HB1 Alabama 2019 1st Special Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bill Poole

Republican

Session

First Special Session 2019

Title

Permanent Joint Transportation Committee, technical corrections regarding Dept. of Transportation's long-range plan, long-range plan clarified, clarification of the Alabama Dept.of Transportation's duties and information requirements to the committee relating to the long-range plan, Sections 29-2-1, 29-2-2, 29-2-3, 29-2-4, 29-2-6, and 29-2-8 am'd.

Summary

HB1 creates and expands a Permanent Joint Transportation Committee to oversee ALDOT's long-range transportation planning, clarifies its duties, and strengthens reporting and transparency.

What This Bill Does

It establishes a permanent Joint Transportation Committee with expanded membership and residency rules to oversee highway planning. It defines the long-range plan as the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and allows the committee to review and fiscally constrain amendments, with the Department preparing amendments for the Governor's consideration. It requires ALDOT to provide data, budgets, and project narratives, update the STIP annually, and report on performance, while giving the committee power to hold hearings, hire consultants, and consider multiple public-interest factors when evaluating plans. It also mandates that all highway-related bills be reviewed by the committee for recommendations and requires local motor fuel tax revenue reporting, enhancing transparency for the public.

Who It Affects

• Legislators (Senate and House) and their staff: membership expansion, residency rules, appointment timelines, and oversight responsibilities are affected.
• Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and the traveling public: ALDOT’s planning, budgeting, reporting, and interaction with the Committee are clarified and formalized, aiming to improve transparency and how future highway projects are planned and funded.

Key Provisions

• Creates a permanent Joint Transportation Committee with members from both Senate and House, distributed by congressional districts and ALDOT regions, with minimum minority party representation.
• Sets appointment and residency requirements, ensures diversity, rotates leadership between House and Senate, and defines a quorum for meetings.
• Defines the long-range plan as the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and authorizes the committee to review and amend the STIP, with amendments required to be fiscally constrained.
• Requires the Transportation Department to prepare amendments and deliver them to committee members; if majority approves, amendments go to the Governor for consideration; updates to the five-year plan and the annual budget are reviewed by the committee.
• Imposes reporting duties: local motor fuel tax revenue and expenditures must be reported to the committee; the committee and public must receive annual performance reports; all highway bills are reviewed by the committee for recommendations.
• obligates ALDOT to provide data, budgets, books, and project narratives to the committee; maintain the STIP according to federal guidelines; update the ALDOT website within seven days of amendments and notify the committee chair.
• Gives the committee authority to hire outside consultants, hold public hearings, and consider factors such as commuter savings, economic growth, safety, environment, recreation, traffic density, school buses, public safety, local assessments, and interstate access priorities.
• Allows consideration of life-cycle cost analysis and related guidelines to inform project decisions.

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

Subjects

Legislature