The Alabama Legislature convened for Week 6 of the 2026 Legislative Session, meeting on Tuesday and Thursday. Committee meetings were primarily held Wednesday, with floor sessions conducted in both chambers during the week.
Lawmakers will return for Day 15 on Tuesday, February 24, with the House convening at 1 p.m. and the Senate at 2 p.m.
As the session continues, Week 6 featured legislative activity across several policy areas, including criminal justice, education policy, environmental regulation, taxation, technology regulation and state governance measures.
This Week at a Glance
- Total bills introduced: 807
- Passed house of origin: 298
- Passed both chambers: 84
- Pending governor’s signature: 41
- Bills enacted: 33
- Constitutional amendments pending referendum: 10
What Stood Out This Week
Legislative action advanced across multiple major policy areas, including criminal sentencing laws, environmental regulatory standards, technology and data protections involving minors, and education-related proposals. Lawmakers also continued work on agency oversight measures and budget legislation as the session moved deeper into committee review and floor consideration.
Notable Bills Enacted
SB12 — Senator Garlan Gudger: Repeals prior law authorizing annexation of certain community development districts. Act No. 2026-2
SB89 — Senator David Sessions: Repeals statutes establishing the State Pilotage Commission and related bar pilot regulations. Act No. 2026-18
HB181 — Representative Chip Marques: Requires beneficial reuse of at least 70 percent of dredged coastal material exceeding one million cubic yards annually. Act No. 2026-41
SB35 — Senator Timmy Kitchens: Consolidates vessel registration fees and revises distribution formulas. Act No. 2026-45
HB140 — Representative Shane Sells: Limits certain subdivision plat exemptions following family land transfers. Act No. 2026-49
HB41 — Representative Matt Simpson: Adds certain sexual offenses against children under 12 as capital offenses and establishes minimum incarceration requirements prior to parole eligibility. Act No. 2026-55
SB115 — Senator Linda Coleman-Madison: Provides competitive bidding exemptions for certain vehicle repair circumstances. Act No. 2026-56
HB117 — Representative Randall Shedd Hill: Expands county procurement program authority and administrative flexibility. Act No. 2026-57
HB161 — Representative Shane Sells: Creates app store age-verification and parental consent requirements for minors and authorizes enforcement by the Attorney General. Act No. 2026-59
SB169 — Senator Sessions: Establishes the Devinee Rooney and John Wesley Holt Safe Streets Act addressing penalties related to fatal motor vehicle incidents. Act No. 2026-64
SB71 — Senator Jack Williams Chesteen: Restricts state agencies from adopting environmental standards more stringent than federal law without specified scientific justification. Act No. 2026-81
Floor Action to Watch
House Floor
HB300 — Representative Holk-Jones: Requires health plans covering breast examinations to eliminate deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.
The House also passed multiple Sunset bills extending state boards and regulatory agencies, including pharmacy, electrical contractors, assisted living administrators and the 911 Board.
Senate Floor
SB221 — Senator Arthur Orr: Would exclude credit-card transaction fees from sales and use tax calculations; debated but not voted.
SB63 — Senator Orr: Limits the use of artificial intelligence by insurers when determining health coverage decisions.
SB209 — Senator Shay Shelnutt: Modifies requirements governing sex education curricula and parental opt-out provisions.
SB248 — Senator Shelnutt: Expands released-time religious instruction opportunities in public schools.
SB272 — Senator Orr: Adds financial-security redaction requirements to public records requests.
Committee Movement
House Committees
House committees reviewed legislation addressing aviation tax exemptions, firearm penalties involving school facilities, drone restrictions near ticketed events and expanded seafood country-of-origin enforcement authority. Lawmakers also debated proposals affecting library board governance and municipal election procedures.
Senate Committees
Senate committees advanced legislation addressing gubernatorial and legislative appointment authority over boards, emergency response performance audits for 911 districts, utility tax exemptions affecting agricultural operations and limits on municipal business license authority.
Newly Introduced Legislation
House
New House bills reflected a broad range of policy interests, including regulation of catfish transport from public waters, governance eligibility for municipal planning commissions, oversight requirements for the Public Service Commission, wildlife rehabilitation authorization and proposals directing portions of online sales tax revenue toward local education funding.
Senate
Senate introductions included legislation extending historic preservation tax credits through 2032 and proposals recreating and restructuring the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services as a legislative oversight body.
Budget Watch
Key budget measures pending or advancing include:
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General Fund: SB146, sponsored by Senator Greg Albritton, proposing a $3.7 billion budget pending in Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee.
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Education Trust Fund: HB238, sponsored by Representative Danny Garrett, proposing a $9.9 billion education budget pending in House Ways and Means Education Committee.
What’s Next
The Legislature will reconvene on February 24 for Day 15, with committee hearings and floor debate expected to continue focusing on budget negotiations, regulatory policy measures and legislation moving toward crossover deadlines.
This report is based on official legislative records and materials prepared by Beth Marietta Lyons.
