This bill requires money transmission businesses in Alabama to report large or suspicious cash transactions to the state Securities Commission and imposes a 1.5% fee on outgoing international wire transfers. The collected fees would be placed in a state fund and distributed to local sheriffs to help cover immigration law enforcement costs, while taxpayers who pay these fees would receive an income tax credit to offset the charges. The legislation also establishes criminal and civil penalties for businesses that fail to comply with reporting requirements and creates a study commission to monitor how the fee proceeds are used. These provisions would remain in effect until December 31, 2030, when they are scheduled to be repealed.
This bill requires law enforcement agencies across Alabama to annually report the number of sworn officers they employ to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Commission. The reports must be submitted by July 1, 2026, and February 1 each year thereafter, and must include details about whether officers are certified by the state's peace officers standards commission. The information collected will be shared with the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency and Attorney General, who will compile and publish the data on their official website. Agencies that fail to submit these reports face penalties including fines, potential removal of officials from office, and loss of eligibility for state grant funding. The bill also authorizes the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to create rules to implement these reporting requirements.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to authorize the Covington County Sheriff to sell abandoned, stolen, and unclaimed personal property and firearms, with proceeds used for law enforcement. The amendment requires the sheriff to maintain public records of recovered items and store them properly, while allowing immediate sale of perishable property without notice if owners cannot be found. Firearms would be sold only to licensed gun dealers through sealed bidding, and other unclaimed property would be auctioned publicly after proper notice and a six-month waiting period. Owners can reclaim their property before sale by proving ownership and paying recovery and storage costs. If unclaimed after six months, net proceeds from sales would be deposited into a dedicated fund for the sheriff's office to use at their discretion for law enforcement purposes.
This bill prohibits individuals from carrying firearms in specific Alabama municipalities without a valid form of identification. It applies only to Class 1 municipalities and Class 3 municipalities organized under Act 618, requiring people to produce ID when asked by law enforcement. The law allows individuals to avoid penalties if they can verify their identity to an officer even without physical ID, and courts must dismiss charges and expunge records if valid ID is later produced. Violations would result in a Class C misdemeanor charge. The bill would take effect on October 1, 2026.
This bill authorizes law enforcement officers in Crenshaw County to take individuals with mental illness into protective custody when they pose an immediate danger to themselves or others. The officer must transport the person to a hospital or treatment facility for evaluation, and if the individual does not consent, reasonable force may be used. The person must be released within 72 hours unless a judge orders further treatment, and the custody is not considered an arrest or criminal charge. Law enforcement officers and medical providers acting in good faith under this bill receive immunity from civil liability.
This bill modifies Alabama's child-care licensing rules by removing exemptions for facilities that operate on a for-profit basis or provide 24-hour care, requiring these entities to obtain licenses regardless of their previous status. It expands the Department of Human Resources' authority to create regulations specifically governing video surveillance and data retention in child-care settings. Additionally, the bill grants law enforcement agencies the power to enter child-care facilities without notice during child abuse investigations and allows private individuals to file lawsuits against facilities that violate child-care laws.
This bill would allow Winston County to collect an eight percent lodging tax on overnight stays at hotels, motels, inns, and short-term rentals, with the tax paid by guests and collected by lodging providers. The collected funds would be distributed to road and bridge improvements, the sheriff's office for law enforcement, and the county general fund for tourism development and debt repayment on the judicial building and jail. Additionally, the bill imposes a five dollar per night fire protection fee on transient accommodations, with the proceeds distributed equally among volunteer fire departments in the county. Both the lodging tax and fire protection fee would only take effect if approved by voters in a referendum held during the next state or local election.
HB 461 creates a new program at Marion Military Institute (MMI) that allows students to earn an associate's degree and complete the required basic training to become Alabama law enforcement officers. Graduates of this program receive provisional certification from the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission (APOST) upon graduation, which becomes full certification if they are hired by an Alabama law enforcement agency within six months. The bill requires APOST to recognize MMI as an official training academy and exempts students from needing full-time law enforcement employment while enrolled. This directly affects MMI students pursuing law enforcement careers by streamlining their certification path without requiring additional training after graduation.
HB 367 establishes a $30 booking fee for defendants convicted or who plead guilty in Randolph County circuit or district court cases. This fee is collected alongside other court costs and cannot be waived unless all other case-related fees are waived. The revenue from this fee must be sent monthly to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Fund for use in local law enforcement. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2026.
SB 263 establishes a new crime for abandoning animals in Alabama, defined as intentionally leaving an animal without care (risking injury, starvation, or death). It creates misdemeanor penalties for first offenses (Class A), escalating to felony charges (Class D) for repeat violations, animal injury/death, or abandoning five or more animals. Law enforcement can seize abandoned animals or order owners to provide care, with courts required to hold a hearing within 20 days to determine if the owner can safely regain custody. If the owner is unfit, the court may order euthanasia, transfer to a shelter, require payment for care costs, or impose a five-year ban on owning animals. The bill excludes lawful hunting, farming practices, veterinary care, and pest control from its provisions.
