HB281 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

William Roberts

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Alcoholic beverages, municipal option elections, municipality authorized to schedule wet-dry classification option election at any time after petition is filed, Sec. 28-2A-1 am'd.

Summary

HB281 allows qualifying Alabama municipalities to schedule wet/dry elections at any time after a petition is filed and sets a 90-day minimum between subsequent elections.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends Section 28-2A-1 to let municipalities with at least 1,000 people (excluding Clay, Randolph, and Blount Counties) schedule a municipal option election when a petition is filed, rather than waiting for the next scheduled election. It keeps the petition trigger of 30% of last general election voters. It also requires that any second or later municipal option election occur no sooner than 90 days after the previous one. If voters say yes, the municipality becomes wet and state alcohol laws apply; if no, it remains dry until changed by a future election.

Who It Affects

• Residents and voters in qualifying municipalities (population 1,000+; excluding Clay, Randolph, and Blount Counties) who will vote on whether alcoholic beverages can be sold or distributed within their municipality.
• Municipal governments, clerks, and election officials in those municipalities who schedule, administer, and fund the wet/dry elections.

Key Provisions

• Allows a qualified municipality to schedule a wet/dry municipal option election at any time after a petition is filed.
• Maintains a petition trigger of 30% of the voters who voted in the last general election to call for the election.
• Requires a second or subsequent municipal option election to be held not sooner than 90 days after the previous election (with some county-level elections potentially exempt).
• If the majority votes 'Yes,' the municipality becomes wet and state alcohol laws apply within its borders; if 'No,' it remains dry until changed by a future election.
• Applies to municipalities with population 1,000+ (excluding Clay, Randolph, and Blount Counties) and follows the existing petition process for elections.
• Effective date: the act becomes law immediately after passage and the governor's 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

Alcoholic Beverages