2026 Alabama Legislative Update: Regular Session - Week Two

PDF

Trey’s Law

This week, both the House and Senate separately passed Trey’s Law, a law that would prohibit the usage of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in civil settlements in cases of sexual abuse or human trafficking. This legislation is part of a national effort to ban these NDAs in response to Trey Carlock, a Texas native, who was sexually abused at a boys' camp in Missouri and subsequently forced into signing a restrictive NDA. The traumatizing process led to Trey eventually taking his own life in his late twenties. The House version of the legislation will now move to the Senate, and the Senate version will move to the House. This legislation is expected to pass and be sent to the Governor for her signature in the coming weeks.

The App Store Accountability Act

The App Store Accountability Act, sponsored by Representative Chris Sells, passed the House on Thursday. 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. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Sickle Cell Oversight 

This week, the Senate unanimously passed legislation sponsored by Senator Coleman-Madison that would move the Alabama Sickle Cell Oversight and Regulatory Commission, currently a standalone commission, under the jurisdiction of the Alabama Department of Public Health. Moving this Commission will allow it to have a far wider-reaching presence throughout the state and will better position the Commission to engage with those suffering from this disease by increasing resources and education efforts. When discussing the need for this legislation, Senator Coleman-Madison said, “The key thing is that they [the Commission] are not reaching as many people as they could because they are not accessible.” This legislation now moves to the House for consideration. 

Veterans Teaching Certification 

On Thursday, the Senate passed legislation that would create a new teaching certificate for military veterans. The bill, sponsored by Senator Matt Woods and Representative Rick Rehm, attempts to assist with teacher shortages by allowing qualified veterans to teach in certain subject areas without first earning a bachelor’s degree. The proposed military veteran teaching certificate would authorize the State Board of Education to issue temporary credentials to veterans who meet specific service, education, and testing requirements. Supporters say the measure would provide veterans with a pathway into the classroom, while allowing school systems to draw from a broader pool of candidates.

Rural Hospital Tax Credit Program Expansion

On Thursday, the House passed legislation, sponsored by Representative Terri Collins, that would expand Alabama’s Rural Hospital Tax Credit Program, which provides tax incentives for donations supporting rural hospitals. The primary feature of this legislation is a bill clarifying how the tax credit can be applied across both the Education Trust Fund and the General Fund, allowing additional entities, including certain utilities, to participate. Representative Collins indicated to lawmakers that the program is functioning as intended and has generated strong interest in rural communities seeking to keep their hospitals operating. This legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration. 

Dredging of the Mobile Bay

This week, legislation sponsored by Representative Rhett Marques and Senator Chris Elliott requiring that 70% of dredged material in the Mobile Bay be put to beneficial use received a favorable report from the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee. In the most recent version of the legislation, State General Fund dollars will be needed, and projects will proceed only when federal funding is available. The bill now moves to the full House for review. 

Screen Time in Day Care Centers

On Wednesday, the Alabama House Education Policy committee gave a favorable report to legislation that would limit screen time for young children in licensed child care facilities and certain classrooms. The bill, sponsored by Representative Jeana Ross, would require child care centers, public kindergarten classrooms, and certain pre‑K programs to follow screen‑time 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. Supporters of the legislation cited research linking excessive screen exposure to developmental concerns. The bill now moves to the full Alabama House for consideration.

State Benefits Crackdown

This week, the Senate General Fund Finance and Taxation Committee gave a favorable report to legislation sponsored by Senator Arthur Orr to strengthen oversight of Medicaid and SNAP eligibility in Alabama. The bill requires monthly cross‑checks across state databases to ensure benefits are directed to those who truly qualify, which supporters argue will reinforce public trust and improve program integrity. According to the Legislative Fiscal Office, implementing these safeguards would cost an estimated $16.7 million annually, reflecting the increased diligence required to protect taxpayer dollars. However, legislators maintain that while these changes carry expenses, they provide necessary accountability and ensure assistance programs operate as intended, free from misuse and aligned with responsible stewardship of state resources.

Repeal of the Smith Lake Annexation Bill

On Thursday, the Alabama House passed legislation sponsored by Senate Pro Tem Garlan Gudger, and carried in the House by Representative Cindy Myrex, to repeal a 2025 law related to a proposed resort development on Smith Lake. The legislation repeals the earlier annexation framework that allowed the City of Cullman to annex noncontiguous property for the project. With passage in both chambers, the legislation now heads to Governor Kay Ivey for her signature.

Laken Riley Act

This week, the House Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on the Laken Riley Act sponsored by Representative Ernie Yarbrough. The bill permits state and local law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with federal agencies to facilitate the deportation of immigrants unlawfully present in Alabama. The bill will receive a vote by the House Judiciary Committee in the coming weeks if placed on the agenda by the committee chair. 

Status of the Legislature

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

As of January 22, 329 bills have been filed in the House, and 206 bills have been filed in the Senate.

The House will reconvene on Tuesday, January 27, at 1:00 PM, and the Senate will reconvene on the same day at 3:00 PM. Upon return, the legislature will use three working days, but due to the possibility of severe weather throughout Alabama next week the schedule of the legislature is subject to change.