HB 423 exempts Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers Incorporated from paying state sales and use taxes. It also allows Alabama cities and counties to choose to exempt this specific organization from local sales and use taxes. The bill applies only to this particular Goodwill chapter, not all similar organizations, and would take effect on September 1, 2026. This is a targeted tax exemption with no broader policy changes.
This bill extends the deadline for executing and returning search warrants specifically for DNA evidence collection from 10 days to 60 days. It applies only to warrants used to collect DNA reference samples for forensic analysis, such as when investigating leads from DNA databases. Law enforcement agencies would have more time to process these warrants without them becoming invalid. The change takes effect October 1, 2026, as part of amendments to Alabama Code Section 15-5-12.
HB 111 prohibits human cloning by making it a Class C felony, criminalizing actions like creating a genetically identical human embryo or trafficking related materials. It directly affects individuals or entities performing human cloning procedures, such as using genetic material from somatic cells to create a human embryo. The bill explicitly excludes in vitro fertilization, fertility treatments, and scientific research (e.g., cloning for medical or agricultural purposes involving non-human cells, tissues, or organisms) from the prohibition. This law aims to ban reproductive human cloning while preserving existing medical and scientific practices.
HB 301 authorizes the Southeastern Mvskoke Nation (a tribe recognized by Alabama) to hire its own certified police officers to protect tribal property, employees, and residents. The bill specifies these officers can arrest individuals for trespassing, disorderly conduct, or other offenses committed on tribal land without a warrant, and handle felony arrests under defined conditions. Crucially, the tribe must fund these officers entirely with its own resources - no state or local law enforcement funds may be used. The officers’ authority is strictly limited to tribal land, except when pursuing offenders or making felony arrests related to the reservation.
HB 123 exempts the Cook Museum of Natural Science and the McWane Science Center from paying state sales and use taxes. Local counties or municipalities may also choose to exempt these institutions from local sales and use taxes, following existing tax exemption procedures. The bill takes effect on September 1, 2026, providing tax relief for these specific educational institutions. This policy change directly affects the two museums' operational costs by removing a financial burden related to sales and use taxes.
This bill establishes a new criminal offense for intentionally disrupting a scheduled religious worship service. It applies to individuals who enter a church building or adjacent property (including mosques, synagogues, or other religious sites) with the intent to disrupt and then engage in rioting, disorderly conduct, harassment of participants, or blocking access to the property. A first violation is punishable as a Class C felony, while repeat offenses require a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence. The law, set to take effect on October 1, 2026, directly affects those who target religious gatherings through such disruptive actions.
HB 281 modifies Alabama's child custody law to streamline temporary emergency custody orders under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act (UCCJEA). It removes the requirement for courts to explicitly state that a temporary emergency custody order becomes final, instead automatically making such orders final after six months if no other custody proceeding is filed in the proper state. This directly affects families involved in urgent custody situations where a child is moved across state lines during an emergency, such as abuse or abandonment. The key change simplifies the process by eliminating a court's explicit step, ensuring temporary orders gain final status without further action if unresolved within six months.
HB 37 would change Alabama's penalties for drivers who flee or attempt to elude law enforcement. If passed, courts must sentence convicted offenders to a minimum of 60 days in jail (replacing the prior requirement for license suspension only), and must also suspend their driver's license for six months to two years. The bill also requires that anyone arrested for this offense be held in custody for at least 48 hours without bond or release. This law directly affects drivers convicted of eluding police, increasing both the mandatory jail time and pretrial detention period. The changes apply to all cases where a driver intentionally flees an officer's attempt to stop them.
HB 26 would require parole or probation officers to restrict certain adult sex offenders (those convicted of offenses involving children) from using post office boxes or electronic devices with internet access, such as computers, tablets, or phones. It also mandates that courts or the Board of Pardons and Paroles may require these offenders to complete sex offender treatment, including periodic polygraph exams, as a condition of release. Violating these restrictions or treatment requirements would be a Class C felony. The bill applies specifically to sex offenders under community supervision (like parole or probation) and authorizes the Board to create rules for implementing the treatment program, which would include cost-sharing based on the offender’s ability to pay. The bill is pending in the Alabama House Judiciary Committee and would take effect October 1, 2026, if passed.
HR 187 is a non-binding resolution commending Jerry Bassett, a longtime Alabama legislative staffer, for receiving the Council of State Governments' Distinguished Service to the States Award. The resolution recognizes Bassett's 24-year service as Director of the Legislative Reference Service (1991-2015) and his national work on uniform law drafting committees, including chairing the Suggested State Legislation Committee for decades. It formally expresses the Alabama House of Representatives' "utmost respect" for his contributions to state legislative processes and consistency in state law across the U.S. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy changes or direct impact on constituents.
HR 185 is a symbolic resolution commending Reverend Jeffery Black for his 10 years as pastor of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Adamsville, Alabama. It recognizes his pastoral service, theological education, work at Arrington Funeral Home, and personal resilience through family losses. The resolution offers "heartfelt congratulations" and "deepest admiration" on his pastoral anniversary without creating any new laws or affecting policy. This is a ceremonial gesture, not a substantive legislative measure.
This resolution (HR 186) commends Zoie Grace McGuyer and her nonprofit organization "Saving Grace: We Hear You" for their work supporting children affected by abuse. It recognizes their efforts to educate communities about abuse indicators, donate therapeutic activity books to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) programs, and advocate for children who cannot speak for themselves in court. The resolution specifically highlights their partnership with CASA, which provides trained advocates for children in legal proceedings, and notes they've donated over 800 free books to children in need. As a commemorative resolution, it has no policy impact or funding provisions.
