HB44 Alabama 2016 1st Special Session Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bill Poole

Republican

Session

First Special Session 2016

Title

Legislature, new biennial legislative sessions to consider bills making appropriations, established, const. amend.

Summary

HB44 would amend the Alabama Constitution to require annual regular sessions for non-budget matters and annual fiscal sessions for a two-year budget, while repealing two existing amendments.

What This Bill Does

It creates a two-part yearly meeting schedule: regular sessions for non-budget issues and fiscal sessions for budget appropriations that cover a two-year period. Regular sessions would start the last Tuesday in January and be limited in days; fiscal sessions would follow in the spring and be limited in days, focusing only on basic appropriations and related budget matters. The bill also imposes limits on special sessions, requires itemized basic appropriations, and mandates a governor-approved budget proposal before fiscal sessions; it also repeals Amendment 339 and Amendment 448.

Who It Affects

• Legislators and the governor, who would operate under new annual schedules, limits on session length, and rules about what can be considered or amended in each session (including salary-related provisions).
• State employees, educators, and taxpayers, as education funding and other state expenditures would be planned on a two-year budget cycle with explicit basic appropriations and Education Trust Fund constraints.

Key Provisions

• Regular sessions held annually for non-budgetary matters; fiscal sessions held annually after regular sessions for two-year budget appropriations; starting in 2017.
• Regular sessions: up to 20 legislative days and 70 calendar days; may consider any bill except for appropriations.
• Fiscal sessions: up to 12 legislative days and 30 calendar days; consider only basic appropriations for the next two fiscal years and, as determined, amendments to appropriation bills; basic appropriations must be itemized by year; accounting remains on a fiscal year basis.
• Special sessions: limited to 12 legislative days and 30 calendar days.
• Salary restrictions: no officer or employee may receive a salary increase in basic appropriations; no appropriation for salary unless already prescribed by law; other appropriations must be in separate one-subject bills.
• Basic appropriations define funding for the two-year budget period, including executive, legislative, judicial expenses, debt, and education, with any necessary revenue measures as appropriate.
• Governor must transmit a proposed budget by the seventh day before the first fiscal day of each fiscal session.
• It is the legislature’s duty to pass basic appropriations for the two-year period; education funding is handled in education-specific sessions; Education Trust Fund appropriations are for educational purposes only.
• The amendment would repeal Amendment 339 (Section 76) and Amendment 448 (Section 71.01) of the Alabama Constitution.

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

Subjects

Constitutional Amendments