Fiscal Responsibility

SB 282 amends Alabama law to allow the Alabama Department of Revenue to issue certificates of title for manufactured homes model year 1999 and earlier upon request from current owners. Currently, these older homes are excluded from title issuance, creating a barrier for owners seeking to transfer or secure their property. The bill authorizes the Department to process these title applications, updating the existing code to reflect this change. This policy change directly affects owners of pre-1999 manufactured homes who previously could not obtain a title, effective June 1, 2026.

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow the Alabama Legislature to participate in any authority that issues bonds or takes on debt. Under this change, the Legislature could pass laws enabling full legislative involvement in bonding authorities, including the power to override decisions to issue bonds or incur debt. The amendment would require voter approval through a statewide election before it becomes part of the state constitution. If passed, this would give lawmakers direct control over debt-related decisions that currently may be made by other authorities. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet been fully debated or voted on.

HB 480 changes how Alabama counties and municipalities distribute sales tax revenue from the simplified sellers use tax (SSUT). It requires each county and municipality to allocate a minimum of 40% of their SSUT proceeds to local school boards serving their area, instead of keeping the funds for general use. This applies to all counties and municipalities that haven't already adopted such a policy by October 1, 2027. The bill takes effect January 1, 2028, redirecting existing sales tax revenue directly to public schools. It repeals the current monthly distribution requirement for these funds.

HB 402 would streamline Alabama's land bank system by shortening the redemption period for tax-delinquent properties to one year, allowing local land banks to acquire such properties more quickly through public auctions. The bill restricts the geographic areas where land banks can operate, eliminates the public notice requirement for selling land, and grants tax exemptions to properties owned by land banks. It also enables multiple counties to form joint land banks through agreements, permits land banks to transfer properties for flood management, and requires a portion of future property taxes on sold land to be returned to the land bank for five years. Additionally, the Governor would gain authority to create a land bank by executive order during emergencies.

SB 95 proposes to revise the compensation structure for the board of directors of the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority, a public corporation providing bulk electric power to municipalities. Currently, board members can receive up to $600 per meeting, subject to a unanimous vote. This bill would change this to a monthly fee, allowing board members to be paid up to $1,750 per month and the board chair up to $2,000 per month.