Showing 3 of 3
bills
All technology bills
This bill establishes the Alabama Centralized Grant Management Database within the Department of Economic and Community Affairs to create a single online platform for tracking grant opportunities. The database will list all available federal, state, local, and private grants for which Alabama entities are eligible, while also maintaining a voluntary registry of grant writers and technical assistance providers. State agencies must cooperate by providing grant information, and the department will offer guidance to help local governments, small businesses, and nonprofits identify and apply for funding. The system will be publicly accessible, and the department must submit annual reports to state leadership on usage and any operational challenges. Funding for the database will come through legislative appropriations, with the law taking effect on October 1, 2026.
HB 173 requires online platforms (like social media) to restrict algorithmic recommendations and content prioritization for minors under 18 unless parental consent is obtained or age is verified. It limits notification hours for minors, sets default platform settings to restrict access during certain times, and mandates tools for parents to enable stricter controls. Platforms must annually disclose specific data and face penalties under Alabama’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act for violations. The bill directly affects minors using covered platforms and the operators of those platforms.
HB 171 would require social media platforms to implement age verification or obtain parental consent before allowing minors under 18 to access algorithmically curated content streams ("addictive feeds"). It prohibits platforms from sending notifications to minors between midnight and 6 a.m. and mandates disclosure of how algorithms prioritize content. The bill authorizes Alabama's Attorney General to enforce these rules, allowing platforms to correct violations before legal action. This legislation directly affects social media operators hosting such feeds in Alabama and applies to users under 18, though it remains pending committee review.
