HB372 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris PringleRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to the Legislature; to amend Section 29-1-4, 29-2-41, 29-2-41.2, 29-2-80, 29-2-81, 29-2-83, 29-2-201, 29-4-70, 29-5A-22, 29-5A-46, 29-6-1, 29-6-2, 29-6-3, 29-6-7, 41-5A-16, 41-9-370, and 41-9-374, Code of Alabama 1975, to provide further for the date the Legislature convenes during the first year of a regular session; to provide additional time for the Contract Review Committee to review a contract and provide further for certain types of professional contracts; to provide further for property owned by the Legislative Council; to provide contingencies if a vacancy occurs in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor; to provide further for the role of the Code Commissioner and duties of the Legislative Council and Legislative Services Agency; to revise membership of the Joint Legislative Committee on Finances and Budgets; to provide further for tax expenditure reports made by the Legislative Fiscal Officer; to revise when members of the Legislative Committee on Public Accounts are elected; to repeal 29-5A-24 and 29-6-6, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to obsolete duties of the Legislative Reference Service and the Legislative Council; to repeal Sections 17-16-50 through 17-16-53, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to the contested election of a legislator; and to delete obsolete language and make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.

Summary

HB372 would update Alabama's legislative schedule and operations, expand contract oversight, revise property control, and repeal or modernize several obsolete provisions.

What This Bill Does

It shifts the first-year regular session to start on the first Tuesday in February (with organizational sessions in January and maintained short session length limits), expands the Contract Review Committee's role and review timelines for contracts (including attorney contracts), and requires hearings within 45 days or deeming compliance if a hearing isn't held. It clarifies the Legislative Council's powers, reorganizes its membership and duties, and allows certain non-substantive code updates. It creates contingency rules for a Lieutenant Governor vacancy, authorizes nonsubstantive revisions by the Code Commissioner, revises the Joint Legislative Committee on Finances and Budgets, requires biennial tax expenditure reporting, and repeals obsolete duties and contested-election provisions. It also transfers State House property among state entities for improved oversight and includes broader requirements for transparency and cost containment.

Who It Affects

• Legislators and Legislative staff, who would face changed session dates, revised committee structures, and new oversight responsibilities.
• State agencies, departments, and contractors, who would be subject to new contract review requirements, reporting obligations, and property-transfer arrangements affecting oversight and administration.

Key Provisions

• §29-1-4: Change the start date of the first-year regular session to the first Tuesday in February; organizational session remains, with session length capped (30 legislative days, 105 calendar days).
• §29-2-41: Contract Review Committee gains additional time to review contracts; requires review of contracts for personal or professional services paid from state funds; hearings within 45 days; deemed compliant if no hearing held; warrants and subpoenas available for committee investigations.
• §29-2-41.2: Review of attorney contracts (including Attorney General matters); redaction allowed to protect ongoing litigation information; certain right-of-way condemnation contracts exempt.
• §§29-2-80 to 29-2-83: Revisions to the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Finances and Budgets—updated membership to reflect current standing finance/budget committees; co-chairs; subcommittees; regular meetings at least monthly; compensation structure for members and subcommittees.
• §29-2-201: State House property transfer sequence—ABRFA conveys State House property to the Legislative Building Authority; upon conveyance, Legislative Building Authority holds title and control; consideration to be the appropriated amounts; title transfer to Legislative Council by operation of law on a specified date.
• §29-4-70: If a vacancy occurs in the Lieutenant Governor’s office, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate assumes the budget, personnel, and other statutory duties for the remainder of the term.
• §29-5A-22: Code Commissioner may perform nonsubstantive revisions or deletions in the compilation and publication of the Code to update language without changing meaning.
• §29-5A-46: Tax expenditure reporting moved from annual to biennial; Legislative Fiscal Officer to prepare a consolidated biennial report with cost estimates and statutory references; biennial joint hearings in even-numbered years.
• §29-6-1, §29-6-2, §29-6-3: Legislative Council composition and operation—rules for open meetings, remote attendance, and required writing and publication of decisions; website maintenance of legislative expenditures; orientation programs for new members; security and cost-containment measures.
• §41-5A-16: Legislative Committee on Public Accounts—12 members with alternating chair/vice-chair positions every two years; terms tied to quadrennia; vacancies filled by the respective house until next organizational/regular session.
• §41-9-370, §41-9-374: Commission on Uniform State Laws continues as an advisory body; budget approvals and dues handling for the commission.
• §29-5A-24, §29-6-6, and related sections repealed: Obsolete duties of the Legislative Reference Service and Legislative Council, plus sections on contested elections of legislators, are repealed.
• Other: Non-substantive, technical updates to modernize code language and align with current drafting style.

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