SB1 Alabama 2021 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Arthur OrrSenator
Republican
Co-Sponsors: Greg Albritton Tom Butler Steve Livingston Greg J. Reed J.T. Waggoner
Session: Regular Session 2021
Title: Contact tracing, privacy protections established
Summary: SB1 would let health officials hire contact tracers for COVID-19, establish privacy protections, and set a sunset date for the program.
What This Bill Does
The bill authorizes the State Health Officer or county health officers to hire or engage contact tracers to identify people who may have been exposed to COVID-19. It allows certain colleges or authorities to conduct tracing and establishes rules to protect privacy, keep contact data confidential, and limit its use to tracing. Participation is voluntary, with immunity from liability for those who refuse to cooperate, and the act includes enforcement and data-protection provisions plus a sunset on May 1, 2022.

Who It Affects
Infected individuals and contacts: privacy protections for their personal information, confidentiality of data, and immunity from liability if they refuse to participate in tracing.
State/local health authorities and certain educational institutions: authority to hire or conduct contact tracing, required training and oath for tracers, data-handling rules, retention requirements, and security measures.

Key Provisions
Authorizes the State Health Officer or county health officers to employ, contract, or engage contact tracers to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Allows higher education institutions or specific authorities to conduct or authorize contact tracing without prior state or county authorization.
Imposes privacy protections and confidentiality for contact data; prohibits disclosure of infected individuals' identities to contacts; data use limited to tracing; requires data destruction when no longer needed.
Requires tracing personnel to take an oath and follow board-prescribed rules; records of oaths maintained for at least one year; tracing staff treated as state employees for liability purposes.
Participation in tracing is voluntary; no liability for individuals who refuse to participate; good-faith disclosures by involved individuals grant immunity from civil, criminal, and administrative liability.
Subpoenas for contact data require a court order with a protective order; no improper disclosure of data beyond the act’s rules.
Allows use of electronic location data or apps, but participation in using such apps is not mandatory.
No third party is required to collect or maintain contact data; voluntary data provided by third parties may be used with consent.
Civil remedies to enjoin violations; known violations are Class C misdemeanors; defines contact data as identifying information; additional remedies may apply.
Higher education can require HIPAA-compliant electronic symptom monitoring or exposure notification applications.
The act repeals on May 1, 2022; the act is exempt from certain local-funding approval requirements due to specified exceptions.

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