House Bill 273 Alabama 2026 Session

Updated Mar 10, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Kelvin DatcherRepresentative
Democrat
Session: 2026 Regular Session
Title: Municipal employees; eligible to receive grant funds paid through municipal treasury in certain circumstances
Summary: HB273 lets municipal first responders receive grant funds through the city's treasury under specific conditions.
What This Bill Does
HB273 amends Section 11-43-12 to allow a municipal first responder to accept funds from a community development block grant when the funds pass through the municipal treasury. The recipient's benefit must be similar to other grant recipients, and the first responder must not participate in deciding eligibility for the grant. The exemption does not apply to any public official or their family member. Violations are a misdemeanor with fines of $50 to $1,000 and up to six months of hard labor, and the act becomes effective October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects
Municipal first responders (such as police, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel) who qualify and could receive grant funds through the municipal treasury.
Public officials and their family members, who are not eligible for the exemption and remain subject to existing prohibitions.
Municipal government officials and treasury staff who administer and track grant funds flowing through the municipal treasury.

Key Provisions
Allows municipal first responders to receive funds from a community development block grant through the municipal treasury if certain conditions are met.
Conditions: the benefit to the first responder is similar to other grant recipients; the first responder does not participate in eligibility decisions for the grant.
Excludes any public official or their family member from using this exemption.
Establishes misdemeanor penalties for violations with fines of $50 to $1,000 and up to six months of hard labor.
Effective date: October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 10, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Counties & Municipalities