referendum costs; if the referendum fails, another cannot be held for 12 months. It also dedicates 25% of new revenues to a State Parks Protection and Development Trust Fund managed by a locally appointed board to promote and develop state parks in the city, and until the act takes effect, the municipality must hold revenue in trust.

Who It Affects

• Residents of municipalities that have a state park within their borders (who can initiate and vote in a referendum on Sunday alcohol sales).
• Retail businesses with Alcoholic Beverage Control Board licenses located in the state park area within those municipalities (they could sell alcohol on Sundays during 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. if the referendum passes).

Key Provisions

• Authorizes Sunday sale of alcoholic beverages by properly licensed ABC Board retailers located in the portion of a state park within a municipality where such sales are permitted, with sales allowed on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and excluding lounge licensees from Sunday service.
• Requires a municipal referendum to approve Sunday sales, to be held after a petition of at least 500 residents; costs of the referendum are paid by the municipality; a second or subsequent referendum cannot be held within 12 months if the first fails.
• Allocates 25% of all new revenues from this act to the State Parks Protection and Development Trust Fund, to promote and develop state parks in the city limits; a board appointed by the local legislative delegation would operate the fund.
• Until the act becomes effective, the municipality shall hold the tax revenue in trust for the purposes of this act.
• The act becomes effective immediately after passage and approval by the Governor.

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

Subjects

Alcoholic Beverages