SB 36 Alabama Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Competitive bidding; contract protest procedures revised; requirements for submitting disclosure statements revised

SB 36 revises competitive bidding and contract protest procedures for government entities. It specifies that volunteer fire departments and rescue squads will be governed by local competitive bid laws. The bill shortens the deadline for protesting a competitive bid contract from 14 days to 5 days and exempts these protest procedures from the Administrative Procedure Act. Additionally, it modifies requirements for financial disclosure statements, allowing for alternative forms, annual submissions for multiple proposals, and exempting contracts with publicly traded companies and economic development incentives.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2024

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Dec 31, 2024 Signed May 6, 2025

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Enrolled · 5 edits · May 6, 2025

MODERATE

SB 36 was enacted as an enrolled bill, expanding state procurement laws to include volunteer fire departments and rescue squads under local competitive bid laws. The bill also shortened the protest deadline for competitive bids from 14 to 5 days, added new exemptions for certain entities like the Alabama State Port Authority, and revised disclosure statement requirements for public contracts.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include volunteer fire departments and rescue squads under state procurement rules, while also adding the Alabama State Port Authority as a separate entity with its own procurement procedures.

SCOPE

Volunteer fire departments and rescue squads are now subject to local competitive bid laws rather than being exempt.

TIMELINE

The deadline for filing a protest against a competitive bid contract was reduced from 14 days to 5 days.

ELIGIBILITY

The Alabama State Port Authority was added as a new entity with its own procurement procedures, separate from other state agencies.

REQUIREMENT

Disclosure statement requirements were revised to allow alternative forms and a single annual disclosure for multiple proposals to the same state agency.

EXEMPTIONS

New exemptions were added for contracts with publicly traded companies and awards of economic development incentives.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 268

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported Out of Committee Second House

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Pending Committee Action in Second House (County and Municipal Government)

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 51

upper

Feb 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (County and Municipal Government)

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors