HB 359 Alabama House · 2026 Regular Session

Amend the Sweet Home Alabama Tourism Investment Act; increase supplemental tax rebate; require certification of project costs

HB 359 amends Alabama's Sweet Home Alabama Tourism Investment Act to clarify that a $2.5 million annual tax rebate is supplemental to the initial award, not a replacement. It directly affects tourism companies seeking tax rebates for certified projects like resorts, attractions, or entertainment complexes. The bill requires these companies to document actual project costs through certification by an independent CPA, ensuring transparency about expenses. This change aims to verify that rebate amounts align with verified project investments, rather than estimated costs.

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House Passage

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

Signed into Law

Mar 2026

Introduced Jan 29, 2026 Signed Mar 5, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Enrolled · 6 edits · Mar 5, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as Enrolled, adding specific definitions for eligible projects and costs while removing a previous synopsis. The scope now explicitly includes mega-projects, resorts, and historic attractions, but excludes expansions of existing approved projects and certain retail types like grocery or discount stores. New requirements mandate that project costs be certified by an independent accountant to ensure accuracy before tax rebates are issued.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to define specific types of qualifying projects (e.g., mega-projects, resorts, historic districts) and explicitly excluded expansions of previously approved projects and specific retail categories from eligibility.

DEFINITION

Added detailed definitions for 'Approved Costs' and 'Capital Investment' to clarify exactly which expenses qualify for tax rebates.

Reorganized and expanded the definition of 'Certified Tourism Destination Project' to include a comprehensive list of eligible attractions and specific exclusions.

ELIGIBILITY

Established specific investment thresholds for different project types, such as $75 million for mega-projects and $35 million for resorts or historic attractions.

Explicitly excluded expansions of existing approved projects and specific retail activities (e.g., grocery, discount, and convenience stores) from eligibility for tax rebates.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the introductory synopsis and preliminary explanatory text that was present in the Introduced version.

Added a requirement for approved companies to obtain certification from an independent certified public accountant regarding actual project costs.

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 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 659

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported Out of Committee Second House

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Pending Committee Action in Second House (Finance and Taxation Education)

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 335

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

lower

Jan 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Economic Development and Tourism)

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors