House Bill 222 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Marcus ParamoreRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Alabama Indian Affairs Commission; commission authority and membership revised, additional tribes recognized

Summary

HB222 would expand the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission to nine tribal representatives, recognize two additional tribes, allow state funding, protect tribal records, and set executive director requirements with technical updates.

What This Bill Does

It expands the Commission from seven to nine Indian representatives by recognizing two additional tribes. It allows the Commission to seek and receive state appropriations in addition to federal funds. It prevents the Commission from being required to share certain tribal records with membership organizations. It sets the executive director's salary, age requirement (at least 30), residency requirement, and duties, and it includes non-substantive updates to the code language; the act would take effect October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• The nine named Alabama tribes will each have one seat on the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission, increasing Native American representation on the panel.
• State government and taxpayers will be affected by the potential for state funding for the Commission, and the bill preserves privacy protections by limiting disclosure of tribal records to membership organizations.

Key Provisions

• Expands the Commission from seven to nine Indian representatives by recognizing two additional tribes (nine named tribes listed in the bill).
• Authorizes the Commission to seek and receive state appropriations and other state funds in addition to federal grants.
• Protects tribal records by allowing the Commission not to disclose certain tribal roles, genealogy, or membership information to membership organizations.
• Establishes salary rules for the executive director and sets age (at least 30) and Alabama residency (at least five years) requirements; the director serves as secretary and chief administrator and may hire staff.
• Allows the Commission to recognize additional tribes and sets procedures for such recognition, ensuring the majority of members are Indian.
• Sets initial and ongoing term lengths for members (mostly four-year terms with staggered starts) and provides for filling unexpired terms by the Governor; Ma-Chis Lower Creek member has a four-year initial term.
• Effective date of October 1, 2026, and includes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the code language.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 11, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Authorities, Boards, & Commissions