Senate Bill 77 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Josh CarnleySenator

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Sunset law; 911 Board continued with modification until October 1, 2028

Summary

SB77 extends the Alabama 911 Board’s existence to October 1, 2028 and changes how board members are appointed and how the statewide 911 system is funded and overseen.

What This Bill Does

Continues the statewide 911 Board and related statutes until Oct. 1, 2028 with changes; modifies how members are appointed, including diversity requirements and Senate confirmation for terms after July 1, 2015 with interim appointments allowed; tasks the board with reporting, funding administration, rate adjustments, and deployment of a statewide 911 system; and moves the CMRS Fund into the 911 Fund as part of implementing the statewide 911 charge.

Who It Affects

• Alabama residents who rely on 911 service (through funding, charges, and service deployment decisions that impact response quality and cost).
• Telecommunications providers and district organizations (CMRS providers, local exchange carriers, cable VoIP providers, and the Alabama Association of 911 Districts) and PSAPs, which participate in appointments, funding, rate setting, and the new training/certification programs.

Key Provisions

• Continues the existence of the 911 Board and preserves related law until October 1, 2028, with specified modifications.
• Recreates a 13-member statewide 911 Board appointed by the Governor with diversity requirements across districts, providers, and carriers; replaces the CMRS Board upon the statewide 911 charge’s implementation.
• For terms expiring after July 1, 2015, requires Senate confirmation of Governor appointments; allows interim appointments to take effect immediately and be eligible for Senate action later; vacancies filled promptly.
• Board duties include publishing an annual 911 report, monitoring service technology and GIS mapping, studying and adjusting 911 rates, recommending statutory changes, administering the 911 Fund and statewide charge, distributing revenue, and funding training and advisory services.
• Establishes a statewide 911 charge and a statewide 911 voice and data system; authorizes contracts and grants; accepts gifts or grants; and requires the board to operate in a competitive and technology-neutral manner.
• Creates a certification program to train and certify public safety telecommunicators with core competencies and training hours; not applicable to state employees; allows the board to enforce participation rules for non-participating PSAPs.
• Integrates the CMRS Fund into the 911 Fund at the effective date of the statewide charge and requires adopting rules to implement the chapter; effective date of the act is June 1, 2026.
• Section 1-2 and related provisions express the Sunset Committee’s recommendations and confirm legislative intent to continue the board under these terms.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 19, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Occupational Licensing Boards