HB398 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike ShawRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Jefferson County, levy of additional residential building permit fee in county and municipalities for Central Alabama Homebuilding Academy authorized

Summary

HB398 would authorize Jefferson County and its municipalities to charge an extra up to $20 for residential building permits to fund training at the Central Alabama Homebuilding Academy.

What This Bill Does

The bill allows the county and its municipalities to set a new permit fee of up to $20 for residential building permits. The collected funds go to the Central Alabama Homebuilding Academy to train workers in a variety of trades related to residential construction. The academy must submit annual budgets, and distributions to the academy must follow approved budgets, with reporting and potential audits; funds cannot be used for continuing education required by licensing boards, and if the academy ends, funds go to the Alabama Construction Trade Academy Fund.

Who It Affects

• Residents and businesses applying for residential building permits in Jefferson County and its municipalities; they would pay the additional up to $20 permit fee, which funds the academy’s training programs.
• Local government bodies (Jefferson County Commission and municipal governing bodies) and the Central Alabama Homebuilding Academy; they set, collect, and distribute the fee, oversee budgeting and reporting, and handle audits or termination-of-funding scenarios.

Key Provisions

• Allows an additional residential building permit fee of up to $20 to be levied by the Jefferson County Commission and municipalities within the county; fee set by the governing body by resolution or ordinance and added to existing permit costs.
• The fee applies to residential building permits, including building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, or any permit required for construction or remodeling of a residence or related structure.
• All collected funds are deposited into the treasuries of the levying governing bodies and distributed to the Central Alabama Homebuilding Academy for training in listed trades (e.g., carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc.).
• CAHA must propose an annual operating budget by October 1; the county commission must approve by December 1; funds are distributed to CAHA no more than quarterly and only up to the approved annual budget.
• If CAHA reaches its annual budget, the governing bodies stop distributing funds for that year but may retain funds for supplemental or future distributions; funds not distributed stay with the governing bodies.
• Funds cannot be used to develop or provide continuing education required by any professional licensing board.
• CAHA must provide an annual report, including program details and independent CPA financial statements, before distributions are allowed; the Jefferson County Commission may audit the academy.
• If CAHA ends operations, collected funds go to the Alabama Construction Trade Academy Fund in the State Treasury.
• Effective date: June 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

Jefferson County