House Bill 444 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chip BrownRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Seafood country of origin; Agriculture and Industries Commissioner authorized to test for compliance, notification methods revised, violations further provided

Summary

HB444 would strengthen seafood country-of-origin labeling enforcement in Alabama by authorizing testing, updating how origin information is displayed, and publicly addressing violations through sanitation score adjustments and penalties.

What This Bill Does

The bill authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries to test seafood to ensure compliance with origin labeling. It revises how establishments must notify customers of the country of origin, including specific display and placement rules on packaging, signs, and menus. The State Health Officer would investigate violations, publish violators, and reduce sanitation scores for those who fail to comply, with a graduated penalty schedule for offenses. It also includes definitions for distinguishing farm-raised versus wild fish and makes nonsubstantive technical updates to modernize code language, with an effective date of October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Food service establishments (restaurants, in-store delis, and others that sell seafood) must provide and display country-of-origin information, differentiate farm-raised from wild fish, and may face fines or other enforcement actions for noncompliance.
• State Health Officer and the Department of Public Health (in coordination with the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries) are responsible for enforcing the rules, conducting tests and inspections, investigating complaints, and publicly listing violators and adjusting sanitation scores.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries to test seafood to verify compliance with country-of-origin labeling requirements.
• Revamps notification methods: requires origin information to be displayed on packaging/labels/signs at the final sale and, for menu-led establishments, adjacent to the menu item; includes specific size, font, and placement rules (e.g., signs at least 8.5 by 11 inches, placed at least 36 inches from the floor).
• Requires farm-raised vs wild fish to be differentiated in labeling, with defined terms limited to fish and shrimp and exclusions for crabs, lobsters, oysters, crayfish, clams, and scallops.
• Imposes a civil-penalty schedule for violations (warning for first offense, then escalating fines) and authorizes penalties to be collected and used to enforce the act; permits good-faith reliance defenses for suppliers and allows appeals.
• Requires investigation of noncompliance, publication of violators’ names, and potential temporary or permanent injunctions; sets an effective date of October 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

Agriculture & Forestry