The Alabama Legislature adjourned April 9 from this year's session, the last in this quadrennium that marks the final round of lawmaking before senators and representatives are up for election. In …
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The Alabama Legislature adjourned April 9 from this year's session, the last in this quadrennium that marks the final round of lawmaking before senators and representatives are up for election.
In the 30 legislative days this winter and spring, lawmakers in the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation, a group of three senators and seven House representatives, filed and got approved 33 bills, ranging in topic from health care and criminal penalties to elections practices and local city boundaries.
Baldwin County’s Legislative Delegation includes Sens. Greg Albritton, R-22, Chris Elliott, R-32, and Vivian David Figures, D-33, and Reps. Donna Givens, R-64, Alan Baker, R-66, Jennifer Fidler, R-94, Frances Holk-Jones, R-95, Matt Simpson, R-96, Shane Stringer, R-102, and Brett Easterbrook, 65.
These are the bills that Baldwin's senators took through the legislature this year.
SB 143 — Existing law provides that the current supplemental privilege assessment, secondary supplemental assessment and surcharge that are imposed on each bed in a nursing facility expire on Aug. 31, 2028. This bill removes the sunset clause and makes the current supplemental privilege assessment, secondary supplemental privilege assessment and surcharge permanent.
Approved April 1. Enacted April 9.
Senate vote: 32-1
House vote: 102-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 8-1; Elliott voted against. Easterbrook marked as P.
SB 144 — Under current law, emergency medical transport providers pay a quarterly assessment to provide additional Medicaid enhancement payments for maintenance and expansion of emergency medical transport services. The assessment expires at the end of the fiscal quarter starting July 1, 2028. This bill removes the sunset clause and make the quarterly assessment permanent.
Approved April 1. Enacted April 9.
Senate vote: 35-0
House vote: 104-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Easterbrook marked as P.
SB 145 — Currently, privately operated hospitals in this state provide funding for the Medicaid Agency through a provider privilege tax. This tax will end on Sept. 30, 2028. This bill removes the sunset clause and makes the hospital provider privilege tax permanent.
Approved April 1. Enacted April 9.
Senate vote: 35-0
House vote: 103-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Easterbrook marked as P.
SB 146 — This bill makes appropriations for the ordinary expenses of the executive, legislative and judicial agencies of the state, for other functions of government, for debt service and for capital outlay for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2027.
Approved April 8. Enacted April 9.
Senate vote: 20-0, 1 abstained
House vote: 104-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Easterbrook marked as P.
SB 152 — Under existing law, the Department of Human Resources receives funds for the administration of the food stamp program in an amount equal to 5% of the value of food stamp benefits issued statewide. In order to comply with the provisions set forth in the One Big Beautiful Act, this bill increases that amount of 7.5%. Under existing law, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is funded as a first charge against the use tax allocated to the General Fund. This bill amends that provision to allow for other sources of revenue to be used to fund CHIP.
Approved April 1. Enacted April 9.
Senate vote: 35-0
House vote: 104-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Easterbrook marked as P.
SB 153 — This bill makes an appropriation of $36,635,222 from the Children First Trust Fund for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2027, to provide for the deposit of tobacco settlement revenues into the Children First Trust Fund; to require written notification of anticipated agency allocations by the State Director of Finance; to require quarterly allocations; to condition allocations on receipt of tobacco revenues; to provide for the transfer to the State General Fund during fiscal year 2027 that portion of Children First Trust Fund receipts currently allocated for the State Board of Education; to make an appropriation of $43,789,530 from other tobacco settlement funds for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2027; and to make a conditional appropriation and allocation of additional tobacco revenues upon the recommendation of the director of finance, the chairman of the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee and the chairman of the Senate Finance and Taxation-General Fund Committee and the approval of the governor.
Approved April 1. Enacted April 9.
Senate vote: 35-0
House vote: 103-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Easterbrook marked as P.
SB 162 — This bill makes an appropriation of $169,633 from the State General Fund to the Coalition Against Domestic Violence for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2027, to require an operations plan and an audited financial statement prior to the release of any funds and to require quarterly and end of the year performance reports.
Approved April 1. Enacted April 9.
Senate vote: 35-0
House vote: 102-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Easterbrook marked as P.
SB 174 — This bill authorizes the State Oil and Gas Board to regulate alternative energy wells and associated operations and facilities, to adopt rules for regulation of the operation and abandonment of alternative energy wells and associated operations, to set fees and charges to defray expenses of the board in relation to regulation of alternative energy operations, to allow an oil or gas well and associated infrastructure to be converted into an alternative energy facility, to amalgamate alternative energy rights for an alternative energy facility under certain circumstances; to require alternative energy facility operators to adhere to certain conduct; to amend Section 9-17-60, Code of Alabama 1975, to add the exploration and production of energy sources and related uses to the purposes for which the commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources may lease state lands; and to authorize the commissioner to modify such leases.
Approved April 9. Enacted April 16.
Senate vote: 33-0
House vote: 102-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Easterbrook marked as P.
SB 226 — This bill makes supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2026.
Approved April 8. Enacted by the Senate without governor's signature April 17.
Senate vote: 22-0, 1 abstained
House vote: 102-0, 1 abstained
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Easterbrook marked as P.
SB 304 — Existing law authorizes municipalities to levy a business license on certain businesses operating within their jurisdictions. This bill provides for the circumstances when a municipality may levy a business license on certain general contractors, subcontractors, engineers and land surveyors.
Approved April 8. Enacted April 13.
Senate vote: 33-0
House vote: 92-4, 4 abstained
Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0
SB 109 — This bill establishes the Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Program Act, relating to business platforms that connect vehicle owners with drivers, to enable the sharing of vehicles for financial consideration in this state. This bill would also provide requirements for the operation of a peer-to-peer car sharing program, including insurance requirements, notification requirements, tax requirements, recordkeeping and reporting requirements, liability requirements, consumer protection disclosure requirements, and safety recall requirements.
Approved Feb. 12. Enacted Feb. 25.
Senate vote: 34-0
House vote: 89-7, 8 abstained
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Figures marked as P.
SB 113 — Under existing law, termination dates are established for enumerated state agencies. The agencies are periodically reviewed by the Alabama Sunset Committee. After the review process is completed, the committee prepares its recommendation for the agencies to the legislature in the form of sunset bills which either continue, terminate or continue with modification each agency reviewed. This bill provides for the continuance of the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board until Oct. 1, 2027. It renames the board as the Alabama Behavior Analyst Advisory Council; provides the Department of Mental Health with regulatory authority over licensed behavior analysts and licensed assistant behavior analysts practicing behavior analysis under the former board; requires the advisory council to advise the department on matters relating to the practice of behavior analysis; provides for the duties of the department and the mental health commissioner relating to the advisory council; requires the department to provide all necessary administrative services for the advisory council; transfers all property of the advisory council to the department; and repeals Section 34-5A-8, Code of Alabama 1975, removing the former board from review by the Sunset Committee.
Approved Feb. 19. Enacted March 3.
Senate vote: 34-0
House vote: 92-1, 7 abstained
Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Simpson marked as P.
SB 236 — Relating to the Alabama Sunset Law, this bill provides for the continuance of the Alabama Massage Therapy Licensing Board until Oct. 1, 2027, with the following changes: to place the board as a division within the Alabama Department of Public Health; to require the department to provide all necessary administrative services for the board; to authorize the State Health officer to provide for an executive director and outside counsel for the board; and to transfer all property of the board to the department.
Approved Feb. 19. Enacted March 3.
Senate vote: 33-0
House vote: 103-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 8-0; Figures and Simpson marked as P.
SB 107 — Under existing law, the Alabama Board of Funeral Services is responsible for the licensing and regulation of funeral establishments, funeral directors and embalmers. This bill authorizes the board to impose an administrative fee on each funeral establishment for each funeral arranged; to increase the initial application, renewal, branch registration and transfer fees relating to a certificate of authority; to require a certificate holder to file an annual statement of preneed activities conducted; to require a certificate holder to file an annual report relating to preneed contract activities and authorize the board to require the filing of additional reports as needed; and to increase the initial application and renewal fees for registration as a preneed sales agent
Approved April 8. Enacted April 17.
Senate vote: 22-5
House vote: 80-13, 7 abstained
Baldwin delegation vote: 8-1; Albritton marked as P. Simpson voted against.
SB 166 — The Fair Campaign Practices Act requires political action committees, principal campaign committees and in certain circumstances municipal candidates to file periodic reports and statements of campaign activity, including details relating to contributions, expenditures, bank accounts and loans. Prosecutions for violations of the act must be brought within two years from the date of the violation, except prosecutions for violating the law governing how excess campaign contributions may be spent must be brought within four years from the date of the violation. This bill requires any committee or other person required to file a report or statement under the act to preserve all records for a period of four years after the filing date of the report or statement to which the record relates.
Approved April 7. Enacted April 17.
Senate vote: 34-0
House vote: 105-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0
SB 203 — This bill further provides for the affirmative defenses to offenses of kidnapping in the first and second degrees; expands the offenses of indecent exposure, directing a child to engage in sexual intercourse or sodomy, traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act, and directing a child to engage in sexual contact to include additional child victims; further provides for the offense of transmitting obscene material to a child by computer to specify that the offense may be consummated if undercover agents are involved; amends Sections 15-20A-5 and 15-25-31, Code of Alabama 1975, to further define the term "sex offense" to include voyeurism; further provides for the admissibility of out-of-court statements made by children; establishes the crime of inpatient custodial sexual misconduct and provides criminal penalties for a violation; amends Section 12-21-148, Code of Alabama 1975, to further provide for the use of a certified facility dog in court proceedings; amends Sections 15-20A-6 and 15-20A-44, Code of Alabama 1975, to make conforming changes; amends Sections 26-14-3, Code of Alabama 1975, to further provide for the circumstances when a mandatory reporter must submit a report to a duly constituted authority; further provides for the timeline of submitting reports; provides an enhanced penalty for subsequent violations; further provides for the commencement of prosecution; and makes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.
Approved April 1. Enacted April 8.
Senate vote: 32-0
House vote: 66-0, 32 abstained
Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0. Elliott and Albritton sponsored this bill.
SB 300 — Establishes the Senator Michael A. Figures Act. Under existing law, the Department of Revenue designs or has designed the "Helping Schools" distinctive license plate. This bill creates additional design requirements the Department of Revenue must follow when designing the "Helping Schools" distinctive license plates. This bill also allows certain individuals to receive a new "Helping Schools" distinctive license plate at no cost once the new design requirements are met.
Approved April 7. Enacted April 16.
Senate vote: 33-0
House vote: 104-0
Baldwin delegation vote: 8-0; Albritton and Elliott were marked as P.
SB 333 — Under existing law, any municipality is authorized to provide for the incorporation of an industrial development board. This bill provides further powers to any industrial development board incorporated by a Class 2 municipality.
Approved March 31. Enacted April 7.
Senate vote: 32-0
House vote: 103-0, 1 abstained
Baldwin delegation vote: 8-0; Albritton and Elliott were marked as P.
