House Bill 521 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Frances Holk-JonesRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Board of Registrars; background checks required, authorize pay during emergencies, qualification for compensation during holidays and emergencies specified

Summary

HB521 sets background checks for registrar nominees, expands pay and benefits rules for registrars during emergencies and holidays, and creates a centralized, privacy-conscious statewide voter registration list.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, it requires two fingerprint-based criminal background checks for registrar applicants, with applicants paying the costs and results kept confidential unless needed to deny an application. It directs the state to pay registrar salaries on days they are in session during emergencies or holidays, provides travel and health-insurance-related provisions, and assigns Social Security treatment similar to state and county employees. It also creates a centralized statewide voter registration list with a unique ID, voter history, real-time access for election officials, and post-election data sharing with political parties, while limiting access to sensitive data on general lists unless specific affidavits are provided.

Who It Affects

• Applicants for county boards of registrars: must undergo criminal background checks (fingerprints), pay the associated costs, and have results kept confidential.
• Registrars, county commissions, the Secretary of State, and election offices: see changes to salaries, holiday and emergency pay, travel allowances, Health insurance options for long-serving members, and new data-sharing rules for the voter registration system.

Key Provisions

• Requires two full sets of fingerprints and state/national criminal history background checks for registrar applicants; costs paid by the applicant; information is confidential unless used to support a denial.
• State board of appointment must consider racial, gender, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the county when appointing registrars (with local-law exceptions for certain counties).
• Registrars must meet qualifications (qualified electors, county residency, high school diploma or equivalent, and demonstrated communication, data-processing, and office-skills abilities).
• Secretary of State to set guidelines for registrar qualifications; registrars may not hold elective office during their term; local law may add members in counties with two courthouses.
• Salary: registrars receive $115 per day for days in session, paid by the state and disbursed via county commissions; counties provide travel and related expenses; mileage allowances mirror state or county policies, whichever is greater.
• Registrars may receive state-employee–like treatment for disaster-relief funds and Social Security/benefits; health-insurance options may be offered by counties after 16 years of service.
• Maximum working days per fiscal year by county (with detailed county-by-county limits and exemptions, including Lawrence County’s 60-day addition paid by the county and Jefferson County’s exemption from certain limits).
• Counties may allow special sessions (up to 25 days of allotment for special sessions) with notice requirements; regular operating hours must align with courthouse hours on working days.
• §17-4-33: Creates a centralized, interactive statewide voter registration list maintained by the Secretary of State, with a unique identifier, voting history, and integration with the driver’s license database; allows immediate electronic access for election officials and provides official lists for elections.
• The centralized list must be used for official elections and can be shared with political parties (electronic copies after elections within set timeframes); lists must be technologically secure, with restrictions on general lists to protect voter information unless specified conditions are met.
• Affidavits may be used to omit certain voter information from generally available lists in cases of domestic violence or protective orders; the Secretary of State provides the required affidavits and related procedures.
• Effective date: October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 18, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elections, Voting, & Campaigns