Alabama 2026 Legislative Report: Week Two

The Alabama Legislature continued its early-session work this week, advancing a series of bills through floor votes and committee hearings while the total number of filed measures climbed past 500 and the state’s major budget proposals formally entered the legislative process.

Lawmakers met for three consecutive days during Week Two of the 2026 Regular Session, with legislation moving on issues ranging from taxation and local government authority to environmental policy, education, public safety, and election administration. The House and Senate are scheduled to return next week, pending possible weather-related delays, as committees continue shaping bills that could define the direction of the session.

Lawmakers are currently scheduled to reconvene for Day 7 on Tuesday, Jan. 27, with the House meeting at 1 p.m. and the Senate at 3 p.m., though weather conditions in North Alabama could affect the schedule.

As of this week, 535 bills have been introduced.

Summary Statistics

House Bills: 329
Senate Bills: 206
Total Bills: 535

Passed House of Origin: 94
Passed Both Houses: 15
Pending Governor’s Signature: 15
Vetoed: 0
Constitutional Amendments Pending Referendum: 0
Bills Enacted: 0

Notable Floor Action – House

• HB3 (Rep. Brown) – Exempts certain retail seafood sales from state sales and use tax; allows local exemptions.

• HB17 (Rep. Lamb) – Raises audit threshold for municipalities.

• HB28 (Rep. Brown) – Creates income tax credit for restaurants recycling oyster shells.

• HB38 (Rep. Brown) – Establishes Alabama Seagrass Restoration Task Force.

• HB39 (Rep. Brown) – Revises seafood dealer license fees for residents holding other licenses.

• HB82 (Rep. Simpson) – Alters Daphne city limits.

• HB87 (Rep. Sells) – Exempts deer feed from sales and use tax.

• HB96 (Rep. Pringle) – Increases homestead exemption for seniors and disabled residents.

• HB109 (Rep. Givens) – Constitutional amendment extending hospital ad valorem tax.

• HB117 (Rep. Hill) – Expands county procurement authority.

• HB119 (Rep. Brown) – Revises Mobile County fire service fee definitions.

• HB140 (Rep. Sells) – Limits subdivision plat exemption after family land transfers to 24 months.

• HB142 (Rep. Wilcox) – Expands taxable property allowed in Mobile TIF districts.

• HB153 (Rep. Garrett) – Allows certain municipalities to opt out of county personnel boards.

• HB161 (Rep. Sells) – App store age verification and parental consent requirements.

• HB202 (Rep. Fidler) – Alters Magnolia Springs town limits.

• HB211 (Rep. Givens) – Alters Loxley city limits.

Notable Floor Action – Senate

• SB12 (Sen. Gudger) – Repeals 2025 annexation law involving wet/dry jurisdictions.

• SB90 (Sen. Sessions) – Revises seafood dealer license fees.

• SB93 (Sen. Melson) – Allows mayors to break tie votes in even-numbered councils.

• SB115 (Sen. Coleman-Madison) – Competitive bid exemptions for vehicle repairs.

• SB131 (Sen. Stewart) – 24-month expiration for subdivision plat exemptions.

Notable Committee Action – House

• HB67 (Rep. Kiel) – Limits use and distribution of voter registration data.

• HB78 (Rep. Ross) – Regulates screen time in early childhood education settings.

• HB79 (Rep. Crawford) – Consolidates vessel registration fees.

• HB135 (Rep. Brown) – Creates Alabama Port Infrastructure Grant Program.

• HB136 (Rep. Pringle) – Requires governor certification for emergency agency rules.

• HB152 (Rep. Garrett) – Repeals School of Social Work of Alabama.

• HB181 (Rep. Marques) – Requires beneficial reuse of dredged coastal material.

• HB213 (Rep. Lomax) – Renames Alabama Port Authority references in code.

• HB269 (Rep. Underwood) – Vehicle repair bidding exemptions.

• HB277 (Rep. Wilcox) – Oyster aquaculture tasting authorization.

• SB35 (Sen. Kitchens) – Vessel registration fee consolidation.

• SB89 (Sen. Sessions) – Repeals State Pilotage Commission statutes.

Notable Committee Action – Senate

• SB9 (Sen. Allen) – Renames Clean Indoor Air Act; bans vaping where smoking is banned.

• SB23 (Sen. Gudger) – Special primary elections after redistricting.

• SB61 (Sen. Orr) – Medicaid and food assistance eligibility verification reforms.

• SB71 (Sen. Chesteen) – Limits environmental rules exceeding federal standards.

• SB96 (Sen. Kelley) – Governor certification for emergency agency rules.

• SB105 (Sen. Kelley) – Requires online publication of local financial records.

• SB109 (Sen. Elliott) – Peer-to-peer car sharing regulations.

• SB148 (Sen. Allen) – Public hearings and notice requirements for new local taxes.

Notable Bill Introductions – House

• HB286 (Rep. Crawford) – Utility tax exemptions for broadcast stations.

• HB291 (Rep. Givan) – Criminalizes materially deceptive media.

• HB294 (Rep. Bracy) – Alabama Professional Workforce Protection Act.

• HB308 (Rep. Shirey) – Senior property tax exemption in Mobile County.

• HB311 (Rep. Underwood) – Dual participation in sheriff retirement programs.

• HB316 (Rep. Drummond) – Firearm storage requirements involving minors.

• HB318 (Rep. Kiel) – Parent notification system for minor traffic citations.

• HB320 (Rep. Pettus) – Separates county judicial funds.

Notable Bill Introductions – Senate

• SB172 (Sen. Waggoner) – App store age requirements.

• SB196 (Sen. Livingston) – Playground equipment exemption from public works law.

• SB204 (Sen. Coleman-Madison) – Multi-jurisdictional land bank authority.

State Budget Bills

• HB218 (Rep. Reynolds) – $3.7B General Fund – House committee.

• HB238 (Rep. Garrett) – $9.9B Education Trust Fund – House committee.

• SB141 (Sen. Orr) – $9.9B Education Trust Fund – Senate committee.

• SB146 (Sen. Albritton) – $3.7B General Fund – Senate committee.