What passed in the Alabama Legislature: April 2-4, 2024

The Alabama House of Representatives debates a bill to extend criminal and civil immunity to in vitro fertilization providers on Feb. 29, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House approved the measure on a 94-6 vote. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

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

Tuesday, April 2

House of Representatives

HB 89, sponsored by Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-Indian Hills, would move appointments of the Shelby County Library Board from a popular vote to appointments by the Shelby County legislative delegation. The bill passed 20-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 271, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Fidler, R-Silverhill, increases the per diem paid to Baldwin County Board of Equalization to $200 and provides for annual increases starting in 2025. The bill passed 20-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 272, sponsored by Rep. Ben Robbins, R-Sylacauga, provides an additional expense allowance and sets the salary of the Talladega County coroner. The bill passed 12-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 281, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, provides an additional expense allowance for the St. Clair County coroner and deputy coroner. The bill passed 12-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 319, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, allows the sheriff of Tallapoosa County to charge and collect fees for administrative services, such as fees for fingerprinting, criminal history investigations and reports. The bill passed 12-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 322, sponsored by Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, authorizes the Calhoun County Commission to levy a fee for vehicle license and registration, transfer, or renewal of any vehicle in the county. The bill passed 11-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 323, sponsored by Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, removes outdated language saying that the license commissioner in Calhoun County shall continue to serve until Jan. 1981. The bill passed 13-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 342, sponsored by Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley, increases compensation for Baldwin County’s sheriff to $150,000. The bill passed 18-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 132, sponsored by Rep. Donna Givens, R-Loxley, requires the probate judge of Baldwin County to be a licensed attorney in Alabama. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 63-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 262, sponsored by Rep. Brock Colvin, R-Albertville, makes Marshall County a wet county and authorizes the regulation of the sale of alcoholic beverages in the unincorporated areas of the county. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 64-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 268, sponsored by Rep. Shane Stringer, R-Citronelle, defines the White House Fork Landmark District within Baldwin County and prohibits the annexation of property within the district into any municipality by local law except under certain conditions. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 65-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 343, sponsored by Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley, defines the Bon Secour Landmark District within Baldwin County and prohibits the annexation of property within the district into any municipality by local law except under certain conditions. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 65-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 280, sponsored by Rep. Joe Lovvorn, R-Auburn, requires research-based instruction on fentanyl prevention and drug poisoning awareness to be provided to students in grades six through 12. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 227, sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, repeals the current ethics laws for public officials and employees, sets new punishments for ethics violations and weakens the powers of the state Ethics Commission. The bill passed on a 79-9 vote. It goes to the Senate.

HB 103, sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Paschal, R-Pelham, revises definitions and rename professional employee positions and allows the Board of Veterans Affairs commissioner to appoint an executive director for oversight and coordination of all state veterans’ homes. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 284, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Starnes, R-Prattville, requires qualifying schools under the Alabama G.I. and Dependents Educational Benefit Act receiving tuition reimbursement benefits to treat unpaid educational fees to the same extent as the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 22, sponsored by Rep. Mark Gidley, R-Hokes Bluff, defines the role of assistant principal to include student discipline and requires each public K-12 school to have an assistant principal, if funding is available. The bill passed 66-18. It goes to the Senate.

HB 314, sponsored by Rep. Curtis Travis, D-Tuscaloosa, expands eligibility for the volunteer firefighter distinctive license plate to  fire chaplains. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 86, sponsored by Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, allows a voter who has not updated their voter registration address to vote in the precinct they currently reside. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 270, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, provides for the distribution of excess funds from sales of tax delinquent properties and clarifies procedures in foreclosure and the rights of parties involved in the process. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 294, sponsored by Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, provides that the uniform increases in compensation, such as cost-of-living adjustment,  granted to local officials would be included in their base compensation. The bill passed 100-1. It goes to the Senate.

HB 166, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, authorizes the Legislature to set and alter the compensation of county officers and sheriffs by general or local law, and to prohibit the Legislature from altering the compensation of a county officer or sheriff during the term of office. The bill, a constitutional amendment, passed 98-1. It goes to the Senate.

HB 274, sponsored by Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, requires the state to pay $3.25 per day for each prisoner in the county jail to feed inmates. The bill would also authorize a sheriff or county commission to use funds from any available source to feed prisoners. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 198, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollinger’s Island, allows the creation of Alabama Residential Building Code by the Alabama Energy and Residential Codes Board, which would be renamed the Alabama Commercial Energy Code Board. The bill passed 95-4. It goes to the Senate.

HB 315, sponsored by Rep. Rhett Marques, R-Enterprise, increases fines for failing to move over a lane in certain cases, such as a parked law enforcement vehicle or emergency vehicle. The bill passed 97-1. It goes to the Senate.

HB 102, sponsored by Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, removes a requirement that 14- and 15-year-old minors have a form issued to be employed after school. The bill passed 97-2. It goes to the Senate.

SB 50, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, prohibits a governmental entity from restricting the acquisition or use of appliances solely based on the type of energy or energy generation used to operate the appliance. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.

HB 206, sponsored by Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Dothan, allows any disabled veteran whose physical disability is at least 50% to obtain a special disabled veteran license plate. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 234, sponsored by Rep. Russell Bedsole, R-Alabaster, revises the membership of the Board of Nursing to include a certified registered nurse anesthetist who is approved to engage in advanced practice nursing. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.

SB 46, sponsored by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, provides that a surplus line transaction conducted in accordance with federal law may be exempt from the diligent effort requirement. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.

Senate

SB 98, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, outlines school safety criteria among other items. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 206, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, requires that dependent children of members of the military be allowed to participate in sporting competitions. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 209, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, expands the income tax exemption for military stationed in combat zones to National Guard and reserves who are stationed abroad or activated to support responses to emergencies. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 210, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, creates concurrent jurisdiction for criminal offenses committed by juveniles on military installations. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 211, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Geneva, R-Geneva, allows for the remote enrollment of special needs military dependents, as well transfer of records and providing comparable services. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

Thursday, April 4

Sens. April Weaver, R-Alabaster and Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, listen to debate in the Alabama Senate on March 19, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

House

HB 167, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, requires manufacturers of certain Internet-enabled devices, including smartphones and tablets, to install an adult-content filter if the user is a minor. The bill passed 99-1. It goes to the Senate.

HB 211, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, requires law enforcement make a reasonable effort to notify the parent, legal guardian or legal custodian when citing a traffic infraction to a minor. The bill passed 96-3. It goes to the Senate.

HB 34, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, provides that a Supreme Court justice, appellate court judge, circuit judge, or district judge’s salary shall be based on the number of years they have served as a judge or justice of a state court. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 182, sponsored by Rep. Craig Lipscomb, R-Rainbow City, criminalizes a person who knowingly enters or remains in a home and intentionally causes $1,000 or more in damage with burglary and criminalize knowingly presenting a false document claiming to be a lease agreement or deed with perjury. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.

SB 95, sponsored by Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, adds electronic battery-powered devices used to deliver e-liquid, e-liquid substitute, tobacco, CBD oil, THC oil, herbal extract, or nicotine salt, or any other substance to the list of prohibited devices for individuals under the age of 21. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.

HB 220, sponsored by Rep. Corley Ellis, R-Columbiana, establishes the Alabama Tourism Tax Protection Act of 2024 and provide for the collection of tax imposed. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 307, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, allows two or more local 911 districts to enter contracts to jointly provide services. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 188, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, creates a process for suspension and expulsion of public school students and requires a disciplinary hearing following long-term suspension or expulsion. The bill passed 96-5. It goes to the Senate.

HB 215, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Fidler, R-Silverhill, allows the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to use sand and sediment material for dredging in constructing a residential living shoreline. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.

SB 106, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, allows the governor to set the salary of the Secretary of Commerce in the same manner as other department heads are set, and that the salary of the deputy secretaries would be set by the Secretary of Commerce and approved by the governor. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.

HB 209, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, regulates and prohibit wakeboarding and wakesurfing under certain conditions on certain fresh waters of the state. It would provide that the law applies to the waters of the state impounded by Martin Dam (Lake Martin) and by Weiss Dam (Weiss Lake). The bill passed 86-5. It goes to the Senate.

HB 212, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellvile, revises circumstances when an individual’s pension, annuity, or retirement allowance under the Teachers’ Retirement System and the Employees’ Retirement System are subject to recovery actions. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 8, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollinger’s Island, requires insurers to provide certain property insurance policy holders with written notice prior to cancellation, nonrenewal, or coverage restriction of the policy. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.

HB 229, sponsored by Rep. Ron Bolton, R-Northport, designates Little Bluestem as the official State Native Grass of Alabama. The bill passed 63-22. It goes to the Senate.

HB 83, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, increases the compensation that members of local boards of education are eligible to receive to $900 per month, up from $600. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.

Senate

SB 217, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, allows experience as a paraprofessional or teacher aide to be factored to a degree into the teacher experience salary matrix. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 35, sponsored by Sen. Rdoger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, requires history and social studies to be inclusive and fact-based. The bill passed 27-1, with one abstention. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 104, sponsored by Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Enterprise, requires plaintiffs to provide more information when making an asbestos claim. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 177, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, authorizes an increase in directors’ fees for gas districts. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 157, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, outlines a process for student exclusion from classrooms. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 112, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, includes changes for businesses and nonprofit corporations to align with the Delaware law and the Model Business Corporation Act. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 171, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, outlines notifications for students’ parents or guardians enrolled in priority schools. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 155, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, shifts the responsibility of some reports from the Department of Transportation. The bill passed 35-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 200, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, includes a certified registered nurse anesthetist on the Board of Nursing. The bill passed 35-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 150, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, establishes the Alabama Tourism Tax Protection Act of 2024. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 9, sponsored by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, addresses Class I municipalities and nuisance abatement liens. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 99, sponsored by Sen. Lance Bell, R-Pell City, requires audits of organizations over high school sports. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 204, sponsored by Sen. David Sessions, R-Grand Bay, removes the requirement of corporations to provide annual reports to the Secretary of State. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 199, sponsored by Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, extends the quarterly assessment of additional Medicaid enhancement payments for maintenance and the expansion of emergency medical transport services. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 202, sponsored by Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Enterprise, provides rules for disposing of or burying dead animals. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 154, sponsored by Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, allows some county commissions to increase the salaries of sheriffs. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 123, sponsored by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, continues the State Board of Auctioneers to Oct. 1, 2028. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 125, sponsored by Sen. Robert Stewart, D-Selma, continues the State Board of Public Accountancy to Oct. 1, 2028. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 126, sponsored by Sen. Robert Stewart, D-Selma, continues the Alabama Liquified Petroleum Gas Board to Oct. 1, 2028. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 132, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, continues the Board of Social Work Examiners to Oct. 1, 2028. It passed 34-0. The bill goes to the House of Representatives.

SB 147, sponsored by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, continues the Public Service Commission to Oct. 1, 2028. It passed 34-0. The bill goes to the House of Representatives.

The post What passed in the Alabama Legislature: April 2-4, 2024 appeared first on Alabama Reflector.