Alabama Administrative Procedure Act; standard of judicial review revised regarding agency's interpretation of law

This bill changes how Alabama courts review state agency interpretations of laws. Currently, courts may assume agency interpretations are correct, but the bill would require courts to treat reasonable agency interpretations favorably without presuming they are right. It directly affects state agencies (like environmental or health departments) and courts handling administrative law cases. The key change replaces existing language to emphasize that courts must consider the meaning and effect of agency actions without bias toward correctness, focusing instead on whether interpretations are reasonable. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee.