These are the recent bills that were adopted by both Alabama legislative chambers to become law. Baldwin County has three state senators and seven state representatives.

The Alabama Legislature generally meets three days a week during session, with Tuesday and Thursday being voting days on the floor and Wednesday being days for committee meetings.

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.

HB 259 — This bill prohibits a person from issuing certain digital assets known as a payment stablecoins in the state unless the person is licensed as a permitted payment stablecoin issuer. This bill authorizes the Alabama Securities Commission to process and license applicants to become Alabama qualified payment stablecoin issuers. This bill authorizes the Alabama Securities Commission to implement and administer this act, and implement the federal Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act and any regulation adopted pursuant to that act. Beginning in 2028, this bill will prohibit the offer or sale of a payment stablecoin that is not issued by a permitted payment stablecoin issuer. This bill authorizes the Alabama Securities Commission to recognize certain payment stablecoins for use by a state governmental entity to make payments to vendors and contractors for goods and services rendered. This bill authorizes governmental entities to pay for contracts, if requested by the vendor or contractor, using payment stablecoins. This bill requires a governmental entity to give certain disclosures to vendors and contractors before entering a contract where a payment stablecoin is used as payment. This bill also creates civil and criminal penalties for violations of this act.

Approved March 31. Enacted April 6.

House vote: 97-1, 3 abstained

Senate vote: 34-0

Baldwin delegation vote:10-0

HB 289 — Under existing law, state-administered death certificates include the date, manner and location of disposition. This bill prohibits the inclusion of the date of disposition on state-administered death certificates.

Approved March 17. Enacted March 31.

House vote: 102-0

Senate vote: 26-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Figures marked as P (not voting/not present).

HB 405 — This bill provides that a person commits the crime of bail jumping in the third degree if he or she violates any condition of his or her court ordered electronic monitoring after having been lawfully released from custody with or without bail. This bill also provides criminal penalties for violations.

Approved March 17. Enacted March 31.

House vote: 105-0

Senate vote: 30-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0

HB 466 — Existing law provides that firefighters may be paid benefits for disability or death caused by a firefighter's occupational disease. This bill adds Parkinson's disease to the list of firefighter's occupational diseases. This bill also provides a standard for demonstrating that Parkinson's disease is occupational in origin in order to qualify for benefits. This bill also deletes duplicative language and makes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.

Approved March 31. Enacted April 6.

House vote: 105-0

Senate vote: 32-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Figures marked as P.

HB 475 — This bill requires the Public Service Commission to hold meetings at least annually regarding the regulation of utilities and other topics within the commission's powers and duties. This bill requires notice of the meetings in compliance with the Alabama Open Meetings Act. This bill provides for the impeachment of commissioners if a meeting is not held or notice of the meeting is not provided. This bill also prohibits an electric utility from including costs incurred by the utility and related to giving grants, lobbying or advertising for the utility from being included in the determination of a schedule for rates or service regulations.

Approved April 1. Enacted April 3.

House vote: 72-26, 2 abstained

Senate vote: 32-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 7-2; Simpson, Stringer voted against. Easterbrook marked as P.

SB 40 — Under existing law, the Contract Review Permanent Legislative Oversight Committee reviews and comments on contracts entered into by state departments for personal or professional services with private entities or individuals to be paid out of appropriated funds. This bill provides that the committee, when reviewing a contract, may recommend that the governor not sign the contract. This bill also makes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.

Approved March 17. Enacted April 2.

Senate vote: 34-0

House vote: 103-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0. Elliott and Albritton sponsored this bill.

SB 58 — Under existing law, a public servant who is found guilty of certain felony offenses involving his or her position in government forfeits his or her retirement benefits but is entitled to a refund of his or her personal contributions plus interest paid into the retirement system. This bill requires the personal contributions made by a public servant plus interest to be used to pay restitution to the agency or other victim of his or her criminal offense. This bill requires a public servant who is on paid leave pending an investigation of an alleged criminal offense involving his or her position in government to pay back, upon conviction of a crime, all compensation received since the criminal offense was committed. This bill also makes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.

Approved March 19. Enacted April 2.

Senate vote: 33-0

House vote: 100-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Baker marked P.

SB 167 — Under the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act, agency rulings in contested cases are required to be taken as prima facie just and reasonable by a reviewing court on questions of fact and the agency's interpretation of laws based on those facts. This bill revises the standard of judicial review to provide that a court may consider, but not defer to, an agency's interpretation of law and shall favor a reasonable interpretation that limits agency power and maximizes individual liberty.

Approved March 17. Enacted March 31.

Senate vote: 34-0

House vote: 105-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0

SB 182 — Under existing law, the funds from the Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund may only be used for specific purposes related to the administration of justice. This bill allows the Administrative Office of Courts to expend funds from the Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund for the general operation of the courts. This bill also creates the Supreme Court Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund, the Court of Civil Appeals Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund and the Court of Criminal Appeals Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund and provides for the administration of those funds.

Approved March 19. Enacted April 2.

Senate vote: 33-0

House vote: 94-2, 5 abstained

Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Stringer abstained.

SB 210 — Under existing law, a member of the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners must be a graduate of a chiropractic school that required actual attendance in the school to graduate. This bill removes the requirement that, for purposes of board member qualification, the school that a board member graduated from must have required actual attendance to graduate. Under existing law, applicants for a license to practice chiropractic in the state must be a graduate of a chiropractic school that teaches only attendance courses and requires a four-year standard college course. This bill removes the requirements that such schools teach only attendance courses and require a four-year standard college course. This bill also makes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.

Approved March 17. Enacted March 30.

Senate vote: 34-0

House vote: 103-0, 1 abstained

Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Albritton marked P.

SB 231 — Existing law establishes how security is provided at the Alabama State House. This bill provides for security at the new Alabama State House, parking deck and park adjacent to the new Alabama State House and at official events of the Legislature held off-site.

Approved March 10. Enacted March 17.

Senate vote: 30-0

House vote: 104-0, 1 abstained

Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0

SB 269 — This bill regulates the provision of emergency ground ambulance services in the state by imposing requirements on reimbursement by health insurers for ambulance services. This bill prohibits surprise billing of insurance enrollees by providing that the reimbursement requirements be accepted as payment in full. A ground ambulance provider could directly charge an individual for no more than the in-network cost-sharing amount under an insurance contract. This bill requires that both ground ambulance services and health care insurers submit reports on their operations, with financial information, to the Alabama Department of Public Health. This bill also requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to retain an outside expert to study and report on the effects of this act on access to ground ambulance services in the state, with recommended measures to improve access. This bill will be repealed on June 1, 2029.

Approved March 31. Enacted April 6.

Senate vote: 37-2, 1 abstained

House vote: 103-0, 1 abstained

Baldwin delegation vote: 9-1; Elliott voted against.

SB 271 (Constitutional Amendment) — Under the state constitution, if the office of governor becomes vacant for any reason, the lieutenant governor becomes governor, and if both the office of governor and lieutenant governor become vacant more than 60 days before a general election at which state officers are elected, a governor and lieutenant governor shall be elected at that election for the unexpired term. The state constitution also provides for the order of succession of state officers to serve as governor during any vacancy of both governor and lieutenant governor. This bill proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to provide that if the office of lieutenant governor becomes vacant more than 60 days before a general election at which state officers are elected, a lieutenant governor shall be elected at that election for the unexpired term.

(This proposal will appear on a future ballot for Alabama voters.)

Approved March 31. Enacted April 2.

Senate vote: 25-0, 2 abstained

House vote: 66-0, 32 abstained

Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Figures marked P.

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The U.S. House of Representatives did not meet last week, March 30 through April 3, and is not scheduled to meet this week, April 6 through April 10, according to the schedule posted on www.House.gov. No floor or committee business was conducted during that time, as members were in their districts for official work, constituent meetings and outreach. The House of Representatives is scheduled to convene Tuesday, April 14.

U.S. SENATE

The U.S. Senate held brief pro forma sessions March 30, April 2, April 6 and April 9, with no legislative business conducted. These sessions are used to keep the chamber technically in session during a recess period, with no floor or committee activity expected. The Senate is scheduled to reconvene for regular business Monday, April 13. The full Senate calendar is available at www.Senate.gov.