HB101 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 24, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Mark Tuggle
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Colleges and universities, age of majority designated as 18 years for participation in research, Sec. 26-1-1 am'd.
Summary: HB101 lets 18-year-olds consent to participate in certain college or university research by adjusting the age-of-majority rule for research participation.
What This Bill Does
The bill amends Section 26-1-1 to allow an 18-year-old or older to consent to participate in research conducted by an accredited college or university if the research is approved by the institution's Institutional Review Board. This consent exception applies notwithstanding other age-based rules and is limited to research participation. It also updates related age language in the code so references to 'under the age of 21' become 'under the age of 19'. The act becomes effective immediately after the Governor signs it.

Who It Affects
18-year-olds and older in Alabama, who would be able to consent to participate in college/university research if the IRB approves the study.
Accredited colleges and universities and their Institutional Review Boards, which approve such research and oversee the consent process.

Key Provisions
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), a person who is 18 years of age or older may consent to participate in research conducted by a college or university that is accredited by a federally recognized accrediting agency if the research has been approved by the institution's Institutional Review Board.
The act becomes effective immediately upon the Governor's approval; it also changes the code so that phrases reading 'under the age of 21 years' are to be read as 'under the age of 19 years' in laws that limit rights based on age.

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