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HB37 Alabama 2016 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026
High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor
Arnold Mooney
Arnold MooneyRepresentative
Republican
Session
Regular Session 2016
Title
Right to work public, policy declared, membership in or payment of dues to labor union may not be required for employment, const. amend.
Summary

HB37 would amend Alabama's Constitution to guarantee the right to work and bar employers from forcing union membership or dues as a condition of employment.

What This Bill Does

It declares that the right to work cannot be denied or abridged based on union membership status. It bans agreements that deny the right to work or make employment depend on union membership. It prohibits employers from requiring employees to abstain from union membership as a condition of employment or continuation, and from requiring payment of dues or fees to a union as a condition of employment. It does not apply to contracts that were in force before ratification, but it would apply to new contracts and renewals after ratification.

Who It Affects
  • Employees/workers in Alabama who would be protected from being denied the right to work or being forced to join or pay dues to a union as a condition of employment.
  • Employers/businesses in Alabama who must avoid requiring union membership or dues as a condition of employment or continuation, and who will follow the new rules for future contracts.
Key Provisions
  • Public policy states the right to work may not be denied or abridged due to union membership status.
  • Any agreement or action that denies the right to work or makes employment contingent on union membership is illegal.
  • No employer may require an employee to abstain from union membership as a condition of employment or continuation.
  • No employer may require an employee to pay dues, fees, or other charges to any labor union as a condition of employment or continuation.
  • The amendments apply to contracts entered after ratification (and to renewals), but not to contracts already in force before ratification.
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

Bill Actions

H

Assigned Act No. 2016-86.

H

Delivered to Secretary of State at 12:33 p.m. on March 17, 2016.

H

Clerk of the House Certification

S

Signature Requested

H

Enrolled

H

Passed Second House

S

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 425

S

Rules Petition to Cease adopted Roll Call 424

S

Third Reading Passed

S

Dial motion to Carry Over adopted Voice Vote

S

Third Reading Carried Over

S

Read for the second time and placed on the calendar

S

Read for the first time and referred to the Senate committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development

H

Engrossed

H

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 37

H

Third Reading Passed

H

Motion to Reconsider adopted Roll Call 27

H

Hammon motion to Previous Question adopted Roll Call 26

H

Mooney motion to Reconsider offered

H

Third Reading Pending

H

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass lost Roll Call 18

H

Forte motion to Previous Question adopted Roll Call 17

H

Mooney motion to Table adopted Roll Call 16

H

Knight Amendment Offered

H

Mooney motion to Table adopted Roll Call 15

H

Moore (M) Amendment Offered

H

Motion to Adopt adopted Roll Call 14

H

Constitution, Campaigns and Elections first Substitute Offered

H

Lost in house of origin

H

Read for the second time and placed on the calendar with 1 substitute

H

Read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Constitution, Campaigns and Elections

Bill Text

Download Engrossed PDF

Votes

Mooney motion to Table

February 11, 2016 House Passed
Yes 66
No 30
Abstained 2
Absent 6

Mooney motion to Table

February 11, 2016 House Passed
Yes 67
No 28
Abstained 2
Absent 7

Forte motion to Previous Question

February 11, 2016 House Passed
Yes 70
No 10
Absent 24

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass

February 11, 2016 House Passed
Yes 60
No 24
Absent 20

Hammon motion to Previous Question

February 16, 2016 House Passed
Yes 70
No 31
Absent 3

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass

February 17, 2016 House Passed
Yes 69
No 33
Absent 3

Rules Petition to Cease

March 17, 2016 Senate Passed
Yes 23
No 8
Abstained 1
Absent 3

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass

March 17, 2016 Senate Passed
Yes 25
No 9
Abstained 1

Documents

Bill Text (Engrossed) HB37 Alabama 2016 Session - Engrossed
Bill Text (Introduced) HB37 Alabama 2016 Session - Introduced

Source: Alabama Legislature