SB159 Alabama 2022 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Low Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Bobby D. SingletonSenator
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2022
Title: Alabama State University, board of trustees, meetings by electronic means, including for establishment of quorum, further provided for, Sec. 16-50-26 am'd.
Summary: SB159 allows the Alabama State University Board of Trustees and, similarly, the boards of ASU and Alabama A&M University to participate in meetings by electronic means, with specific rules about quorum and public access that apply immediately.
What This Bill Does
It amends Section 16-50-26 to let board members join meetings by telephone, video, or similar electronic methods and counts those participants as present for all purposes. A majority of a quorum must still be physically present at the noticed location to conduct business. The bill also requires compliance with the Open Meetings Act to ensure public notice and access, and it extends the same electronic participation authority to the boards of Alabama State University and Alabama A&M University.

Who It Affects
Members of the Alabama State University Board of Trustees, who may participate remotely but must have a majority of the quorum physically present to conduct business.
Members of the Boards of Trustees of Alabama State University and Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (Alabama A&M), who may participate electronically in the same manner as ASU.
The general public, who must be able to listen to or observe meetings conducted under these electronic participation rules, subject to Open Meetings Act requirements.

Key Provisions
Allows board members to participate in meetings by telephone conference, video conference, or similar electronic means, with such participation counted as presence in person for all purposes while requiring a majority of the quorum to be physically present at the noticed location to conduct business.
Extends the electronic participation framework to the Boards of Trustees of Alabama State University and Alabama A&M University, in the same manner as provided for ASU, and ensures compliance with the Alabama Open Meetings Act and public access.

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