What passed in the Alabama Legislature: Feb. 20-22, 2024

Rep. Kelvin Lawrence, D-Hayneville (left) speaks with Rep. Sam Jones, D-Mobile on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on Feb. 22, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

Here is a list of bills that passed the Alabama Legislature this week.

Tuesday, Feb. 20

House 

HB 139, sponsored by Rep. Corley Ellis, R-Columbiana, would remove the state Department of Insurance from review under the Sunset Law. The bill passed 98-1. It goes to the Senate.

HB 140, sponsored by Rep. Corley Ellis, R-Columbiana, increases the statute of limitations for insurance fraud from two to seven years. It would also allow the Insurance Fraud Unit to investigate and arrest for insurance fraud violations as well as other state laws discovered during the investigation. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 141, sponsored by Rep. Corley Ellis, R-Columbiana, would establish the Alabama Automobile Insurance Plan to provide motor vehicle liability insurance to applicants unable to procure a policy through a commercial company. The bill passed 100-0, and it goes to the Senate.

HB 142, sponsored by Rep. Corley Ellis, R-Columbiana, updates laws regarding surplus line brokers and policy, a special type of insurance that covers unique risks. The bill passed 99-0 and it goes to the Senate.

SB 39, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, allows the state to add publicly-owned dams to a voluntary program of dam inspection. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.

HB 87, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R- Hollinger’s Island, would authorize an airport authority to form business entities or ventures relating to airport operations, and conduct activities required for the operation of the authority. The bill passed 98-2. It goes to the Senate.

HB 15, sponsored by Rep. Craig Lipscomb, R-Rainbow City, would require the commissioner to issue a permit to municipalities and private entities to release black bass into the Coosa River. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 81, sponsored by Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, would provide that an individual convicted of a sex offense involving a child is not eligible to receive a pardon. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 42, sponsored by Rep. Donna Givens, R-Loxley, would establish a minimum of life imprisonment for human trafficking of a minor. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 75, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, would provide that assaulting a letter carrier with the intent to cause physical injury would be a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The bill passed 96-2. It goes to the Senate.

HB 78, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, would create the crime of swatting, or knowingly reporting false or misleading information to law enforcement. The bill passed 97-2. It goes to the Senate.

HB 21, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollinger’s Island, would require genetic testing companies to protect customers’ genetic information and require customer consent to disclose or transfer customer information. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 127, sponsored by Phillip Pettus, R-Killen, would make it a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, for inmates released on probation to knowingly alter, disable, deactivate, tamper with, remove, damage, or destroy any electronic monitoring device. The bill passed 98-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 125, sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, would remove consent as a defense for a member of the clergy if they commit certain sex acts with an individual under 19 years of age. The bill passed 85-1. It goes to the Senate.

Wednesday, Feb. 21

Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, carries a collection of papers in the Alabama House of Representatives on Feb. 22, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

House

HB 24, sponsored by Rep. Matthew Hammett, R-Dozier, would allow the Legislature to fix, alter, and regulate court costs in Covington County and provide for distribution of the costs. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 68-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 53, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, would authorize the Franklin County Commission to appropriate and expend funds for the operation of the office of the coroner. The bill passed 37-0 and it goes to the Senate.

HB 58, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, would set the Lamar County probate judge’s salary at $110,116. The bill passed 25-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 76, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, would set the Elmore County probate judge’s yearly salary to $120,000. The sheriff’s yearly salary would also be set at $120,000 and increase by $10,000 with each year of experience, until $150,000 is reached. The bill passed 27-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 84, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, would abolish certain expense allowances paid to certain county officials. The bill passed 17-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 85, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, would create the Marion County Service of Process Fund, which the Marion County Commission may use at its discretion. The bill passed 16-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 94, sponsored by Rep. Troy Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, would repeal code relating to compensation of the members of the Elmore County Board of Equalization. The bill passed 14-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 97, sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Paschal, R-Pelham, would establish a new civil service system that provides for a personnel board, human resources director, employee classification and pay, employment, retention, and disciplinary process, and for employee appeals. The bill passed 14-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 106, sponsored by Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, would authorize a person to be elected or appointed as probate judge of the Dale County who is under the age of 75 at the time of qualifying for election or appointment. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 66-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 107, sponsored by Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, would authorize municipalities in Dale County to allow the operation of golf carts on municipal streets or public roads. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 67-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 109, sponsored by Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, would authorize a person to be elected or appointed as probate judge of the Houston County who is under the age of 75 at the time of qualifying for election or appointment. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 69-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 62, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, would provide that a retired circuit or district judge may be called to active duty when the presiding circuit judge requests the appointment of an interim judge and the Chief Justice approves the interim judge. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.

Thursday, Feb. 22

Sens. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville (left) and Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, speak during a session of the Alabama Senate on Feb. 22, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Senate Thursday debated a bill sponsored by Barfoot that would ban publicly-funded diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and subject teachers who use so-called “divisive concepts” to discipline or termination. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

House

HB 71, sponsored by Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, would allow certain emergency medical services personnel to purchase hazardous duty time in the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama in the same manner as certain firefighters, law enforcement officers, and correctional officers. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 171, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, would exempt civil aircraft over 30 years old of ad valorem taxes that are owned by individuals 65 years of age older . The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 46, sponsored by Rep. Parker Moore, R-Hartselle, would allow the Department of Revenue to issue permanent license plates for certain vehicles owned by volunteer rescue squads. The bill passed 95-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 52, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Rigsby, R-Huntsville, would specify the number of pharmacy technicians who compound medication at a pharmacy shall comply with the ratios for supervision as provided by rule of the Alabama Board of Pharmacy. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 177, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, would provide that the salary of the Secretary of Commerce would be set by the Governor in the same manner as other department heads are set. The bill passed 99-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 54, sponsored by Rep. Russell Bedsole, R-Alabaster, would provide compensation to the survivors of a volunteer firefighter who dies of work-related cancer by making them eligible for the death benefit awarded by the State Board of Adjustment for first responders who die in the line of duty. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 69, sponsored by Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Linden, would allow the Controlled Substances Prescription Database to be accessed by up to two employees of a licensed dentist on behalf of the dentist who has authority to prescribe, dispense, or administer controlled substances. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

SB 63, sponsored by Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Enterprise, would provide that a county commission shall not be liable for or be a party to a suit challenging the use of public funds, where a local law provides that the public funds are to be expended, awarded, or used at the discretion of a single public official. The bill passed 99-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.

HB 113, sponsored by Rep. Pebblin Warren, R-Tuskegee, would allow a child who becomes six years of age on or before December 31, or the date on which school begins, to be admitted to the first grade, given the child has completed kindergarten or otherwise demonstrates first grade readiness. The bill passed 90-9. It goes to the Senate.

HB 121, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns, R-Vestavia Hills, would prohibit a supervisor from retaliating against a county or municipal employee who reports certain violations. The bill passed 99-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 77, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Rigsby, R-Huntsville, would require the State Board of Health to add any condition on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel to the state’s newborn screening panel. The bill passed 98-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 131, sponsored by Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, would require certain health care providers to obtain a certificate of exemption from the Department of Revenue to make sales tax exempt purchases of certain durable medical equipment and medical supplies. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 55, sponsored by Rep. Ron Bolton, R-Northport, would provide penalties for operating a passenger car or truck on the highways if the height of the front fender is raised four or more inches greater than the height of the accompanying rear fender by alteration of the suspension, frame, or chassis. The bill passed 91-5. It goes to the Senate.

HB 168, sponsored by Rep. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, would establish that any person who distributes material that is a visual depiction of an individual under 18 years of age engaging in sexually explicit conduct is a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 161, sponsored by Rep. Parker Moore, R-Hartselle, would establish the crime of creating a private image if they knowingly create, record, or alter a private image in which the depicted individual has not consented; and the depicted individual had a reasonable expectation of privacy. The bill passed 97-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 10, sponsored by Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, would provide that a person commits manslaughter if they knowingly distribute a substance containing fentanyl or any mixture containing fentanyl. The bill passed 99-0. It goes to the Senate.

Senate

SB129, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, bans public funding for some DEI, limits discussion of “divisive concepts” and includes a “bathroom bill” for higher education. The bill passed 26-7 and goes to the House of Representatives.

Jemma Stephenson contributed to this report.

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