2026 Alabama Legislative Update: Regular Session - Week Three

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Predator Death Penalty Act

This week, the House passed the Child Predator Death Penalty Act, sponsored by Matt Simpson. This legislation would make the first‑degree rape, sodomy, or sexual torture of a child under 12 a capital offense. While being debated on the House floor, lawmakers noted that constitutional questions remain, but the law reflects a renewed effort to strengthen penalties for the most severe crimes against children. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration, where it is expected to pass.

App Store Age‑Verification Requirements

The Senate Children and Youth Health Committee gave a favorable report to legislation related to app stores by Representative Chris Sells. The legislation would establish age‑verification requirements for major app store providers, requiring app stores to verify users’ ages, link minor accounts to a parent or guardian, and obtain parental consent before a minor can download or purchase an app. The bill also includes privacy and consumer‑protection provisions, restricting the sharing of age‑verification data and outlining developer responsibilities related to parental consent. Supporters characterized the legislation as an additional safeguard for families as children spend more time online. The legislation now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

Restrictions on Dark Money Political Donations

On Thursday, Senator Arthur Orr introduced legislation aimed at increasing transparency around so‑called “dark money” in Alabama elections. The bill would prohibit nonprofits from contributing to principal campaign committees unless they register with the Secretary of State as political donor organizations and use a separate, segregated fund for any political spending. It also requires disclosure of contributors giving more than $100 in a twelve‑month period and bars nonprofits from contributing to or making expenditures on behalf of PACs. This legislation is similar to legislation contemplated during the 2016 legislative session. The legislation will now be considered by the Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee. 

Screen Time Limits for Early Childhood Programs

This week, the full House passed legislation limiting screen time for young children in licensed childcare centers and early learning environments. This legislation would limit screen time for young children in licensed child care facilities and certain classrooms. Specifically, the bill would require child care centers, public kindergarten classrooms, and certain pre‑K programs to follow screentime guidelines developed by the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education in collaboration with other departments and agencies. The bill would cap screen use for children ages two through four and prohibit individual screen use. The legislation does not alter existing restrictions for children under two. Lawmakers pointed to rising concerns about the developmental impact of excessive screen exposure in early childhood.

University of Alabama School of Social Work Restructuring

On Thursday, the House passed legislation, sponsored by Danny Garrett,  removing the statutory requirement that the University of Alabama maintain a standalone School of Social Work. The change would allow the university to restructure the program as needed, while maintaining its academic offerings in the field. Supporters emphasized that the shift is intended to provide administrative flexibility and align the university with modern organizational practices.

English‑Only Driver’s License Examinations

This week, legislation sponsored by Representative Phillip Pettus, requiring all components of the driver’s license examination, written, vision, and road to be administered exclusively in English, was debated in the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. The bill would also prohibit the use of translators or translation devices during testing. Proponents of the legislation argued that consistent language standards support road‑safety goals, while opponents raised accessibility and fairness concerns. This legislation did not receive a vote this week and will be reconsidered by the committee. 

“Save Our Bay” Dredging Legislation

The House passed legislation, sponsored by Representative Rhett Marques and Senator Chris Elliott, requiring that at least 70% of dredged material from Mobile Bay be put to beneficial use, such as marsh creation or shoreline protection. Previous questions regarding the funding of this project have now been addressed. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Marijuana Use in Vehicles with Children Present 

Legislation, sponsored by Representative Patrick Sellers, establishing a Class A misdemeanor for smoking or vaping marijuana in a motor vehicle when a child is present, passed the House this week after debate on the House floor. Notably, this bill also requires mandatory reporting to child‑welfare authorities in cases where a child is exposed to marijuana smoke and mandates participation in an educational program for offenders. This legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Laken Riley Act

The House Judiciary Committee advanced the Laken Riley Act, sponsored by Representative Ernie Yarbrough, which would authorize state and local law enforcement agencies to enter into federal agreements to assist with immigration‑enforcement activities. The bill has drawn substantial debate, with discussions centered on probable‑cause standards and the scope of state involvement in federal immigration processes. It now moves toward consideration in the full House.

Status of the Legislature

The legislature used two working days this week, bringing its current total to eight of its allotted 30 legislative working days. 

As of January 30, 364 bills have been filed in the House, and 238 bills have been filed in the Senate.

The House will reconvene on Tuesday, February 3, at 1:00 PM, and the Senate will reconvene on the same day at 3:00 PM. Upon return, the legislature will use two working days.