HB247 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

David StandridgeRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Gulf of Mexico, renamed, observation and implementation by state and local entities and state and local employees required where practicable

Summary

This bill would rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and require state and local entities and their employees to use the new name where practicable.

What This Bill Does

It designates the Gulf of America as the official name for the waterbody off Alabama's coast. Starting October 1, 2025, state and local entities and their employees must refer to the Gulf of America and update maps, documents, educational materials, websites, and official communications to reflect the change. It requires reasonable efforts to update pre-existing resources where practicable, but allows exceptions if compliance would create an operational or financial burden; public K-12 schools and public higher education institutions may use Gulf of Mexico in historical or academic contexts when reasonable.

Who It Affects

• State and local government entities and their employees, who must use the Gulf of America in official references and materials
• Owners of state/local resources (maps, documents, websites, etc.) that must be updated to reflect the name change where practicable
• Public K-12 schools and public institutions of higher education, which may continue using Gulf of Mexico for historical/academic content

Key Provisions

• Official renaming: The body of water bordering Alabama is renamed the Gulf of America; references to the Gulf of Mexico are treated as references to the Gulf of America
• Implementation date and duties: Beginning October 1, 2025, state and local entities and their employees must refer to the Gulf of America and reflect the terminology in new maps, documents, educational materials, websites, and official communications
• Updating resources: Entities must make reasonable efforts to update existing resources to reflect the name change where practicable, with an exemption if such updates would impose an operational or financial burden
• Educational exception: Public K-12 schools and public higher education institutions may use Gulf of Mexico within academic instruction for historical purposes
• Effective date: The act becomes effective October 1, 2025

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

Subjects

Government Administration