HB61 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Lynn Greer
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Public Service Commission, regulation of pipelines for gas and hazardous liquids, penalties for violation of safety standards increased, Secs. 37-4-87, 37-4-96 am'd.
Summary: HB61 raises civil penalties for gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety violations and strengthens how the Public Service Commission enforces them.
What This Bill Does
It amends sections 37-4-87 and 37-4-96 to set higher civil penalties for violations of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety standards. Penalties per violation per day are defined in the range from $10,000 to $200,000, with a cap for any related series of violations between $500,000 and $2,000,000. The Public Service Commission can compromise penalties and must consider factors like the violator's size, the gravity of the violation, and good faith in achieving compliance. Penalties can be collected by offset against amounts owed to the state or through civil actions, and the act applies to gas pipeline systems and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities; it becomes effective in the third month after passage.

Who It Affects
Gas and hazardous liquid pipeline operators in Alabama, who would face higher civil penalties for safety violations and be subject to new collection and enforcement methods.
The Alabama Public Service Commission, which gains authority to impose, compromise, and collect these penalties and to enforce pipeline safety standards.

Key Provisions
Amends Sections 37-4-87 and 37-4-96 to address civil penalties for violations of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety standards.
Sets penalties per violation per day in a range up to $200,000, with a related-series cap up to $2,000,000 (and/or a related cap of $500,000 in the text, indicating tiered maximums).
Requires penalty determinations to consider the violator's size, the gravity of the violation, and the violator's good faith in seeking compliance; penalties may be compromised by the commission.
Allows penalties to be deducted from sums owed by the State or collected via civil action in the circuit court.
Applies to gas pipeline systems and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities; becomes effective the first day of the third month after passage.

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