HB 543 Alabama House · 2026 Regular Session

Lawrence County; sheriff, use of credit card or debit card authorized

This bill authorizes the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office to use credit or debit cards for approved purchases of property and services. It requires the sheriff to establish written policies that set spending limits, ensure secure card access, maintain purchase records, and review monthly bills for accuracy and timely payment. The sheriff must also select a card provider based on fees, rewards, and penalties, with any rewards earned deposited into the office's discretionary fund. The law explicitly states that this authorization does not allow the sheriff to spend more money than legally appropriated or create county debt.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Mar 3, 2026 Signed Apr 1, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Enrolled · 3 edits · Apr 1, 2026
MINOR
The bill was finalized and enrolled, changing its status from 'Introduced' to 'Enrolled' and updating internal reference numbers. The core policy text regarding the sheriff's authority to use credit or debit cards remained substantively unchanged, though minor formatting adjustments were made to the page headers and line numbering.
Scope change
No change in scope or applicability; the bill applies to the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office as originally introduced.
TECHNICAL

The bill title was updated from 'HB543 INTRODUCED' to 'HB543 ENROLLED', and the internal tracking number was changed from DGXZWTN-1 to DGXZWTN-2 to reflect its final status.

Page headers and line numbering were adjusted to conform to the official enrolled format, removing draft markers and adding certification signatures for the House and Senate.

The text 'Enrolled, An Act' was inserted at the beginning of the bill body to formally indicate the document's final legislative status.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Actions timeline

Total actions
16
Key actions
6
Committee
4
Mar 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 872
upper
Mar 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported Out of Committee Second House
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Pending Committee Action in Second House (Local Legislation )
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 800
lower
Mar 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Local Legislation)
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Ernie Yarbrough
Ernie Yarbrough
RRepublican
AL
7