House Bill 558 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Curtis L. TravisRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Legislative Services Agency; complete a Rural Impact Report on legislation if requested

Summary

HB558 would require the Legislative Services Agency to prepare a Rural Impact Report for any bill if a legislator requests it, to evaluate effects on rural areas.

What This Bill Does

It creates a formal process for a Rural Impact Report when a legislator asks for it. The report analyzes how the bill would affect rural communities, including farmers and rural school districts, with results broken down by legislative district and by rural areas. It requires data from experts and rural stakeholders and compares impacts across rural, suburban, and urban districts. The agency aims to complete the report within 30 days of a valid request, and reports must be publicly available and shared with the requesting legislator and committees.

Who It Affects

• Legislators who may request a Rural Impact Report on a bill
• Legislative Services Agency, which would conduct the assessment
• Rural communities and rural school districts, including farmers and agricultural businesses
• Rural stakeholder organizations and education officials who provide input and data

Key Provisions

• Any legislator may submit a formal request for a Rural Impact Report on any bill introduced in a legislative session; requests go to the Legislative Services Agency.
• The Rural Impact Report must assess: direct and indirect effects on rural communities (economic, social, regulatory); potential consequences for farmers and agricultural businesses; district-by-district breakdowns; comparative analysis of rural vs suburban vs urban impacts; and impacts on rural schools (funding, enrollment, resources, teacher recruitment/retention, closures or consolidations).
• The report must incorporate data from relevant agencies, industry experts, education officials, and rural stakeholders.
• The Legislative Services Agency should complete the Rural Impact Report within 30 days of a valid request, with written notice if more time is needed.
• Completed Rural Impact Reports must be publicly available on the Legislature website and provided to the requesting legislator, relevant committees, and rural stakeholder organizations upon request.
• The act becomes effective on October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 3, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Legislature