Technology

HB 303 requires cryptocurrency kiosk operators in Alabama to provide clear, upfront disclosures to consumers before transactions, including costs, fees, and exchange rates, and display warnings about common fraud schemes (like impersonation scams or fake lottery offers). Operators must give consumers a physical or digital receipt for each transaction and send a digital copy to the Alabama Securities Commission. The bill also mandates refunds for fraudulently induced transactions and requires operators to establish a consumer service line and direct communication with law enforcement. Violations could trigger civil or criminal penalties.

SB 70 expands Alabama's law against transmitting obscene material to children by making it illegal to send such material to someone the sender *believes* is a child, not just to actual minors. The bill specifically targets online content depicting nudity, sexual conduct, or extreme sexual acts, whether real or simulated. It maintains the offense as a Class B felony, requiring adult trials with no option for record sealing or expungement. This change directly affects individuals who send inappropriate material online while mistakenly believing the recipient is underage, broadening the scope of the existing law.

This bill updates Alabama's doxing law by making it a crime to intentionally share someone's personal information (like home addresses or photos of their children) online with the intent that others use it to harass or harm them, even if no actual harm occurs. It increases penalties for repeat offenses and specifically targets doxing directed at law enforcement officers, firefighters, or public servants, with higher penalties when these individuals are harmed or impeded in their duties. The law explicitly excludes protected political speech and publishing public officials' contact information for lobbying purposes. Penalties range from a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense to a Class B felony for repeat offenses targeting public servants.

HB 75 requires Alabama public high schools to excuse students from class during instructional time for organized National Signing Day events related to athletic scholarships, college commitments, apprenticeships, or military enlistment. The bill directly affects high school students participating in these specific opportunities, ensuring they can attend without academic penalties. Schools must provide reasonable accommodations like meeting spaces with internet access for these activities. The law would take effect on October 1, 2026, if passed.

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.

HB 4 establishes the Alabama Broadband Investment Maximization Act, exempting purchases of broadband equipment and supplies for projects funded or administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) from state sales and use taxes. This directly affects ADECA-funded broadband infrastructure projects by reducing their costs. The exemption covers equipment like cables, antennas, and routers used for broadband services or internet access, but excludes personal devices such as smartphones and consumer routers. The tax exemption applies from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2029, and does not extend to local county or municipal taxes unless specifically approved.