HB27 Alabama 2021 Session

Updated Feb 22, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Matt SimpsonRepresentative
Republican
Co-Sponsors: Alan Baker Napoleon Bracy Chip Brown Adline Clarke Barbara Drummond Joe Faust Steve McMillan Harry Shiver Shane Stringer Margie Wilcox
Session: Regular Session 2021
Title: Consumer Protection, Alabama State of Emergency Consumer Protection Act, enhanced criminal penalties provided under certain conditions, Sec. 13A-9-111.1 added; Sec. 13A-9-114, 34-14A-14, 34-31-32, 34-36-16, 34-37-17 am'd.
Summary: HB27 creates a new state-of-emergency crime for aggravated home repair fraud and strengthens penalties and licensing enforcement for home builders and related trades.
What This Bill Does
It establishes the Alabama State of Emergency Consumer Protection Act, creating aggravated home repair fraud as a Class C felony for deceptive acts in emergency-related residential repairs. It also updates penalties for home repair fraud so a first conviction is a Class A misdemeanor and a second or later conviction is a Class C felony. It expands licensing and enforcement for residential builders, contractors, and related trades (with fines up to $5,000 per violation, possible suspensions or revocations, and injunctive power), and allows boards to issue cease-and-desist orders and pursue injunctions when rules are violated. The act is intended to apply to repairs connected to governor-declared emergencies and includes a provision about local-funding restrictions and the effective date.

Who It Affects
Homeowners and other people hiring contractors for residential repairs after events declared emergencies by the Governor, who gain stronger penalties for fraud and more protections when dealing with contractors.
Residential home builders, licensed contractors, and the state and local licensing boards (e.g., Home Builders Licensure Board, electrical, plumbing, and related trades) who face new or heightened licensing requirements, enforcement actions, fines, and potential suspensions or injunctions.

Key Provisions
Creates aggravated home repair fraud (13A-9-111.1) with specified deceptive acts and makes it a Class C felony.
Amends 13A-9-114 to set first offense as Class A misdemeanor and second or subsequent offense as Class C felony, with exceptions for the new aggravated crime.
Amends 34-14A-14 to require license compliance for residential home builders, authorize cease and desist and administrative fines up to $5,000 per violation, and allow injunctions and license re-testing as needed.
Amends 34-31-32 to empower the board to suspend, revoke, or deny certifications, impose late penalties, and enforce discipline for substandard work or violations.
Amends 34-36-16 to prohibit unlicensed electrical contracting and impose penalties, including criminal charges, for violations.
Amends 34-37-17 to authorize board discipline, civil fines up to $2,000 per violation, cease-and-desist orders, and injunctions for plumbers, gas fitters, or medical gas pipe fitters violations.
Includes a provision stating the act is exempt from Amendment 621 local-funding requirements because it creates or amends crimes, and sets the effective date as the first day of the third month after passage.

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