SB331 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Shay ShelnuttSenator

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Sam GivhanDan Roberts

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Real Estate Commission, method for appointing members revised, live virtual online education courses provided, definitions, exemptions from regulation further provided, Secs. 34-27-2, 34-27-6, 34-27-7, 34-27-8, 34-27-32, 34-27-35, 34-27-36 am'd.

Summary

SB331 would overhaul the Alabama Real Estate Commission by updating education delivery, governance, licensure rules, and transparency, while repealing old provisions.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes live virtual online education for prelicense, postlicense, and continuing education with defined course content. It revises the commission’s appointment process, strengthens bans on political activity, and requires public disclosure of financial institutions holding commission funds. It expands licensure qualifications, adds enforcement tools (including inactive status for faulty payments), and repeals outdated provisions, along with making technical updates to the code.

Who It Affects

• Real estate licensees and applicants (brokers, salespersons, and reciprocal licensees) would be affected by new licensure requirements, updated education options (virtual courses), background checks, and the inactive license provision for faulty payments.
• Real estate schools, instructors, administrators, and the Alabama Real Estate Commission would implement new education rules (virtual delivery, bonds, fees), governance changes in appointment, financial disclosure requirements, and exemptions, affecting compliance and oversight.

Key Provisions

• Allows live virtual online education for commission-approved prelicense, postlicense, and continuing education courses, with specified content requirements (including risk management, fair housing, and ethics).
• Expands exemptions from real estate licensure for various roles and transactions (e.g., certain property management activities, clerical work, specific owner transactions).
• Revises the method of appointing members to the Alabama Real Estate Commission (modifies appointment process and governance structure).
• Prohibits the commission from political activity and requires publication of the names of financial institutions holding commission funds, plus internal conflict-of-interest controls.
• Alters licensure requirements and enforcement (including criminal history checks, reciprocal licensing, temporary qualifying brokers, and bonding/fee structures for schools; adds inactive license status for faulty payments).
• Repeals outdated provisions (county lists of licensees and certain legislative findings related to rulemaking) and implements nonsubstantive, technical updates to the code.

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

Subjects

Real Estate Commission