HB 362 Alabama House · 2026 Regular Session

National Guard; duties of Legal Services Office positions revised and further provide for

HB 362 revises the job duties for legal positions within the Alabama National Guard's Legal Services Office. It specifically clarifies responsibilities for roles including State Staff Judge Advocates, General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, and various Associate General Counsels. The bill details their duties in areas like military justice, contract and financial advice, legal training, and supporting military personnel matters. These changes affect only internal National Guard legal staff, not the public or external entities. The bill aims to streamline legal service delivery within the Guard's structure by updating role descriptions.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Mar 2026

Introduced Jan 29, 2026 Signed Mar 31, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Enrolled · 5 edits · Mar 31, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized and enrolled, incorporating significant substantive changes to the duties of the Alabama National Guard's Legal Services Office. The most critical addition is the requirement for the State Staff Judge Advocate to certify that all legal personnel are professionally qualified and maintain high ethical standards. Additionally, the bill expanded the scope of legal advice to include environmental law, labor law, and contract law, while clarifying the General Counsel's role in managing litigation and fiscal issues.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include new areas of legal advice such as environmental and labor law, and it added specific certification requirements for legal staff.

REQUIREMENT

Added a mandatory requirement for the State Staff Judge Advocate to certify that all judge advocates are professionally qualified and maintain high ethical and moral behavior.

Added new duties for the State Staff Judge Advocate to provide legal advice on environmental law, labor and civilian personnel law, and fiscal and tax law.

Added a specific duty for the General Counsel to supervise all Alabama National Guard and State Military Department litigation and appeals.

Added a duty for the General Counsel to supervise and provide technical guidance regarding military justice and administrative law.

DEFINITION

Clarified the scope of the Legal Services Office by explicitly listing specific legal disciplines it covers, including international and operational law.

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

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 776

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported Out of Committee Second House

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Pending Committee Action in Second House (Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Safety)

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 553

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 (Military and Veterans' Affairs)

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors