Legislative Summary

As we enter the final third of the session, the focus this week has been on advancing bills from their house of origin. With only 7 days remaining and each bill taking at least 5 days to pass, many bills are in motion.

This week was a two-day session, with Wednesday primarily dedicated to committee meetings. There was a notable decrease in the number of bills introduced, with 336 pending in the Senate and 473 in the House of Representatives.

Most of the bills introduced this week were local, with others covering workforce development, innovation, and a proposed change to the putative fathers registry.

Both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Judiciary Committee had full agendas. The Senate Judiciary Committee debated bills related to electioneering, AI images, virtual inmate participation in parole hearings, and various criminal matters. Meanwhile, the House Judiciary Committee addressed issues including district attorney immunity, asbestos actions, updates to the Alabama Business and Nonprofit Entities Code, and expansion of the involuntary commitment statute.

The week saw late-night sessions and numerous lengthy debates as both chambers worked through their extensive calendars. The House passed the education budget, while the Senate dealt with bills ranging from workforce and economic development to local issues and sunset reviews for expiring legislation.

In terms of fee increases, there was only one new bill introduced this week, affecting the Cleburne County sheriff. The other pending proposed fee increases are as follows:

• HB85 Marion County – $30 fee per document; proceeds to Sheriff
• HB311 Baldwin County – increase from $30 per document filed to $60 per document filed with majority of proceeds to the Sheriff
• HB384 Tuscaloosa County -increase from $12.50 per document to $60 per document and increase to $85 for out of county; majority of proceeds to Sheriff and District Attorney
• HB431 Houston County – increase fee by $20 per case for county jail and District Attorneys
• SB263 Etowah County – $35 fee per document for Sheriff

As always, the Alabama State Bar encourages all members to be aware of legislation that may impact court costs and fees. Access to justice is a priority. Please be aware of advertisements that may be occurring for local bills and those that may already be filed to use the courts as a fundraiser for non-court entities. We encourage you to be informed and notify us as well.

LEGISLATIVE TRACKING

The Alabama State Bar provides legislative status reports concerning pending legislation that may be of interest to our members, with direct links to the actual legislation. The reports divide legislation into the following categories for your convenience: civil/general, court costs, criminal, domestic relations, elections ethics and government relations (EEGR), tax, and judicial.

You can find our comprehensive updated bill-tracking spreadsheet here.

LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR

The 2024 regular session of the Alabama Legislature will continue as follows:

• The Senate has adjourned until Tuesday, Apr. 23, at 2:00 p.m.
• The House has adjourned until Tuesday, Apr. 23, at 1:00 p.m.