HB244 Alabama 2022 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Ginny ShaverRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2022
Title: Collectible items, sports memorabilia, art, etc., represented as authentic, recovery of purchase price if not authentic, civil actions, damages
Summary: HB244 creates a legal remedy for buyers of collectibles when a dealer falsely claims authenticity, allowing recovery of the purchase price plus damages and enabling civil penalties for false representations.
What This Bill Does
It defines terms like authentic, collectible, dealer, and consumer, along with categories such as autographed items and memorabilia. It lets a consumer who buys an authenticated collectible based on a representation of authenticity recover the full purchase price plus damages within three years if they show the item is not authentic. It authorizes civil actions to enforce these rights and imposes civil penalties for false representations. It excludes barter/trade transactions and dealer-to-dealer sales from the act, and the remedies are in addition to other laws. The act takes effect on the first day of the third month after signing, roughly July 2022.

Who It Affects
Consumers who purchase autographed or memorabilia collectibles from dealers and could recover their money and damages if the item is not authentic.
Dealers who sell collectibles and could face civil actions and penalties for misrepresenting authenticity.

Key Provisions
Consumer remedy: a consumer may recover the full purchase price plus damages within three years if substantial evidence shows the collectible is not authentic.
Civil action: consumers may file a civil action to enforce these rights; remedies are in addition to other legal remedies.
Definitions and scope: establishes who is a dealer (business selling 3+ collectibles in 12 months) and what counts as authentic representations, including terms like authentic, autograph, collectible, entertainment media item, historical artifact, limited edition, memorabilia, etc.
Exclusions: does not apply to items bought by barter or trade or to sales between dealers.
Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the third month after signing (around July 2022).

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