SB111 Alabama 2017 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Cam Ward
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2017
Title: Class 8 municipalities, weeds, abatement, alternative procedures to declare a public nuisance after prior abatement
Summary: SB111 lets Class 8 municipalities declare overgrown grasses and weeds as a public nuisance, abate them, and bill the property owner; the costs are collected as a lien on the property tax bill.
What This Bill Does
If a nuisance is found, the enforcing official must notify the property owner and offer a hearing before an administrative official. If the owner does not abate, the municipality may perform the abatement and then charge the owner for the costs. Those costs become a weed lien on the property and are added to the next property tax bill by the county tax collecting official, with collection and foreclosure rules similar to other ad valorem taxes; the lien can be filed with probate and remains even after certain transfers or redemption.

Who It Affects
Property owners within Class 8 municipalities whose property is deemed to have a nuisance due to tall grass or weeds; they must respond to notices and may owe abatement costs if the municipality abates the nuisance.
County tax collecting officials (and the municipalities) who collect the weed lien by adding the costs to the property tax bill and enforce payment, including foreclosure if needed.

Key Provisions
Defines nuisance as overgrown grass or weeds meeting specific health, safety, fire, visibility, or aesthetic criteria within Class 8 municipalities.
Requires enforcing officials to serve written notice to the property owner with a description of the nuisance and a hearing option before an administrative official.
Allows the owner to request a hearing; if appealed, abatement is suspended and a hearing is held; decisions are issued in writing and, if nuisance is confirmed, abatement must be completed within 10 to 28 days.
If the owner fails to abate, the municipality may abate the nuisance and then recover its costs, including labor, equipment use, advertising, and other expenses, by imposing a weed lien on the property.
Requires the county tax collecting official to add the weed lien costs to the property’s ad valorem tax bill and to collect them like ordinary taxes, with foreclosure rules applicable to delinquent liens.
Allows filing a certified copy of the lien with probate, and provides for satisfaction notices when the lien is paid.
Lien survives certain transfers and redemption; the act is cumulative and takes effect immediately upon 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: Municipalities