SB72 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Class 8 municipalities, weeds, abatement, alternative procedures to declare a public nuisance after prior abatement

Summary

SB 72 would let Class 8 municipalities abate overgrown grass and weeds that are a public nuisance and recover the costs by placing a weed lien on the property, collected with ad valorem taxes.

What This Bill Does

It provides an alternative procedure for Class 8 municipalities to declare nuisance weeds and abate them. After abatement, the municipality can assess the abatement costs against the property and have them added to the owner's next ad valorem tax bill, collected by the county tax collector, with a weed lien securing the costs. The lien is a property claim that remains with the property and is subordinate to existing mortgages. The bill also sets up notice, hearing, and enforcement processes involving municipal officials and the tax-collection official.

Who It Affects

• Property owners in Class 8 municipalities: may be notified, required to abate, and charged with abatement costs via a weed lien on their property.
• Municipalities in Class 8 municipalities: gain authority to abate nuisances and to recover abatement costs through weed liens and tax collection.
• County tax collecting officials: responsible for adding weed lien costs to property tax bills and collecting those amounts.
• Mortgagees or other lienholders on affected properties: weed liens are subordinate to existing mortgages and may affect enforcement of the lien.

Key Provisions

• Defines nuisance as overgrown grass, weeds, or related conditions meeting specific health, safety, and aesthetic criteria (e.g., height over 12 inches; creates fire risk; attracts vermin; or is unsightly).
• Creates defined roles: enforcing official, administrative official, and tax collecting official for processes under the bill.
• Requires written notices to property owners, posting on the property, and allows optional additional notices; provides for a hearing before an administrative official if requested.
• If owner does not abate, the municipality may abate the nuisance and then assess and bill the costs, with a public hearing by the council to set the amount as a weed lien against the property.
• The weed lien is added to property taxes and collected by the county, with lien priority limited by existing mortgages; allows recording of the lien and potential foreclosure for delinquency.
• Allows filing a certified copy of the lien with probate records; outlines redemption and sale implications for the lien.
• The act is cumulative with existing powers and takes effect immediately upon passage and approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Municipalities