2026 Alabama Senate Bills

Controlled substances; regulate sale of nonpsychoactive consumable hemp products by Agriculture Department; require sale of products only in pharmacies; add psychoactive derivatives of hemp as Schedule I drug

Liquified petroleum gas; filling, storing cylinders within certain distance of public places prohibited

Public K-12 schools, sex education (sex ed) curriculum further provided for, sexual risk avoidance established as sex ed curriculum, policies of local boards of education related to sex ed further provided for, parent or guardian notice of sex ed curriculum required, Attorney General authorized to enforce

Religious instruction; elective credit for release time further provided for

Public K-12 schools, broadcast of the Star-Spangled Banner required weekly, proposed statewide constitutional amendment

Alabama Memorial Preservation Act of 2017, memorial marker required, penalties revised

Alabama Athletic Commission, slap fighting prohibited; Attorney General authorized to bring action for violations, certain violations constitute Class C felony

Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act, renamed Vivian Davis Figures Clean Indoor Air Act; vaping included as prohibited smoking in public places.

Tuscaloosa County; levy of additional or increased county or municipal sales and use tax prohibited without approval by referendum, constitutional amendment

Electoral Voting of U.S. President and Vice President; procedures established if presidential electors fail to vote in accordance with state voters; Alabama Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act established

Taxation; Energy use in poultry houses, exempt from utility gross receipts and utility service use tax

Contracts for public works; exemptions further provided

Crimes and offenses; rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree, and sexual torture, penalties further provided for

Taxation; state privilege tax on revenues of pari-mutuel wagering activities, levied

Crimes and offenses; assault of public officials established

Offices of Governor; Lieutenant Governor; Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court; judge of the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals or Court of Criminal Appeals; judge of a circuit court or district court; member of the Legislature; Attorney General; State Auditor; Secretary of State; State Treasurer; Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries; member of the State Board of Education; and local sheriff, district attorney, circuit clerk, or constable required to be held by a natural born citizen of the United States, Constitutional Amendment

Elections; special primary election for redistricting authorized in certain circumstances

Youthful offender status, to prohibit a judge from granting youthful offender status to any person who is 16 years of age and older and charged with capital murder or murder

Department of Archives and History; composition of board and method of filling board vacancies further provided for, retroactive effect

Chiropractic board; board service and licensure qualifications revised

Crimes and offenses, penalty increased for crimes of making a terrorist threat in the first or second degree, principal to immediately contact law enforcement of terrorist threat, suspension of student, readmittance, and restitution provided

Solid waste collection fees; veterans' benefits sole income households exempted

Veteran license tags; certain veterans exposed to radiation added to those eligible for distinctive tag

Imagination Library of Alabama Program, Department of Early Childhood Education to administer through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Local sales and use taxes, municipal sales and use taxes collected from nonresident Alabama taxpayers refunded

Local sales and use taxes, exemption for nonresident Alabama taxpayers established

Governor, authorized to remove executive director or director of occupational or professional licensing boards

Legislative Committee on Reapportionment; appointment of members to committee revised

Municipal elections; runoff elections, procedures revised

Child sexual abuse; Legislature authorized to revive certain time-barred civil claims, constitutional amendment

Child sexual abuse; statute of limitations extended and further provided for, certain time-barred civil claims revived

Driver licenses; certain classes of driver licenses invalidated

Motor vehicles; driver licenses; designation of certain medical conditions, provided for

Child support; retroactivity provided for in certain circumstances

Law enforcement; four-point restraint, use prohibited

Crimes and offenses; use of taser prohibited on restrained individual, penalties for violations

Criminal procedure; use of taser, prohibited on restrained individual

Contraception; guaranteeing access to in the state

Criminal and civil procedure; continuance of case when party, attorney, or witness is on active military duty, bail required to be set in such cases subject to conditions

Criminal and civil procedure; continuance of case when party, attorney, or witness is on active military duty; bail required to be set in such cases subject to conditions

Military spouses; preference in hiring and promoting in state service further provided for; preference authorized for political subdivisions, private employers

Criminal procedure; Department of Corrections, outstanding warrant check procedures on inmates, provided; virtual hearings on inmates, required under certain conditions

Public assistance; regular cross-checks required for Medicaid and food assistance eligibly, categorical eligibly for food assistance prohibited, eligibility for food assistance further provided for

Walker County; constitutional amendment, age to qualify for election or appointment as judge of probate increased to age 75

Retirement Systems of Alabama, full retirement benefits for first responders permanently and totally disabled in the line of duty provided without regard to Tier or number of years of creditable service

Income tax; certain compensation of civilian employees of Armed Forces, exempt

Crimes and offenses; sex offenses involving a child; crime of transmitting obscene material to a child by computer, further provided for

Alabama Commission on Higher Education, ReEngage Alabama Grant Program, minimum age of adult learner decreased, eligibility requirements revised

Public K-12 schools; membership in athletic associations with boards of certain composition, that enforce certain rules, prohibited; Legislative Council authorization of entities' rulemaking, permitted

Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program (AMSTEP), renamed the Loan Assistance in Support of Educators in Alabama (LASEA) Program; providing loan assistance in acute educator shortage programs as determined by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the State Department of Education and the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services

Education; broadcast of public K-12 school sporting events further provided for

Individual income taxes, to allow an exclusion from gross income for contributions to Trump Accounts and to make permanent the exclusion for amounts paid by an employer on any qualified education loan

Hospitals, additional licensing requirements provided, emergency department physician on site at all times required

Dental insurance; set medical loss ratio for insurers

Certificate of need; to remove requirement for new or expanded health care facilities and services in rural area

Incarceration; to require the Alabama Department of Public Health to adopt and enforce sanitation standards for food services in corrections facilities, county, and municipal jails

Surety bonds and motor fuel assessments; filing period for new or replacement surety bonds extended, payment period for assessments on illegally imported or transported motor fuels extended

Division of Construction Management; capital improvement projects valued less than $750,000 at covered K-12 and higher education institutions exempted from division inspections and recommendations

Campaign contributions; contributions made with credit card with billing address outside U.S. prohibited, exceptions provided

Public utilities; Underground Damage Prevention Program; certain statutory sunset clauses deleted

Emergency rules; require Governor to certify that circumstances exist to justify emergency rules

Rural health care; Alabama Health Command established to designate an AI-assisted health platform in rural communities

Military; graduate medical field courses added to educational benefits provided to eligible dependents of certain veterans, tuition cost limited

Ten Commandments; required to be displayed in certain public schools, subject to the availability of donations

Jury service; individuals 80 years of age or older exempt from service upon request

National Guard; Educational Assistance Program, applied to workforce development programs, amount of benefits revised

Nurses; endorsement by certain certified nurses deemed endorsement by physician for K-12 school athletic participation physicals; schools prohibited from being member of athletic association that refuses to comply

Prepare Alabama Investment Program established, tax credits for donations to trade schools and trade programs authorized

Sunset law; Alabama Massage Therapy Licensing Board continued with modification until October 1, 2027

Retirement benefits, circuit clerks authorized to participate in supernumerary program and Employees' Retirement System based on separate years of service

County commission procurement; procurement program allowed to apply to purchase of services, county commission allowed to consider administrative savings

Dredging; coastal areas, dredged materials required to be beneficially used by persons dredging certain amounts

Law enforcement; vehicular pursuits, creating a standard for pursuit policies

Condominiums; consents and waivers, arbitration and mediation

Taxation; to exempt certain retail sales of fish or other seafood from sales and use taxes

State waters; Alabama Seagrass Restoration Task Force established to remediate seagrass loss

Taxation; to establish an income tax credit for oyster shell recycling

Artificial intelligence; disclosure of artificial intelligence-generated content required, enforcement provided

Taxation and Revenue; Homestead ad valorum taxes of certain veterans prohibited from inclusion in debt-to-income ratio under certain circumstances

Class 8 municipalities; to authorize certain municipalities to opt out of county personnel board

Private sector employers and employees; to create the Alabama Retirement Savings Program for the purpose of promoting greater retirement savings for private sector employees

Alabama Resilience Council created

Franchises; prohibit franchisor from requiring franchisee to operate on a religious day, exceptions provided

Pretrial detention hearings; procedure revised

Juvenile proceedings; court required to notify local superintendent of education or private K-12 school principal of charging or adjudicating an enrolled student delinquent for committing certain criminal offenses

Appropriations from Education Trust Fund for the support, maintenance, and development of public education for fiscal year ending September 30, 2027

Crimes and offenses; crime of reckless endangerment expanded, criminal penalties provided

Nursing facilities, privilege assessments and surcharge on each nursing home bed, sunset clause removed

Emergency medical transport providers assessment, sunset clause removed

Alabama Construction Zone Safety Act; automated photographic speed enforcement system in work zones, provided

Municipalities; imposition of new or increased taxes or fees, ordinance required

Court fees; allocating additional $10 docket fee to the State General Fund

Supplemental appropriations from State General Fund to specified agencies for fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.

Children's Health Insurance Program and Department of Human Resources, tax funds distributed

Children First Trust Fund, appropriations from for fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, use of allocation pursuant to Section 41-15B-2.2, Code of Alabama 1975 and this act, tobacco settlement revenues deposited in fund within 30 days of receipt

State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026

Firearms, Gun Violence, Protective Order Act, procedure for issuance of gun violence protective order, established

Public records; footage from law enforcement body-worn cameras or dashboard cameras, designated as public record

Public high schools, required to designate time and space for military recruiters to administer the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery to students on campus on a voluntary basis

Criminal procedure; post-conviction DNA testing procedures of inmates, further provided

Coalition against domestic violence, appropriation, operations plan and audited financial statement required, quarterly and end-of-year reports required

Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering; adoption of Esthetics Licensure Compact

Class IV municipalities; audits, restrictions on hiring accountant removed

Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require indigent candidates to submit documentation for fee exemption

Minimum wage; established, small business exempted

Consumer protection; software applications, age appropriateness, rules established for app developers and app distribution providers, civil penalties established

Retirement benefits, circuit clerks authorized to participate in supernumerary program and Employees' Retirement System based on separate years of service

Trusts; amend Uniform Principal and Income Act, permit trustee to adjust between principal and income

Alabama Uniform Trust Code; amended to conform with Alabama Qualified Dispositions in Trust Act, limit property subject to creditors' claims

Administrative Office of Courts, creation of judicial education nonprofit

Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering; natural hair styling exempt from regulation

Adult Protective Services; Department of Human Resources required to create dementia training, certain employees and contractors required to complete

Motor vehicles, distinctive license plates, issuance of "Invisible Disability" plates, authorized

Alabama Business and Nonprofit Entities Code. revisions made to clarify procedures, make technical corrections, and codify common law

Criminal law; self-defense and defense of others; presumption of unlawful use of force under certain conditions

Motor vehicles; license plates, validity period extended

Homeschooling Opportunities for Military Education (HOME) Act; active military to provide notice and comply with state law relating to home schooled students; local school systems to provide equal access to JROTC programs, facilities, special education services to certain nonenrolled students, and interscholastic activities

Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, filing of claims further provided for

Contract Review Permanent Legislative Oversight Committee, review of personal or professional services contracts, limitation that funds be issued on a state warrant removed, occupational and professional licensing boards included as state entities

Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Pedorthics; provider and facility certification by national entity required, continuing education administrative duties required of Alabama Prosthetics and Orthotics Association

Local land bank authorities; shorten tax sale redemption period; restrictions on geographic scope; creation of multijurisdictional land banks by agreement; Governor's emergency authorization to create land bank

Legislature; codification of 2025 Regular Session acts and Code Commissioner technical revisions into Code of Alabama 1975

Captive insurers, additional requirements, certain minimum paid in capital amounts increased

State rural electrification authorities and electric membership corporations; removes requirement for Department of Finance approval for issuance of bonds

Public K-12 schools; sex education (sex ed) curriculum further provided for, sexual risk avoidance established as sex ed curriculum, policies of local boards of education related to sex ed further provided for, parent or guardian notice of sex ed curriculum required, Attorney General authorized to enforce

Fayette County; senior property tax exemption authorized, constitutional amendment

Amend the Sweet Home Alabama Tourism Investment Act; increase supplemental tax rebate; require certification of project costs

State military; awards criteria revised, new awards established, authority to present prescribed

Mixed spirit beverages, providing for distribution, retail sale, and tax

Motor vehicles; off-road vehicles, operation requirements for use on public roads, provided

Insurance, to provide that service contract provider registration fees be paid into the Special Examination Revolving Fund instead of the Service Contract Revolving Fund

Campaign contributions; require disclosure of certain contributions from nonprofit organizations to campaigns; prohibit contributions from nonprofit organizations to PACs

Taxation; to exclude credit card transaction fees from sales and use tax calculations

Motor vehicles; operation of oversized vehicles operated by automated driving systems, prohibited

Aviation; restrict the use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data collected from aircraft

Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program, veterans, dependents, tuition assistance, disability requirements revised

Income tax; certain compensation by members of the Alabama National Guard, exempt

Office of Occupational and Professional Licensing established within Alabama Department of Workforce, powers and duties of Secretary of Workforce and executive director specified, Sunset Committee to consider transfer to office in recommendation for modification

National Guard; duties of Legal Service Office positions revised and further provide for

Volunteer fire departments; authorized to deposit funds with financial institutions

Proof of Age; require certain retailers to use digital or card-swipe technology to verify customer age at point of sale

Taxation; Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama, Incorporated, exempt from sales and use taxes

Taxation; Life on Wheels, exempt from state, county, and municipal sales and use taxes

Motor vehicles; autocycles, headgear equipment required for operation

Jefferson County, pistol permits further provided for

Relating to Alabama Housing Trust Fund; mortgage recording fee increase

Income Taxes, tax deduction for members of a Health Care Sharing Ministry for certain health care sharing expenses

Consumer protection; unsolicited offers to purchase real estate, unfair service contracts, regulated

Alabama Indian Affairs Commission; commission authority and membership revised, additional tribes recognized

Entertainment Industry Incentive Act of 2009 amended, create additional incentive program, extend review and evaluation deadline

Quiet Title Claims; requirement to show tax payments in quiet title action exempted for nonprofit entities

Department of Insurance; Pharmacy Benefits Manager Division; two exempt personnel positions authorized

Gaming; state lottery and other gaming activities, authorized by general law; gaming commission, authorized to license and regulate gaming activities; Governor, authorized to negotiate Tribal-State gaming compact, constitutional amendment

Senate - districts redrawn

Self-Service Storage Facilities Act; rights of of self-storage facility operators further provided for, publication requirements for notice of sale of certain property revised

Child custody; modification of order authorized if material change of circumstances and modification is in best interest of the child, factors provided

Jefferson County; sheriff compensation revised

Animal abandonment; criminal penalties, authority to seize, disposition procedures; established

Municipalities; annexation, all municipalities authorized to extend corporate limits by resolution and special election

Covington County; underground carbon dioxide prohibited; constitutional amendment

Firearms; permit to carry pistol, criminal penalties, exempt persons, established; carrying pistol on employer's property revised; nonsubstantive conforming changes to code

Public Service Commission; provide for appointment of commissioners by Governor, commission duties revised

Electric Utilities; review by Public Service Commission of certain contracts with large load data centers further provided for

Crimes and offenses; stalking in the second degree, penalties revised

Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering; make up application and blow-dry styling exempt from regulation

Influenza vaccination; to require private health insurance and the Alabama Medicaid program to pay or reimburse for influenza shots

Jefferson County, provide funding for maintenance and operation of City Walk Birmingham

Elections, provide for election of associate justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the appellate courts, constitutional amendment

Courts; to further provide for the election of justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the appellate courts

Crimes and offenses; unlawful possession of marijuana; crime revised based on amount of ounces possessed; criminal penalties revised

Massage therapy; interstate licensure compact, established

Growing Alabama Act amended to allow sites owned by more than one local economic development organization to qualify

Elections; voting rights restoration process revised; Alabama Voting Rights Act Commission established to prevent discrimination in voting; duties and membership provided; Secretary of State required to establish database on election administration

Tax incentives; reimbursement for violation of labor and trafficking laws provided for

Criminal law; crime of interference with a first responder, established

Public Officers and Employees; Division of Risk Management authorized to provide bond program, authorize delinquencies, notification required

Juvenile courts; appointment of duties and limitations of volunteer advocates in certain cases provided, state entity supporting local programs established, responsibilities of local programs provided

Hospitals; required to report certain staffing information to Alabama Department of Public Health and publicly indicate whether physicians are physically present in emergency department

Marion Military Institute; program to grant APOSTC certification to graduates, established

Campus chaplains; public K-12 schools authorized to accept as volunteers, local boards of education and governing bodies authorized to vote on whether to allow, limitations provided

Class 1 municipalities; vacant property registration authorized

Class 1 municipalities; authorization to establish community land trusts, affordable housing

Department of Insurance; Office of Risk and Resilience created; Strengthen Alabama Homes Program placed under office

Crimes and offenses; unlawful possession with intent to distribute fentanyl further provided for, trafficking in illegal drugs containing fentanyl further provided for

City of Montgomery; municipal occupational tax, city council authorized to impose

Education Trust Fund; supplemental appropriation year ending 2026

Income taxes, state income tax credit for qualified rehabilitation expenses of certified historic properties extended, annual credit amount increased

Employees' Retirement System and Teachers' Retirement System; retirees and beneficiaries, two percent cost-of-living benefit increase effective October 1, 2026

Prisons; Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, Prison Oversight Coordinator position established; investigation of correctional facilities, required; Corrections Oversight Board, established

Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services recreated as a legislative department, duties revised and clarified, Legislative Committee on the Evaluation of Services created

Crime of sexual torture; criminal elements revised

Shelby County; City of Helena, civil service system established, board, director, policies, and appeals created

Public Service Commission, revise membership to correspond to Congressional districts

Psychoactive cannabinoids; psychoactive derivatives of hemp added as Schedule I drug; possession and use of psychoactive cannabinoids prohibited and criminal penalties provided; consumable hemp product laws repealed

Unauthorized entry of a critical infrastructure facility; reservoirs removed from list of facilities

Criminal defendants with mental illness; right of appeal for commitment and conditional release order provided, jurisdiction to hear appeals provided

Vessels; Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency; adoption of anchoring and rafting rules authorized, boating violation established

Employee drug testing; employee notice requirements revised

Artificial Intelligence; state agencies required to perform quarterly AI-assisted review of rules

Motor vehicles, license plates, issuance of "Invisible Disability" decals, authorized

Public preK-12 education; discussions of gender identity prohibited, employees prohibited from displaying flags or insignia relating to sexual orientation or gender identity and from referring to students by pronouns inconsistent with student's biological sex

Firefighters; to include Parkinson's Disease in occupational diseases to be compensated for death and disability

Shelby County; sale of solid waste commodities authorized, distribution of proceeds provided for

Teacher certification; American History and Civics Excellence Initiative, created within the Department of Education; online course of study and endorsement for high school teachers, provided for; one-time stipend, provided for; State Board of Education, required to adopt rules

Department of Human Resources, child-care facilities, exceptions to licensing requirements, limited; child abuse investigations, procedures and authority revised; cause of action for violations

Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling; authorized to conduct criminal history background checks

Public utilities; Underground Damage Prevention Program; prioritization of, liability for incomplete design or survey locates provided

Education; CHOOSE Act's athletic-eligibility nondiscrimination provision, enforcement mechanism established; private right of action established

Higher education, College and Higher Education Excellence and Results (CHEER) Act established, bonus funding for eligible institutions authorized based on achievement of performance goals and objectives

Pharmacy Benefits Manager regulation; to substitute "unaffiliated" pharmacy for "independent" pharmacy

Mobile County; local privilege tax on historical horse racing, levied

Simplified sellers use tax, distribution of local funds modified

Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Pedorthics; national entity certification required to provide care; Department of Workforce required to administer and record

Baldwin County; removing certain requirements for rescue squads to receive tobacco tax proceeds distribution

State Health Planning and Development Agency; collaboration among rural health care providers authorized; certification and supervision framework established, limited immunity from state and federal antitrust laws provided

Public health, authorized forms of single-dose epinephrine used by public schools and authorized entities expanded

Health care authorities; to provide for creation of a new health care authority out of an existing health care authority and for a division of assets and obligations

Public K-12 schools; mobile emergency rapid response systems required, State Superintendent of Education required to approve vendors, funding sources provided for

Solar power facilities; new facilities prohibited for one year

Chambers County; ad valorem fire protection tax levied, opt-out for certain areas of county provided; constitutional amendment

Macon County; local privilege tax on pari-mutuel activities, established

Solar farms; certain county commissions authorized to establish zoning requirements

Chambers County; ad valorem fire protection tax levied, opt-out for certain areas of county provided; constitutional amendment

Dogs; tethering and confinement requirements provided; persons and activities exempted; criminal penalties for, animal control officer enforcement of, violations established

Rural areas; create a tiered rural classification schedule

Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs; Alabama Centralized Grant Management Database, established to maintain lists of available grants

Public K-12 education; violence prevention, conflict resolution, and mediation instruction required before graduation from high school beginning in sixth grade, State Board of Education required to adopt standards

Legal tender; authorizing the rounding of in-person cash transactions to the nearest five cents

Municipal Firefighters' Bill of Rights; rights and procedures for firefighters' personnel issues established

Rural Health Transformation Program, appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027

Rural Health Transformation Program supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026

Lauderdale County; Economic Development Authority and Economic Development Authority Fund established, county commission authorized to levy additional sales and use tax

Tax increment districts, Major 21st Century Manufacturing Zone allowed to be located within a tax increment district without regard to size of district and further provides for use of ad valorem tax revenues collected within a district

Madison County; senior property tax exemption authorized; constitutional amendment

Solar power facilities; new facilities prohibited for one year

Elections; early voting, in-person voting period, authorized

Henry County; ad valorem taxes, levied for public school purposes in Headland, constitutional amendment

Class 1 municipalities; mayor, compensation amended

Mobile County, City of Semmes annexation

Firearms; possession without identification prohibited in certain municipalities

Dam Safety Program; Emergency Management Agency required to administer, agency approval of participating dam construction, modification, or removal required

Madison County, City of Owens Cross Roads annexation

Teachers' Retirement System, longevity bonus for certain retirees and beneficiaries