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.

SB 195 — Under existing law, the administration of an estate or a will contest may be removed to the circuit court in the county where the proceeding is pending unless the probate court or judge has concurrent equitable jurisdiction with the circuit court. This bill allows removal of estate administration and will contests to the circuit court without assigning any special equity, provided the probate court and circuit court do not have concurrent jurisdiction. This bill also makes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.

Approved March 5. Enacted March 12.

Senate vote: 34-0

House vote: 105-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0

SB 196 — Under existing law, contracts for public works in excess of $100,000 are subject to the public works law and must be competitively bid pursuant to the requirements of that law. This bill exempts contracts for the purchase of playground equipment from the public works law and provides that such contracts must be bid pursuant to the applicable competitive bidding law.

Approved March 5. Enacted March 17.

Senate vote: 30-0

House vote: 101-0, 4 absainted

Baldwin delegation vote: 8-0; Albritton marked P (not present/not voting); Easterbrook abstained.

SB 239 — Under existing law, a court exercising temporary jurisdiction pursuant to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) is required to explicitly provide that a child custody determination made under temporary emergency jurisdiction becomes a final determination. This bill removes that provision and provides that, if no child custody proceeding has been commenced in a state having jurisdiction within six months after a child custody determination is made pursuant to the UCCJEA under temporary emergency jurisdiction, that child custody determination automatically becomes final.

Approved March 3. Enacted March 13.

Senate vote: 32-0

House vote: 105-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 8-0; Albritton, Figures marked P. Figures sponsored this bill.

SB 242 — Under existing law, an individual operating a commercial motor vehicle must meet certain requirements to validly operate upon the roads of the state. These requirements include the possession of a valid commercial driver license and the passage of certain testing. This bill codifies into state law federal highway safety and transportation regulations that require individuals who have obtained a commercial driver license from a foreign government to show valid proof of entry documentation to operate within the state. This bill codifies into state law federal highway safety and transportation regulations that require individuals operating commercial vehicles to have proficiency in the English language and provides for penalties and impoundment procedures associated with a violation. This bill creates the offense of presenting a false foreign commercial driver license and provides for penalties. This bill also creates the offense of operating a commercial motor vehicle without proper documentation and provides for penalties.

Approved March 5. Enacted March 11.

Senate vote: 32-0

House vote: 84-0, 21 abstained

Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0

SB 249 — This bill increases the fees for volunteer and professional firefighter distinctive motor vehicle license plates and provides for the distribution of the fees collected.

Approved March 10. Enacted March 12.

Senate vote: 29-0

House vote: 102-0, 3 abstained

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

SB 252, Sarah Caldwell Crosby Act — Under current law, the Governor's Mansion Authority may hire employees, as may be necessary or desirable, and may fix the compensation of such employees. Current law does not specify the status of such employees under the Merit System Act. This bill codifies current practice by providing that employees of the Governor's Mansion Authority are employees within the unclassified service for purposes of the Merit System Act. This bill further provides that any employee of the authority as of the effective date of this act shall be entitled to payment for his or her accumulated leave upon separation from service.

Approved March 5. Enacted March 12.

Senate vote: 34-0

House vote: 104-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Albritton marked P. Figures, Elliott sponsored this bill.

SB 259 — Under existing law, a county must pay certain minimum annual compensation to each county commissioner, judge of probate, sheriff, tax assessor, tax collector, revenue commissioner, license commissioner and elected assistant tax assessor or tax collector. This bill provides that each of those local officials shall receive the annual compensation the official is receiving on May 31, 2026. Under existing law, the base compensation of any local official elected or appointed after July 1, 2025, shall be the compensation of the immediately prior officeholder. This bill provides that the base compensation of any local official initially elected or appointed after July 1, 2025, shall be the compensation of the immediately prior officeholder, excluding any compensation attributable to the previous officeholder's longevity or that was awarded based on merit. Under existing law, a local official whose compensation is increased by local law is entitled to uniform increases granted equally to all county employees. This bill provides that a local official whose compensation is tied, pursuant to a local law, to a state official shall not be entitled to any local uniform increases. This bill terminates any local uniform increases granted to a local official by a local law enacted prior to the 2026 Regular Session whose compensation is tied to a state official when the individual, serving in that office on May 31, 2026, vacates that office. This bill prohibits any local law that grants local uniform increases to a local official whose compensation is tied to a state official. This bill alsos provide retroactive effect.

Approved March 3. Enacted March 13.

Senate vote: 29-0

House vote: 100-0, 4 abstained

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

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The U.S. House of Representatives did not meet the week of March 9 through March 13, according to the schedule posted on www.House.gov. No floor or committee business was conducted during that period, as members were in their districts for official work, constituent meetings and outreach.

U.S. SENATE

The Senate voted on military and housing measures and a motion to proceed on a Homeland Security appropriations bill. Alabama is represented in the Senate by Republicans Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, whose votes are noted below.

PN711 — Lt. Gen. Joshua M. Rudd — Army

Action: Senate invoked cloture on the nomination March 9 by a 68-28 vote. Roll call vote No. 48. The Senate confirmed the nomination March 10 by a 71-29 vote. Roll call vote No. 49. The nomination advances Lt. Gen. Joshua M. Rudd to the rank of general in the U.S. Army.

Vote on cloture: Britt — Yea; Tuberville — Yea

Vote on confirmation: Britt — Yea; Tuberville — Yea

H.R. 6644 — 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

Action: Senate invoked cloture on an amendment March 10 by a 89-9 vote. Roll call vote No. 50. The Senate agreed to the substitute amendment March 11 by a 84-10 vote. Roll call vote No. 51. The Senate invoked cloture on the bill March 11 by a 82-11 vote. Roll call vote No. 52. The Senate passed the bill with an amendment March 12 by a 89-10 vote. Roll call vote No. 53. The legislation aims to increase the nation’s housing supply and expand federal housing programs.

Vote on cloture (amendment): Britt — Yea; Tuberville — Nay

Vote on amendment: Britt — Yea; Tuberville — Not voting

Vote on cloture (bill): Britt — Yea; Tuberville — Not voting

Vote on passage: Britt — Yea; Tuberville — Nay

H.R. 7147 — Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026

Action: Senate rejected a cloture motion on proceeding to the bill March 12 by a 51-46 vote. Roll call vote No. 54. The measure would provide fiscal 2026 funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

Vote on cloture motion to proceed: Britt — Yea; Tuberville — Yea

Information is sourced from www.Senate.gov.