House Bill 287 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Russell BedsoleRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Legislative committee; Joint Legislative Committee on the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor and Meritorious Service Award, created

Summary

HB287 would codify and continue the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor and Meritorious Service Award under general statutory law.

What This Bill Does

It codifies the committee’s mission to award the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor and the Meritorious Service Award to Alabama law enforcement officers for extraordinary courage and service. It sets a 10-member, bipartisan membership (5 House members and 5 Senate members) with minority party representation and four-year terms, with vacancy rules and diversity requirements. It requires the committee to annually confer the two awards and provides for administrative support, compensation guidelines, and per diem rules, including no extra pay while the Legislature is in session. It also requires meeting notices and documents to be filed with the Secretary of State and becomes effective June 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Law enforcement officers in Alabama who could be nominated for the Legislative Medal of Honor for Law Enforcement or the Legislative Meritorious Service Award based on extraordinary courage and exceptional duty.
• Members of the Alabama Legislature who will serve on the committee (five from the House and five from the Senate), including terms, appointment processes, diversity requirements, and related administrative arrangements.

Key Provisions

• Codifies the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor and Meritorious Service Award under general statutory law, continuing its authority to award the two honors.
• Establishes a 10-member committee: five House members and five Senate members, with minority party representation and four-year terms; vacancies filled in the same manner as original appointments; diversity requirements to reflect the state's demographics.
• Mandates annual awarding of the Legislative Medal of Honor for Law Enforcement and the Legislative Meritorious Service Award to officers who demonstrate extraordinary courage and exceptional service.
• Provides administrative support from the Legislative Services Agency, Clerk of the House, and Secretary of the Senate; specifies compensation, per diem, and travel expenses (no additional pay during sessions).
• Requires annual meeting scheduling, election of a chair and vice chair, and at least one meeting per year; leadership elections occur every four years and the first meeting is called by the Speaker of the House.
• Requires notice of meetings, with names of members and produced documents shared with the Secretary of State; effective June 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Legislature