SB46 Alabama 2015 1st Special Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Paul Sanford
Republican
Session: First Special Session 2015
Title: Administrative Procedure Act, rules, review of disapprovals by joint committee further provided for, prospective application of Act 2015-291, Sec. 41-22-23 am'd; Act 2015-291, 2015 Reg. Sess., am'd.
Summary: SB46 adds a clear 15-day appeal window to challenge disapproved rules to the Lieutenant Governor, gives the LG a 15-day review period, imposes a vacancy-based suspension, and applies prospectively to rulemaking begun after October 1, 2015.
What This Bill Does
It allows an agency to appeal a disapproval of a rule to the Lieutenant Governor within 15 days. The Lieutenant Governor then has 15 days to review the disapproval and act, potentially holding hearings. If the Lieutenant Governor’s office is vacant, the disapproved rule is suspended until the next regular session’s adjournment and would be reinstated unless the Legislature sustains the disapproval by joint resolution. The act’s provisions would apply to rulemaking started on or after October 1, 2015.

Who It Affects
State agencies that draft and submit administrative rules, because they gain a defined 15-day window to appeal disapproval and a 15-day window for the Lieutenant Governor to review the rule.
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Legislature (including the Joint Committee on Administrative Regulation Review), because they become the decision-making body for appeals and can suspend or sustain rules based on joint resolutions.

Key Provisions
An agency may appeal a committee disapproval of a rule to the Lieutenant Governor within 15 days of disapproval.
The Lieutenant Governor has 15 days after an appeal is filed to review the rule and determine action, potentially holding hearings as needed.
If the Lieutenant Governor sustains the disapproval, the rule is returned to the agency and the disapproval is final; if the Lieutenant Governor approves, the rule becomes effective after adjournment of the next regular session unless overruled by a joint resolution.
If the Lieutenant Governor does not act within 15 days, the rule is deemed approved and becomes effective after adjournment of the next regular session unless overruled by a joint resolution; if the LG office is vacant, the rule is suspended until the next regular session adjournment and reinstated unless the Legislature sustains the disapproval by joint resolution.
Act 2015-291’s provisions are applied prospectively to rulemaking started on or after October 1, 2015.

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