HB292 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bill Poole

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2018

Title

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

Summary

HB 292 would shift Alabama to annual non-budget general sessions and annual fiscal sessions for biennial budgeting, repealing two older constitutional amendments.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, general sessions would occur every year starting in 2019 for non-budget matters, limited to 20 legislative days and 70 calendar days. Fiscal sessions would follow, limited to 12 legislative days and 35 calendar days, and would only consider basic appropriations for the next two fiscal years with itemized budgets. Local laws can be considered in any session, salaries cannot be increased in basic appropriations, and other appropriations would occur in separate bills. The bill would repeal Amendments 339 and 448.

Who It Affects

• Lawmakers and legislative staff, who would operate under a two-type annual session system with specific day limits and subject rules for general versus fiscal sessions.
• State employees, state agencies, and Education Trust Fund budgeting, who would be affected by the new budgeting process, salary protections in basic appropriations, and the overall appropriation structure.

Key Provisions

• Annual general sessions for non-budgetary matters; 20 legislative days and 70 calendar days; cannot consider appropriations.
• Annual fiscal sessions for revenue and/or basic appropriations; 12 legislative days and 35 calendar days; consider only basic appropriations for the two-year budget period and related amendments; budgets must be itemized by year; accounting remains on a fiscal year basis.
• Special sessions limited to 12 legislative days and 30 calendar days.
• Local laws affecting subdivisions may be considered during any general, fiscal, or special session.
• Salary protections: no officer/employee salary increases in basic appropriations; other appropriations must be in separate bills; each bill limited to one subject.
• Definition and scope of basic appropriations; covers executive, legislative, judicial expenses, debt, and education for the two-year budget period.
• Governor must transmit a proposed budget by the second Tuesday in March before the first fiscal session.
• Paramount duty to pass basic appropriations for the two-year period; education funding handled through Education Trust Fund; allowances for debt interest as prescribed.
• Education Trust Fund appropriations must be for educational purposes only; governor may convene special sessions in emergencies.
• Repeals of Amendments 339 and 448.

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