HB461 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Donna GivensRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to Baldwin County; to repeal Act 730, 1978 Regular Session (Acts 1978, p. 1056), providing for the licensing of water well drillers by the Baldwin County Water Well Standards Board; to repeal Act 266 of the 1977 Regular Session (Acts 1977, p. 366), relating to counties having populations not less than 57,000 nor more than 61,000 inhabitants and providing for the licensing of water well drillers; to repeal Section 22-24-12 of the Code of Alabama 1975, exempting Baldwin County from Chapter 24 of Title 22, Code of Alabama 1975, which chapter provides for the licensing of water well drillers by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management; and to provide for a statement of intent.

Summary

HB461 repeals Baldwin County's local licensing for water well drillers and moves licensure to the state, with a one-year grace period for drillers to obtain state licenses.

What This Bill Does

The bill eliminates the Baldwin County Water Well Standards Board and the county’s own licensing framework. It removes Baldwin County from having a separate licensing requirement and instead requires water well drillers in the county to be licensed under Alabama's general state licensing laws. It also ends the exemption that kept Baldwin County out of the state licensing system and establishes a one-year grace period for drillers to get state licensure. The act takes effect immediately after the governor signs it.

Who It Affects

• Water well drillers operating in Baldwin County – must obtain and maintain state licensure within one year of the act taking effect.
• Baldwin County Water Well Standards Board and Baldwin County government – lose their licensing authority for drillers; the local board becomes dormant and local licensing is repealed.

Key Provisions

• Repeals Act 730, 1978 (local licensing of water well drillers by the Baldwin County Water Well Standards Board).
• Repeals Act 266, 1977 (local licensing provisions for counties with certain population ranges).
• Repeals Section 22-24-12 (exemption of Baldwin County from ADEMs licensing of water well drillers).
• States the intent that Baldwin County drillers be licensed and regulated under general state law, with a one-year grace period to obtain state licensure.
• Effective date is immediate upon the governor's approval.

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