HJR55 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joe LovvornRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

House joint rule amended; fiscal note to identify bills that will increase certain combined local expenditures in order to implement

Summary

HJR55 amends Alabama's joint rules to require disclosure of local-expenditure effects and to mandate review thresholds for bills that would increase local government costs.

What This Bill Does

It changes Rule 25 so the title of a general bill that would impose new or increased local expenditures must state that fact. If a bill is exempt from Section 111.05, it must include a section stating the exclusion and its basis. The Legislative Services Agency, Fiscal Division will determine whether the bill's annual local-expenditure impact is under $50,000 and notify the sponsor to amend if it is. If the bill is not excluded and would increase local expenditures, it must pass a two-thirds vote to be transmitted to the other house, and the fiscal note must indicate if the impact is over $50,000 annually when applicable.

Who It Affects

• Legislators and Legislative Services Agency staff: must apply the new disclosure rules, determine exclusions, assess fiscal impact, and enforce the two-thirds vote transmission requirement.
• Local governments (municipalities, counties, and related instrumentalities): potential local expenditure increases must be disclosed and assessed, which can influence bill transmission and required fiscal notes.

Key Provisions

• Amends Rule 25(a) to require the bill title to include a statement if the bill would impose new or increased local expenditures.
• Adds a provision that if a bill is exempt under Section 111.05, it must include a section stating the exclusion and the basis for it.
• Requires the Legislative Services Agency, Fiscal Division to determine whether the bill's aggregate annual local-expenditure impact is less than $50,000 and notify the sponsor to amend if so.
• Treats bills not excluded and without an exclusion section as needing a two-thirds vote to be transmitted to the other house, and requires fiscal notes to clearly state if the bill would increase local expenditures by more than $50,000 annually.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Resolutions