HB448 Alabama 2025 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Ben HarrisonRepresentative
Republican
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Title: Conservation, wildlife; Alabama Good Samaritan Wildlife Rehabilitation Act established.
Summary: The bill creates the Alabama Good Samaritan Wildlife Rehabilitation Act, allowing private individuals to care for injured or orphaned wild birds and animals that are not federally protected, under certain conditions.
What This Bill Does
If enacted, it would let private individuals in good faith care for injured or orphaned wild birds and animals that are not federally protected or endangered, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The bill clarifies that this does not authorize practicing veterinary medicine and does not exempt people from cruelty-to-animals laws. The act would take effect on October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects
Private individuals and volunteers who want to help injured or orphaned wildlife not federally protected may provide care in good faith under the act.
State regulators and law enforcement (such as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) who oversee wildlife rehabilitation and enforce related laws will implement and enforce the new rules, including limits that it does not allow veterinary practice or immunity from cruelty charges.

Key Provisions
Allows individuals to provide care or treatment in good faith to sustain life or return to the wild for injured, orphaned, or debilitated wild birds or animals that are not federally protected or endangered.
Clarifies that the act does not authorize veterinary medicine practice and does not exempt cruelty to animals statutes.
Effective date is 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: Animals; Conservation & Natural Resources