House Bill 472 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arnold MooneyRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Ethics, eliminate certain notification requirement for candidates to Ethics Commission when otherwise in compliance with law

Summary

HB472 would remove the requirement for a candidate who already has a current statement of economic interests on file to notify the State Ethics Commission when qualifying to run for office.

What This Bill Does

The bill keeps the existing duty to file a statement of economic interests for the previous year with the State Ethics Commission within specified deadlines, but removes the step where a candidate must tell the Commission that they already filed. The Commission and election officials will continue to verify compliance, and candidates who have filed for another reason must provide proof of a current filing or file a new/amended statement. If a candidate fails to submit the required statement, their name may be removed from the ballot and they may be deemed not qualified, though there is a possible five-day extension for good cause.

Who It Affects

• Candidates for Alabama offices at any level who already have a current Statement of Economic Interests on file; they will not have to notify the Ethics Commission when qualifying.
• Election officials and the State Ethics Commission; they will continue to verify compliance and manage filings, but the candidate notification step is reduced for those with an existing filing.

Key Provisions

• Eliminates the requirement that a candidate who already has a current statement of economic interests on file must notify the State Ethics Commission that the statement is on file when qualifying for candidacy.
• Maintains the filing obligation: a completed statement of economic interests for the previous year must be filed with the State Ethics Commission within five days after the candidacy filing deadline (or other specified triggers for independents and municipal filings).
• If a candidate has already filed a current statement for a reason other than candidacy, the candidate must provide proof to the Commission by the deadline that a current statement has been submitted or file a new/amended statement.
• If a candidate fails to submit the required statement, the candidate's name will not appear on the ballot and the candidate may be deemed not qualified, with a possible five-day extension for good cause.
• The act becomes effective immediately.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 17, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Government Administration