HB294 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bill Poole

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

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

Summary

Proposes changing Alabama’s constitution to have annual general sessions for non-budget issues and annual fiscal sessions for budget decisions within a two-year budget cycle, and repeals two existing amendments.

What This Bill Does

Starting in 2020, the bill would require annual general sessions for non-budget matters and annual fiscal sessions for revenue and appropriation work within a biennial budget. General sessions can debate any non-appropriation bills, while fiscal sessions focus only on basic appropriations for the next two years, with budgets itemized by year; salaries cannot be increased in basic appropriations bills and other appropriations would be in separate single-subject bills. The governor would must provide a proposed budget before the first fiscal session, and there are strict limits on session lengths; local laws can be discussed, and special sessions have their own shorter limits. The measure would repeal Amendment 339 and Amendment 448 to the Constitution.

Who It Affects

• Legislators and legislative staff, because session timing, length, topics, and budgeting procedures would change under the new general and fiscal session structure.
• State agencies, schools, local governments, and taxpayers, because budgeting would shift to a two-year, itemized basic-appropriations system with specific rules on what can be funded in each session and how education funds are allocated.

Key Provisions

• General sessions begin in 2020, annually, on the fourth Tuesday in January (or as law prescribes), limited to 20 legislative days and 70 calendar days; may discuss any non-budget bills or resolutions.
• Fiscal sessions begin in 2020 after regular sessions, annually on the second Tuesday in April (or as law prescribes), limited to 12 legislative days and 35 calendar days; may discuss only basic appropriations for the two-year budget period or amendments to those appropriations; basic appropriations must be itemized by year.
• Special sessions are limited to 12 legislative days and 30 calendar days.
• Local laws may be considered during general, fiscal, or special sessions.
• No salary increases in bills making basic appropriations; all other appropriations must be in separate bills, each with one subject.
• "Basic appropriations" cover the two-year budget period for ordinary expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments, debt payments, and education.
• Governor must transmit a proposed budget by the second Tuesday in March before the first fiscal session after January 1, 2020.
• The Legislature must pass basic appropriations for the two-year budget; education funding rules divide ordinary expenses between even-numbered (ordinary expenses) and odd-numbered (education) fiscal years; Education Trust Fund appropriations must be for educational purposes only.
• Amendments 339 and 448 are repealed.
• Election-related provisions require voter ballot language describing the proposed amendment.

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