SB196 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

State parks, bond issue, park with hotel facility or golf course, exempt from requirement that facilities be operated exclusively by Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Amendment 617, Constitution of Alabama of 1901, am'd., const. amend.

Summary

SB196 would allow certain state parks with hotels or golf courses to be operated by non-DCNR entities and authorize up to $110 million in bonds to fund park and historic-site improvements, with debt backed by the state's taxing power.

What This Bill Does

It amends Amendment 617 to create an exception to the rule that state park lands and facilities must be exclusively operated by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, specifically for parks that include a hotel or a golf course. It authorizes up to $110 million in general obligation bonds to pay for acquisition, provision, construction, improvement, renovation, equipping, and maintenance of the state parks system, public historical sites, and public historical parks; $104 million would be issued by the Alabama State Parks System Improvement Corporation and $6 million by the Alabama Public Historical Sites and Parks Improvement Corporation. Proceeds would be placed in dedicated state treasury funds and used only for those purposes, with a 600-foot shoreline buffer required for lakes built with bond proceeds and debt service costs potentially affecting water sales. After completion, parks not hosting hotels or golf courses would remain under exclusive DCNR operation, while public historical sites would be run by the Alabama Historical Commission or another authorized entity; bonds would be sold publicly, are tax-exempt, and backed by the state's full faith and credit, with implementing legislation to follow.

Who It Affects

• State park lands and facilities at parks with a hotel facility or a golf course would no longer be required to be exclusively operated and maintained by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; other entities could operate them.
• Alabama taxpayers and residents would be affected by the potential debt load from the new bonds to fund park and historic-site improvements, with debt repayment secured by the state's taxing power.

Key Provisions

• Permits an exception to the DCNR exclusive operation requirement for state parks with a hotel or a golf course.
• Authorizes up to 110,000,000 dollars in general obligation bonds for the state parks system, public historical sites, and public historical parks.
• Allocates 104,000,000 dollars to the Alabama State Parks System Improvement Corporation and 6,000,000 dollars to the Alabama Public Historical Sites and Parks Improvement Corporation for bond issuance costs and project funding.
• Proceeds are used for acquisition, provision, construction, improvement, renovation, equipping, and maintenance of the parks and historical sites; includes a 600-foot buffer requirement for lakes; water sale would allocate debt service costs back to the state.
• After completion, state park land and facilities not hosting hotels or golf courses would be exclusively operated and maintained by DCNR; public historical sites would be operated by the Alabama Historical Commission or another authorized entity.
• Bonds are direct general obligations, exempt from most state taxes, and payable from the state's taxing power; bonds are to be sold through public processes with Governor's approval for issuance.
• Proceeds from bond sales are placed in dedicated state treasury funds and invested until needed, to be disbursed only for the described purposes; no further legislative prerogative is required for bond validity, though implementing legislation will be enacted.
• Issuers are encouraged to utilize diverse businesses in bond and construction activities.

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

Subjects

Constitutional Amendments