HB223 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ed Henry

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Storm shelters, prefabricated, exempt from Title 24 under certain conditions, requirement that shelter not have electrical lines deleted, Act 2012-224, 2012 Reg. Sess., am'd.; Sec. 31-9-100, 31-9-101 am'd.

Summary

HB223 changes the Title 24 exemption for prefabricated storm shelters by removing a restriction based on the absence of certain utility lines and expands state oversight, including random inspections for small residential shelters.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends the storm shelter exemption to no longer hinge on shelters lacking electrical, plumbing, heating, or other utility lines. It retains requirements that shelter designs be prepared with stamped plans by licensed professionals, include compliance notes and occupancy information, and be eligible for oversight and funding controls by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (EMA). It also adds a mandatory $20,000 bond for shelter manufacturers operating in Alabama and authorizes EMA to inspect and regulate all shelters, with random inspections for residential shelters housing 16 or fewer people at no extra cost to manufacturers or buyers.

Who It Affects

• Manufacturers selling prefabricated storm shelters in Alabama: must meet new oversight and bonding requirements and ensure designs and plans meet standards.
• Owners/Users of residential storm shelters (capacity ≤16) and buyers: may be subject to random EMA inspections at no additional cost.

Key Provisions

• Deletes the prior exemption condition that required shelters to be free of electrical, plumbing, heating, or other utility lines to qualify for Title 24 exemption, allowing broader exemption applicability.
• Shelter plans must be stamped, dated, and signed by a licensed engineer or registered architect (with community shelters requiring both) and include a conspicuous compliance note and occupancy information.
• Requires resident and nonresident shelter manufacturers selling in Alabama to provide a $20,000 surety bond, conditioned on compliance with shelter requirements.
• EMA gains oversight authority over all storm shelters (community and residential) and may adopt rules to ensure funded shelters meet standards before payment or reimbursement.
• EMA shall perform random inspections of residential shelters with capacity not more than 16 people, with no additional cost to manufacturers or consumers.

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

Subjects

Engineers