HB143 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joe LovvornRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Emergency Management Agency, shelters, to adopt guidelines for identifying and designating safer place shelters throughout the state

Summary

HB143 would require the state Emergency Management Agency to create guidelines that help individuals and groups volunteer properties to be designated as safer place shelters during severe weather.

What This Bill Does

It requires EMA, by December 31, 2021, to develop uniform guidelines for identifying and designating safer place facilities, in cooperation with related associations. The guidelines must include an application process for property owners or controllers to offer part or all of a structure as a safer place, with a good-faith determination of meeting criteria and nondiscrimination. They must specify when and how the facility can be used, the duration of availability, safety features (like a second exit, smoke detectors, and sanitary facilities), and a withdrawal process. The bill also states that shelters are not guaranteed to be open or stocked at all times, that users shelter there at their own risk, and that there will be no government compensation; volunteers and facilities receive protected status and the act takes effect immediately after governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Property owners or entities that own or control buildings and could apply to designate their property as a safer place shelter; they must meet guidelines and may have the designation withdrawn.
• Local emergency management agencies and the state EMA, which will develop guidelines, manage the designation process, notify communities, and oversee the program; volunteers and designated facilities receive specified protections.

Key Provisions

• EMA must develop uniform statewide guidelines by December 31, 2021, in cooperation with the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers and the Association of County Commissions of Alabama.
• Guidelines must include methods for notifying the community about safer places.
• An application process through the local emergency management agency for owners/controllers to designate a structure as a safer place, requiring a good-faith determination that criteria are met and non-discrimination.
• Guidelines must describe appropriate use and duration of availability of a safer place facility.
• Availability must be nondiscriminatory and facilities are not required to be open to the public at all times or to provide ongoing life-sustaining goods or services.
• Procedures for withdrawing a safer place designation.
• Facilities must meet building codes and safety standards (e.g., second exit, smoke detectors, sanitary facilities) and not pose direct health or safety threats.
• No state or local government compensation or financial support for designation or operation of safer place facilities.
• Users sheltering in a designated safer place do so at their own risk and do not gain invitee/licensee status.
• Volunteers who designate or operate a safer place are covered as volunteers under the Volunteer Service Act, and designated facilities receive protections similar to emergency workers.
• The act takes effect immediately after governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Emergency Management Agency