HB37 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Phillip EnslerRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Firearms, to provide for do-not-sell list

Summary

HB37 would create a voluntary Do-Not-Sell list for firearms in Alabama and set up procedures for people to opt in or out, with rules on who can access or use the list and penalties for violations.

What This Bill Does

It creates the Voluntary Alabama Firearms Do-Not-Sell List, to be run by the Department of Mental Health, with forms and multiple ways to register or remove a name. People on the list may not possess a firearm, and transferring a firearm to someone on the list would be unlawful; the bill also sets penalties for violations and for false registration statements. Removal can occur 21 days after a removal request, or faster through a district court hearing within 48 hours to determine voluntariness and danger, and the department must remove the name, delete its records, and notify the FBI and update NICS. The bill restricts how insurers, employers, housing providers, educational institutions, and health care providers may use list status and prohibits discrimination or denying services or benefits on that basis.

Who It Affects

• Individuals in Alabama who choose to add themselves to the Voluntary Alabama Firearms Do-Not-Sell List or remove themselves from the list; their ability to purchase firearms would be affected while listed, and they can pursue removal through designated processes.
• Insurers, employers, housing providers, educational institutions, health care providers, and state or local government agencies; these entities would be restricted from inquiring about list status, using the status to affect benefits or employment, and must follow processing and data sharing rules enforced by the bill.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Voluntary Alabama Firearms Do-Not-Sell List to be managed by the Department of Mental Health and establishes paper forms and multiple submission methods for adding or removing a name.
• Allows registration and removal through in person, health care provider submission, mail, or electronic submission with identification, and provides email notification options to registrants.
• Regulates removal: a removal request is processed within 21 days unless a faster court removal proceeding is used; a district court hearing within 48 hours determines voluntariness and danger, after which the department removes the name and notifies the FBI and updates NICS.
• Prohibits transferring a firearm to someone on the list or transferring without a required background check; violations carry Class A misdemeanor penalties up to 6,000 dollars fine or up to 1 year in prison.
• Makes false statements in registration a Class A misdemeanor with penalties up to 6,000 dollars or up to 1 year in jail.
• Warns that insurers may not inquire about list status, employers may not inquire or take action based on list status unless firearm possession is required by the job, and prohibits discriminatory housing practices; violations carry penalties and may be considered a handicap.
• Requires data privacy: list information is not subject to open public records laws, and disclosing list information without authorization is a misdemeanor with penalties; the Department must forward registry data to the FBI to update NICS.
• obligates the Department to adopt rules to implement the act; establishes that the act may involve new or increased local expenditures but is exempt from certain constitutional funding restrictions.

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

Subjects

Firearms