HB423 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Allen TreadawayRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Public contracts, wireless telecommunications contracts, further provided, Secs. 41-16-27, 41-16-51 am'd.

Summary

HB423 requires push-to-talk wireless contracts to be bid separately through a dedicated competitive bidding process by Alabama public entities.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends the public contracting law to ensure push-to-talk (PTT) services are obtained via a separate bid process, not through the general bidding or multiple-award procedures. It clarifies that PTT contracts are excluded from certain multi-award arrangements and must go through their own competitive bidding. The rest of the procurement rules still apply to other purchases, and violations can void contracts and be punished as a Class C felony. The measure takes effect October 1, 2021.

Who It Affects

• Public entities in Alabama (state agencies, counties, municipalities, and public colleges/universities) will have to bid push-to-talk services separately rather than using combined or multi-award purchasing processes.
• Alabama-based vendors and providers that offer push-to-talk services will compete in a separate bidding process specifically for PTT contracts.

Key Provisions

• Requires separate competitive bidding for the purchase of push-to-talk services (PTT) and excludes PTT from the 'multiple purchase contracts' provision.
• Stays consistent with other bidding rules for non-PTT purchases, including public record-keeping and openness of bid records.
• Violations of the procurement requirements remain void contracts and can result in a Class C felony.
• Effective date of the new requirements: October 1, 2021.

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

Subjects

Public Contracts