SB102 Alabama 2013 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Arthur OrrSenator
Republican
Co-Sponsor: Trip Pittman
Session: Regular Session 2013
Title: Alabama Open Meetings Act, members of governmental bodies may participate in meetings and deliberation electronically
Summary: The bill allows certain Alabama government bodies to participate in meetings electronically under specific rules, with required public access and roll-call voting.
What This Bill Does
It lets members of governmental bodies with statewide jurisdiction join meetings by telephone or video under defined conditions, and such participation counts as being present for most purposes except for establishing a quorum. Each meeting must have a physical location where the public can listen to remote participants, and that location must be published. It requires adherence to the Open Meetings Act, and remote participation does not have to be publicly accessible beyond the required location. Some bodies are specifically banned from electronic participation, a majority of a quorum must be physically present to conduct business, only physically present members may participate in executive sessions, and votes involving electronic participation must be roll-call and audible at the physical location.

Who It Affects
Members of governmental bodies with statewide jurisdiction: may participate electronically in meetings under the specified rules (subject to exceptions for quorum and executive sessions).
Named bodies and their members prohibited from electronic participation: Board of Pardons and Paroles; Public Service Commission; standing committees of the Legislature while the Legislature is in session; State Board of Education; Alabama Ethics Commission.

Key Provisions
Electronic participation allowed via telephone conference, video conference, or similar equipment; counts as presence for all purposes except establishing a quorum.
Every meeting must have one physical location where the public can hear remote participants, and the location must be published.
Electronic participation must comply with the Open Meetings Act; public access is required only at the physical location.
Prohibits electronic participation for Board of Pardons and Paroles, Public Service Commission, legislative standing committees during session, State Board of Education, and Alabama Ethics Commission.
A majority of a quorum must be physically present at the noticed location to conduct business, and only physically present members may participate in an executive session.
Votes taken using electronic participation must be roll call votes, with each participant able to vote individually and audible at the physical location.
The act takes effect on the first day of the third month following passage and gubernatorial approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Alabama Open Meetings Act