U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile (center) embraces his mother, Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, on the floor of the Alabama Senate on March 19, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The first-term congressman spoke briefly to the chamber during a recess on Wednesday. To the Figures’ left is Sen. Robert Stewart, D-Selma; to the right is Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)
Here is a list of bills that passed the Alabama Legislature this week.
Tuesday, March 18
House
HB 299, sponsored by Rep. Brett Easterbrook, R-Fruitdale, adds a $50 court fee for civil and criminal cases in Choctaw County circuit or district courts and a $25 fee for civil cases in small courts. The bill passed 10-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 300, sponsored by Rep. Brett Easterbrook, R-Fruitdale, allows the Choctaw County probate judge to collect a $10 fee for each document subject to deed and mortgage taxes. The bill passed 9-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 325, sponsored by Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, allows the Lawrence County commission to form and fund fire districts. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to the Senate.
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HB 343, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns, R-Birmingham, makes membership of the General Retirement System for Employees of Jefferson County mandatory for eligible full-time employees effective Oct. 1. The bill passed 20-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 345, sponsored by Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Birmingham, allows the Jefferson County sheriff to appoint special reserve deputies when the county has fewer than 250 deputies. The bill passed 24-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 351, sponsored by Rep. Brett Easterbrook, R-Fruitdale, allows the Choctaw County Commission to increase property taxes by 5 mills to fund county road and bridge projects. The bill passed 8-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 369, sponsored by Rep. Troy Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, allows the revenue commissioner of Elmore County to levy a sales and use tax, to fund local infrastructure projects and economic development. The bill passed 10-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 371, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Matthews, levies a $25 annual motor vehicle registration fee in Elmore County to be allocated to infrastructure and economic development. The bill passed 11-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 378, sponsored by Rep. Ron Bolton, R-Northport, allows the Pickens County Commission to levy a $10 vehicle registration fee to fund ambulance services. The bill passed 7-0. It goes to the Senate
SB 162, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, revises the distribution of Tennessee Valley Authority in-lieu-of-taxes payments in Marshall County, allocating funds to education, economic development, emergency services, mental health programs and local organizations. The bill passed 12-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 386, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, reduces the state’s sales tax on groceries from 3% to 2%. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 387, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, allows local governments to reduce their local sales taxes on groceries. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 388, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, increases the amount of untaxable retirement income for Alabamians older than 65 from $12,000 to $24,000 for couples and from $6,000 to $12,000 for individuals. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 389, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, increases the threshold for optional income tax deductions. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 30, sponsored by Rep. Debbie Wood, R-Valley, requires county probate offices to conduct election audits for every county and state election in randomly selected precincts. The bill passed 63-30. It goes to the Senate.
HB 320, sponsored by Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, allows public notice requirements for public works contracts to be advertised on a centralized Department of Finance website or direct mailing to interested parties if a print newspaper publication is insufficient. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 319, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, establishes the Imagination Library of Alabama Program to provide free monthly age-appropriate books to children under five. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 281, sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, revises the appeals process for municipal zoning board decisions by setting deadlines for filing appeals, requiring boards to submit records to the court and establishing criteria for staying decisions during appeals. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 253, sponsored by Rep. Brock Colvin, R-Albertville, provides a state sales tax exemption for aircraft parts and maintenance services used by certified air carriers. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 322, sponsored by Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley, requires education and screening for postpartum depression for mothers with Medicaid coverage. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 307, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, authorizes the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court to appoint visiting judges for specific violent criminal cases. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 264, sponsored by Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, adjusts the registration of boats to include a staggered renewal process and directs a portion of proceeds to the State Reservoir Management Grant Fund. The bill passed 101-1. It goes to the Senate.
HB 232, sponsored by Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, requires written notification to a school’s superintendent or principal if a student is charged with or adjudicated delinquent for certain serious crimes, including capital offenses. The bill passed 79-8. It goes to the Senate.
HB 356, sponsored by Rep. Matt Woods, R-Anniston, increases punishments for making terrorist threats, like school shooting threats, and requires students charged with such crimes to be suspended for a year. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 333, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Rainbow City, allows law enforcement to build indoor firing ranges for training. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 207, sponsored by Rep. Mike Shaw, R-Hoover, expands the role of the Office of Information Technology in Alabama by adding cybersecurity and other tasks related to data management and telecommunications. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 338, sponsored by Rep. Parker Moore, R-Hartselle, expands the exceptions for key duplication services that do not fall under the definition of a locksmith. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
Senate
SB 116, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, would make it a state crime to possess or distribute firearm conversion devices, commonly referred to as “Glock switches,” which enable semi-automatic pistols to fire as fully automatic weapons. The Senate concurred 24-2 with House changes. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the legislation into law Wednesday.
HB 243, sponsored by Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, removes part of the property and construction taxes from private use industrial property, tangible property and taxable services after June 1, 2026, and requires the local tax collecting official and Department of Revenue to collect the money and deposit it into the Alabama Development Fund. The bill passed 27-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 93, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollingers Island, would exempt the personal property of members of the Alabama State Port Authority from being audited. The bill passed 28-0 and goes to the House.
SB 156, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, would give some people sentenced to life in prison under the state’s Habitual Offender Law before May 26, 2000 to have their sentences reviewed. The bill passed 17-8 and goes to the House.
SB 177, sponsored by Sen. Lance Bell, R-Pell City, would rename the Alabama Film Office the Alabama Entertainment Office and allow up to $3 million in unspent incentives to be carried forward each year. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.
SB 200, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, would change the name of “drug courts” to “accountability courts” and to include offenders with mental illness and offenders who are veterans. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.
HB 159, sponsored by Rep. Joe Lovvorn, R-Auburn, renames the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
SB 106, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, would raise the Small Estates Act distribution threshold to the combined maximum amount allowed for homestead allowance, exempt property, and family allowance. It passed 33-0. It goes to the House.
SB 133, sponsored by Sen. David Sessions, R-Grand Bay, would require juvenile courts to notify the local school superintendent or private school principal in writing when a student is charged with or found guilty of a serious crime that would be a Class A or B felony if committed by an adult. It passed 29-0. It goes to the House.
Wednesday, March 19
House
HB 347, sponsored by Rep. Chris Blackshear, R-Smiths Station, would abolish the office of constable in Russell County on June 1. The bill passed 18-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 348, sponsored by Rep. Chris Blackshear, R-Smiths Station, allows the Russell County Commission to increase the probate recording fee from $5 to $10. The bill passed 14-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 349, sponsored by Rep. Chris Blackshear, R-Smiths Station, increases the annual salary of the sheriff of Russell County from $120,000 to $135,000, effective June 1. The bill passed 15-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 413, sponsored by Rep. Chad Robertson, R-Heflin, sets the salary for the sheriff and revenue commissioner of Cleburne County at $72,000, effective January 2027, and enrolls them in cost-of-living increases effective October 2028. The bill passed 16-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 417, sponsored by Rep. Troy Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, alters the boundaries and corporate limits of the city of Eclectic in Elmore County. The bill passed 17-1. It goes to the Senate.
SB 127, sponsored by Rep. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, allows the Calhoun County Commission to increase daily compensation for members of the Calhoun County Board of Registrars on days the board meets and conducts business. The bill passed 18-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 352, sponsored by Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, increases the assessment levy on the sale of cotton bales from $1 to $1.30 per bale. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 346, sponsored by Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, removes 100-hour practice requirement for certification of retired physicians who volunteer in hospitals. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
SB 47, sponsored by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, provides civil liability protections for members of community emergency response teams who have completed FEMA-recognized training. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
SB 54, sponsored by Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, criminalizes unauthorized interference with critical infrastructure facilities, including damage or use of drones, and increases penalties for tampering with sectors like energy and transportation. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to Gov. Ivey.
SB 78, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, criminalizes the possession, use or sale of inhalants such as butyl nitrite, nitrous oxide and amyl nitrite for people under 21 years old. The bill passed 102-0. The Senate concurred in House changes and sent the bill to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 336, sponsored by Rep. Kenyatté Hassell, D-Montgomery, allows Alabama to join the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, enabling licensed respiratory therapists to practice in multiple states. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 360, sponsored by Rep. Chad Robertson, R-Heflin, changes “drug courts” to “accountability courts” and expands their scope to include offenders with mental illnesses or those who are veterans. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 359, sponsored by Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Birmingham, adds Parkinson’s disease to the list of occupational diseases for firefighters. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 141, sponsored by Rep. Kenyatté Hassell, D-Montgomery, allows state employees to use pre-tax salary deductions to purchase household items like washing machines. The House voted 103-0 to concur with a Senate amendment that said deductions could not be used for political donations. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
Senate
SB 65, sponsored by Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, would change the boundary lines and corporate limits of the Town of Paint Rock in Jackson County. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.
SB 44, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, would propose a local constitutional amendment to prohibit any additional sales and use tax in the county except when approved by a majority vote of the qualified electors of the area where the proposed tax will be paid. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.
HB 193, sponsored by Rep. Ben Robbins, R- Sylacauga, removes certain property from the corporate limits of the town of Bon Air and adds it to the city of Childersburg. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 87, sponsored by Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Linden, increases the expense allowance of the Marengo County coroner from $400 to $1,000 a month; authorizes the Marengo County Commission to approve future increases and authorizes the commission to hire a deputy coroner. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 211, sponsored by Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, would allow the Calhoun County Commission to regulate halfway houses and similar facilities. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 210, sponsored by Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, would increase Calhoun County’s coroner’s base salary to $54,570 starting in 2027 and raise the salaries of assistant coroners from $4,800 to $6,100. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 104, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, allows the governing body of a Class 2 municipality to determine whether debris is a public nuisance and remove it. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 101, sponsored by Rep. Mark Shirey, R-Mobile, allows the Mobile County sheriff to create guidelines for using the Sheriff’s Office credit or debit card. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
SB 221, sponsored by Sen. Jack Williams, R-Wilmer, would create a $49,000 expense allowance for the Mobile County Probate Judge beginning June 1, then increase the judge’s base salary by $49,000 in 2031, at which point the allowance will be ended. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.
SB 224, sponsored by Sen. David Sessions, R-Grand Bay, would direct the Mobile County sheriff to administer and supervise all electronic monitoring of pretrial defendants in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Alabama. The bill passed 30-0. It goes the House.
SB 219, sponsored by Sen. Randy Price, R-Opelika, would authorize the Clay County sheriff to sell certain abandoned, stolen, and unclaimed property at public auction. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.
SB 220, sponsored by Sen. Randy Price, R-Opelika, would authorize the Clay County sheriff to conduct fundraising events. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.
HB 110, sponsored by Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, continues the State Board of Medical Examiners and the Medical Licensure Commission through October 1, 2027, and makes employees and board members subject to the state ethics laws. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the governor.
HB 111, sponsored by Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview, continues the Home Builders Licensure Board through Oct. 1, 2029. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the governor.
HB 118, sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, continues the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners through Oct. 1, 2029. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the governor.
HB 122, sponsored by Rep. Kerry Underwood, R-Tuscumbia, continues the Board of Physical Therapy through Oct. 1, 2029. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the governor.
Thursday, March 20
House
HB 422, sponsored by Rep. Chris Blackshear, R-Smiths Station, repeals a 1969 law on the distribution of state gas excise tax revenues to incorporated municipalities in Russell County. The bill passed 15-0. It goes to the Senate.
SB 41, sponsored by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, allows the Calhoun County Commission to regulate halfway houses and similar facilities, including setting permit, size, location and occupancy requirements. The bill passed with a House committee substitute that removed the bill’s expiration date 13-0. It goes back to the Senate for concurrence or a conference committee.
HB 258, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns, R-Birmingham, changes the primary election date in off-presidential years from the fourth Tuesday in May to the second Tuesday in May. The bill passed 98-1. It goes to the Senate.
HB 363, sponsored by Rep. James Lomax, R-Huntsville, prohibits people without legal status from contributing to campaigns, political parties or political action committees. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 95, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, requires that when a residential property with an HVAC system is sold, the manufacturer’s warranty on the system automatically transfers to the new owner, without any transfer fee, as long as the warranty is still valid. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
SB 198, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, establishes the Alabama National Guard Legal Services Office and Legal Assistance Program, defining positions and duties for judge advocates and paralegals, and allowing them to perform notary acts. The bill was substituted for HB 328, sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, and passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 361, sponsored by Rep. Matthew Hammett, R-Dozier, grants the Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe the authority to hire certified police officers to maintain security on tribal property. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 152, sponsored by Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, exempts baby formula, maternity clothing and menstrual hygiene products from the state sales tax. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 234, sponsored by Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, requires schools by 2030 to have designated employees carrying emergency response system to be used for medical emergencies and security. The bill passed 58-30. It goes to the Senate.
HB 148, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Greenhill, ensures that vehicles registered in other states comply with the insurance requirements of their home state. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to the Senate.
SB 222, sponsored by Rep. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, authorizes medical clinic boards leasing property to health care providers in bankruptcy to adjust their debts under federal law. The bill passed 102-0. It goes back to the Senate for concurrence or a conference committee.
SB 199, sponsored by Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile gives paid parental leave to all state employees and educators. It was substituted for HB 327, sponsored by Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg. The bill passed 94-2. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 285, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, requires law enforcement to notify the emergency contact of a minor for traffic infractions. The bill passed 99-1. It goes to the Senate.
HB 384, sponsored by Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, defines corn masa and requires corn masa products sold in Alabama to be enriched with folic acid. The bill passed 91-7. It goes to the Senate.
SB 25, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Garland Gudger, R-Cullman, directs proceeds from alcoholic beverage sales tax in community development districts to a special fund for grants supporting local education, community and tourism activities. The House concurred with an executive amendment from Gov. Kay Ivey that only applies the legislation to Cullman County.
Senate
SB 252, sponsored by Sen. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton, would create new regulations and restrictions on reimbursements and fees pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) charge to pharmacies. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to the House.
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