The Alabama Legislature convened for Week 7 of the 2026 Regular Session, meeting Tuesday through Thursday. Both chambers held committee meetings throughout the week, with floor sessions on all three legislative days.
Lawmakers will return for Day 18 on Tuesday, March 3, with the House convening at 1 p.m. and the Senate at 2 p.m.
As the session continues, Week 7 featured legislative activity across several policy areas, including criminal justice, tax policy, education, environmental regulation, economic development and municipal governance.
This Week at a Glance
- Total bills introduced: 864
- Passed house of origin: 352
- Passed both chambers: 118
- Pending governor’s signature: 44
- Bills enacted: 56
- Constitutional amendments pending referendum: 18
What Stood Out This Week
This week saw movement on legislation affecting environmental regulation standards, criminal penalties related to violent crimes and fentanyl possession, tax exemptions and sales tax holidays, and public school policy proposals. Lawmakers also advanced measures related to port infrastructure, economic development incentives and municipal authority, alongside continued work on the state’s General Fund and Education Trust Fund budgets.
Notable Bills Enacted
- SB12 – Senator Garlan Gudger: Repeals a 2025 act authorizing annexation of certain community development districts by wet municipalities in dry counties. Act No. 2026-2
- SB89 – Senator David Sessions: Repeals statutes establishing the State Pilotage Commission and requirements for bar pilots. Act No. 2026-18
- HB181 – Representative Chip Marques: Requires persons annually dredging over one million cubic yards in coastal areas to beneficially use at least 70 percent of dredged material. Act No. 2026-41
- HB41 – Representative Matt Simpson: Makes certain sexual offenses against children under 12 capital offenses and establishes minimum parole eligibility requirements. Act No. 2026-55
- SB71 – Senator Jack Williams Chesteen: Prohibits state agencies from adopting environmental standards more stringent than federal law under certain conditions. Act No. 2026-81
- HB161 – Representative Alan Sells: Requires app store providers to implement age verification and parental consent measures and authorizes enforcement by the Attorney General. Act No. 2026-59
Floor Action to Watch
House Floor
- HB2 – Representative David Standridge: Renames the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for state and local implementation purposes.
- HB360 – Representative Alan Sells: Creates a Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday exempting certain firearm-related purchases from state sales and use tax.
- HB135 – Representative Adline Clarke Brown: Creates the Alabama Port Infrastructure Grant Program and Fund.
- Senate Floor
- HB96 – Representative Matt Pringle: Increases homestead exemptions for residents over 62 and individuals with disabilities.
- HB300 – Representative Susan DuBose Holk-Jones: Requires health benefit plans to cover certain breast examinations without deductibles or co-pays.
- SB317 – Senator Arthur Orr: Recreates the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services as a legislative department and revises its duties.
Committee Movement
House Committees
House committees advanced legislation addressing ambulance reimbursement rates, geographic information system coordination, entertainment industry incentives, seafood labeling enforcement and bail jumping penalties. Substitutes were adopted on several measures relating to health care reimbursement and commercial driver requirements.
Senate Committees
Senate committees considered proposals related to emergency rulemaking by state agencies, school policies involving patriotic observances, withdrawal from multi-jurisdiction authorities, insurance reimbursement standards for ambulance services and increased penalties for fentanyl-related offenses.
Newly Introduced Legislation
House
New House bills include proposals to restrict SNAP purchases of candy and soda, revise municipal lien foreclosure procedures in Class 2 municipalities, authorize audits of local water boards, create overtime income tax deductions and establish new nuisance abatement authority in certain municipalities.
Senate
New Senate introductions include a proposal to restructure the Public Service Commission by electing commissioners by congressional district, legislation addressing psychoactive cannabinoids, revisions to infrastructure trespass laws, ALEA authority over vessel anchoring regulations, and restrictions on classroom instruction related to gender identity and sexual orientation.
Budget Watch
Key budget measures pending include:
- General Fund: $3.7 billion (SB146)
- Education Trust Fund: $9.9 billion (HB238)
Both budgets remain in committee.
What’s Next
The Legislature will reconvene on March 3 for Day 18, with committee hearings and floor sessions expected to continue focus on budget measures, tax policy proposals, public safety legislation and education-related bills as the session approaches its midpoint.
