SB 145 removes the expiration date for a 6% tax that privately operated hospitals in Alabama pay on net patient revenue. This tax currently funds Medicaid payments to hospitals and was scheduled to end on September 30, 2028. The bill makes the tax permanent, ensuring ongoing funding for Medicaid hospital payments without a set termination date. It directly affects private hospitals, which will continue paying this assessment to support Medicaid program financing.
HB 146 permits pharmacists in Alabama to dispense Ivermectin without an individual prescription to patients aged 19 or older, or minors under 19 with parental consent. This requires a "standing order" from a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, which must include a risk assessment protocol, patient information on usage and risks, and documentation procedures. The bill prohibits healthcare providers or pharmacists from promoting Ivermectin use or accepting inducements to encourage its use, and protects them from licensing disciplinary action for following the standing order. It directly affects pharmacists, qualifying healthcare providers, and patients seeking Ivermectin for non-approved uses, while maintaining existing medical liability standards.
HB 364 requires doctors and nurse practitioners to discuss specific opioid risks with patients before prescribing an initial and third prescription for Schedule II opioids or opioid pain medications. The discussion must cover addiction risks, alternatives to opioids, dangers of mixing opioids with alcohol or sedatives, and dependence risks, with providers documenting this in medical records. It does not apply to cancer patients in active treatment, hospice/palliative care patients, long-term care residents, or those prescribed opioids for substance abuse treatment. The bill affects healthcare providers and patients receiving opioid prescriptions for acute or chronic pain, aiming to improve informed decision-making.
SB 144 removes the expiration date for a quarterly fee paid by emergency medical transport providers (like ambulance services) in Alabama. Currently, this assessment - calculated based on providers' revenue from emergency transports and capped at 5.3% - funds Medicaid enhancements for ambulance services and expires July 1, 2028. The bill makes this fee permanent, ensuring ongoing funding for ambulance service maintenance and expansion without a set end date. It affects all Alabama emergency medical transport providers who must report quarterly data to the state. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 177 requires all health benefit plans sold in Alabama to cover breast cancer screening and diagnostic breast exams without charging insured individuals any deductible, copayment, or coinsurance. It directly affects Alabamians who rely on health insurance for these services, expanding existing coverage for mammograms (for women 40+) to include diagnostic imaging of breast abnormalities. The bill mandates that insurers provide these specific screenings at no out-of-pocket cost, applying to all health benefit plans (excluding limited policies like dental or accident coverage). The law takes effect on October 1, 2026.
HB 324 requires AI chatbot providers to verify the age of all users through a strict process (like government ID, not just birth dates) and prevents minors under 19 from accessing chatbots with human-like features (e.g., those suggesting sentience or emotional bonding). It mandates providers to offer a simplified version without such features to minors if reasonable, implement safety protocols to detect and respond to emergencies (like self-harm), and limit data collection to what’s necessary for legitimate purposes. Therapeutic chatbots meeting specific standards, prescribed by a licensed psychiatrist, may still be used by minors. The bill directly affects AI chatbot providers and minors, creating enforceable requirements without banning chatbots entirely.
SB 152 increases the administrative funding for Alabama's food stamp program from 5% to 7.5% of statewide benefits issued, directly affecting the Department of Human Resources (DHR). It also changes how the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is funded by removing its requirement to be prioritized against use tax revenue, instead allowing other state revenue sources to support CHIP. The bill amends specific sections of Alabama law to adjust the distribution of sales and use tax funds, ensuring DHR receives a fixed annual amount for food stamp administration while providing flexibility for CHIP funding. These changes are limited to administrative adjustments in tax fund allocation, with no new program benefits or eligibility changes.
HB 300 requires all health insurance plans sold in Alabama that cover breast exams to provide screening and diagnostic mammograms without charging deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. It directly affects Alabama residents with health insurance, ensuring no out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary breast screenings under the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines. The bill covers both routine screening exams (for high-risk individuals) and diagnostic exams (to evaluate abnormalities), but excludes limited policies like dental-only or Medicare supplements. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB 294, the Alabama Professional Workforce Protection Act, creates a state list of professional careers requiring advanced education or licensing - including nursing, teaching, engineering, healthcare, and accounting - and mandates that individuals in these fields become eligible for existing state workforce development programs, scholarships, and loan repayment initiatives. The bill specifically includes occupations like registered nurses, teachers, mental health counselors, and licensed engineers, which were excluded from federal professional classifications. It requires state agencies to recognize these professions in workforce planning and program eligibility without altering existing licensing board authority. The law aims to address workforce shortages by ensuring these critical professions access state-supported career development resources.
SB 110 allows certified nurse practitioners and nurse midwives to endorse physical examination forms for K-12 student athletic participation, treating these endorsements as equivalent to physician signatures. Public schools must accept these nurse-endorsed forms for athletic eligibility, and schools cannot join athletic associations that refuse to accept them. The bill amends Alabama law to specifically include school sports physicals under existing nurse practitioner endorsement rules, ensuring consistency with other medical forms. This directly affects public K-12 schools, athletic associations, and certified nursing professionals providing student health services.
