Transcript Highlights:

• Alabama. Alabama.
• Welcome to the Alabama Senate.
• you've made on the state of Alabama. you've made on the state of Alabama.
• state of Alabama. And we love you, sir. state of Alabama. And we love you, sir.
• Alabama.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer and the pledge, confirmed a quorum, excused absent senators, and adopted the previous day’s journal. The chamber then received House messages referring House Bill 614 on supplemental appropriations and House Bill 224 on the distribution and use of tax funds to the Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee. Committee reports followed on several bills, including favorable reports for House Bills 169, 542, 593, and 13, with HB 542 amended in committee. The Senate also referred Senator Orr’s proposed rules change to the Rules Committee. A series of resolutions were taken up and adopted, including Senate Resolution 109 creating the Alabama Boating Safety Task Force, Senate Joint Resolutions 102 and 103, House Joint Resolutions 237, 215, 216, 218, and 235, Senate Joint Resolution 88 supporting the U.S. Department of Energy’s nuclear life cycle innovation effort, Senate Joint Resolution 93 creating a rural EMS and volunteer fire department study commission, Senate Joint Resolution 94 commending Exchange Club of Tuscaloosa Officer of the Year honorees, and Senate Joint Resolution 110 commending William Riley Hawkins Jr. on his retirement from AARP Alabama. The Senate also recognized several guests in the gallery, including local school superintendents and a student visitor. The chamber then moved through local legislation, adopting BRs and passing numerous local bills and constitutional amendments, including measures for Mobile, Prichard, Class 2 municipalities, Mingo County, Talladega County, Perry County, Wilcox County, Clay County, Washington County, and Madison County. Senate Bill 376 on Mobile County and Senate Bill 379 on Madison County were both passed and transmitted. Most local bills passed on unanimous or near-unanimous votes using the previous roll. The Senate also adopted Special Order Calendar Resolution 111, setting a special order calendar for the 27th legislative day that prioritized a long list of appropriations, education, retirement, dam safety, and higher education bills. On that calendar, House Bills 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 565, and Senate Bill 380 were taken up. HB 235’s committee substitute was tabled, a floor substitute was adopted restoring funding to the McQuain Center and removing some arts grants, and the bill passed. HB 236 passed after a language amendment. HB 237 passed as the Education Opportunities Reserve Fund bill. HB 238 passed after a floor substitute that shifted arts grants, added Voices for Alabama’s Children, adjusted RAISE Act weights, and increased funding for poverty, special education, and gifted students, along with a small amendment. HB 239 passed as the public education employee pay raise bill, with a substitute adding a retiree bonus and members discussing that the bonus would also be carried through SB 380. HB 240, HB 241, HB 242, and HB 565 all passed. SB 380 on the teachers retirement system received committee amendments and was being advanced as the vehicle for the retiree bonus, with Senator Orr explaining the bonus would be about $33 million and based on $1 per month of service for eligible retirees with at least 10 years of service.

Transcript Highlights:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama has a de facto monopoly in Alabama.
• <00:45:33.680> Alabama<00:45:34.480> can Alabama, no provider in Alabama can Alabama, no
• that crime kind of pays in Alabama. that crime kind of pays in Alabama.
• issue for South Alabama. issue for South Alabama.
• Alabama says. Alabama says.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Alabama. Alabama.
• Welcome to Alabama Senate.
• Welcome to Alabama Senate.
• Welcome to the Alabama Smitherman. Welcome to the Alabama Senate.
• state of Alabama. state of Alabama.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a quorum present, then quickly handled routine business including excusing absent senators, adopting the prior journal, and recognizing several guests in the gallery. The chamber also paused to honor Dr. Mark Sullivan, superintendent of Birmingham City Schools, with a Senate resolution commending him as the Alabama Education Association’s 2025-26 outstanding superintendent of the year. Senator Smitherman and Dr. Sullivan both spoke, with Sullivan highlighting Birmingham’s academic gains, reduced failing schools, and lower chronic absenteeism. The Senate then processed a series of House messages and confirmations. It concurred in SB 288 on agriculture authorities and SB 317 on the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services, but non-concurred and sent SB 174 on natural resources and SB 32 on solid waste collection fees to conference. The chamber confirmed numerous appointments, including Rex Jones, William Donahue, Jim Massey, Jason Windham, Alexander Atwater, Charles Dean, Steve McKinnon, Bonnie Temple, Shaniqua Johnson-Enam, Dwayne Jenkins, Troy Skipworth, Gloria Watts, Tracy Doughty, Kevin Ball, Joe D. Briggs, Josh Bryant, Dylan Turk, David R. Pruitt III, and Carol Smitherman, with most confirmations passing on near-unanimous rolls. Committee reports advanced several House bills, including favorable reports on HB 224, 591, 614, 609, 444, 248, 611, 622, 92, and 556, with HB 248 amended. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring the University of Alabama women’s wheelchair basketball team for winning the 2026 national championship, and another resolution recognizing the seriousness of the national debt and urging Congress to establish regular budget order. A resolution honoring retired Brigadier General Vandiver H. Carter as the 2026 Marion Military Institute Alumnus of the Year and a resolution commending John R. Cooper were also adopted. In local legislation, the Senate passed HB 635 for Choctaw County, HB 639 for Escambia County, SB 10 for Tuscaloosa County, HB 315 for class one municipalities after adopting a committee substitute and a friendly amendment, and HB 404 for class one municipalities. Finally, the Committee on Rules reported and the Senate adopted a special order calendar for the next legislative day, listing a wide range of bills for priority consideration, including measures on solar power facilities, homestead exemptions, education, guardianships, tax increment districts, legal tender, college tuition, crime victims compensation, motor vehicles, entertainment industry issues, campus chaplains, tax abatements, alcoholic beverage producers, data privacy, constables, insurance, municipal audits, income tax, public high schools, taxation, state health planning, and University of Alabama matters.

Transcript Highlights:

• > children Alabama sends thousands of children Alabama sends thousands of children to<00:01:57.440
• The customer is in Alabama. A meaningful portion of our supply chain is in Alabama.
• A meaningful customer is in Alabama.
• lambs, an increase in 12% in Alabama lambs, an increase in 12% in Alabama sheep<00:09:36.760>
• <00:09:48.640> is this comes at a time when Alabama is this comes at a time when Alabama is

Bills: HB381, HB259, HB393, HB399, SB358, SB362, SB363, SB348, SB187

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our goal under current Alabama law.
• We talk about the law in Alabama.
• And on be taught in Alabama co code.
• Earlier School in Livingston, Alabama.
• In 1984, the first case of HIV in Alabama... ...In 1984, the first case of HIV in Alabama.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lord, uh today as we honor of Alabama.
• <00:08:58.480> and And that is not good for Alabama and And that is not good for Alabama and
• And I love being from Alabama.
• presenting from the state of Alabama. presenting from the state of Alabama.
• Selma, Alabama. Selma, Alabama. >> Oh<02:32:14.640> my.<02:32:15.120> Okay.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum. Senators then adopted the prior day’s journal and excused absent members. A lengthy point of personal privilege followed, in which Senator Smith criticized the prior day’s handling of the special order calendar and argued that minority-party senators were denied the chance to speak, while Senator Coleman said Senate Bill 318 had been removed from the calendar and tied that to Child Abuse Prevention Month; she also noted Senate Bill 43, which would provide civil recourse for child sex assault survivors, had not advanced. The presiding officer also recognized guests in the gallery, including staff from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The Senate then received multiple committee reports, largely on a unanimous or near-unanimous basis. Finance and Taxation Education reported favorably on House Bills 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 565, 517, and 98, and Senate Bill 380, with some substitutes or amendments; Finance and Taxation General Fund reported Senate Bill 378 favorably; County and Municipal Government reported House Bills 568, 499, and 433; Education Policy reported House Bills 8 and 380; Banking and Insurance reported House Bill 545; Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development reported House Bill 586 with two nays; Healthcare reported House Bills 533 and 605; Tourism and Marketing reported House Bills 513 and 626 and Senate Bill 357; and local legislation committees reported several Mobile County and Madison County bills, including Senate Bill 379 relating to Madison County and various House bills, all advancing to the next legislative day. In motions and resolutions, the Senate agreed to allow committee reports to be received at any time during the day. Several resolutions were introduced and referred to the Rules Committee, including Senate Joint Resolution 100 honoring Presley Skelton, SJR 101 commending Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, SJR 102 establishing the Alabama Forest Products Retention and Pulp and Paper Mill Stability Study Commission, SJR 103 mourning Norman Wendell Arnold, and SJR 104 designating Alabama as the river state. The chamber also suspended the rules to take up Senate Joint Resolution 105, commending Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth for his service; the resolution included a lengthy recitation of his background and accomplishments and was read for immediate consideration with all senators added as sponsors.

Transcript Highlights:

• represent the state of Alabama. represent the state of Alabama.
• order in the Alabama cases. order in the Alabama cases.
• to erase in the state of Alabama. to erase in the state of Alabama.
• state of Alabama. state of Alabama.
• confusion for Alabama voters? confusion for Alabama voters?

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ladies and gentlemen, the Alabama Senate will now come to order.
• Cooper III to the University of Alabama Board of Trustees.
• Welcome to Alabama. Conclude from the Judiciary Committee.
• Welcome to Alabama. [Applause] Senate, great to have you all.
• Good job today, everyone in the Alabama State Senate.

Bills: SJR 5, SJR 36, SJR 5, SJR 5, SR 105, SR 121, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28

Keywords: bail, felony offenses, criminal justice reform, public safety, constitutional amendment, school safety, mental health, emergency response, education policy, law enforcement, SR 121, Senate Resolution 121, Pete Alfaro, Pedro Cuellar Alfaro, Pedro Alfaro, Baytown, Texas Senate tribute, in memory, memorial resolution, condolence resolution

Transcript Highlights:

• , the Alabama Sheriff's Tonight, the Alabama Sheriff's Association's<00:09:33.200> legislative
• Alabama<00:09:47.920> United<00:09:48.320> Ways<00:09:48.720> legislative Alabama
• State is at 5:30 p.m. next to Alabama State is at 5:30 p.m. next to Alabama State University<00:10
• <00:13:55.680> Now across the state of Alabama. Now across the state of Alabama.
• <00:22:12.880> With selfappoint like Alabama does. With selfappoint like Alabama does.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a new concept in Alabama, but it's not a new concept altogether.
• And this would just simply allow Alabama to dictate, obviously, to it.
• So, do we think that's happening today in Alabama? I don't know if it's happening in Alabama.
• I'm the director of Health Freedom Alabama.
• Alabama does not consent to being... ...risks.

Bills: HB248, HB311

Keywords: weather modification, atmospheric pollution, chemical dispersion, environmental law, public health, improvement districts, assessment collection, property taxes, local governance, foreclosure procedures, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ladies and gentlemen, the Alabama Senate will now come to order.
• Welcome to the Alabama Senate. Great to have you today.
• Great to have Welcome to Alabama Senate. Great to have you<00:17:23.439> today.
• Welcome to the Alabama Senate. Great to have you today.
• Welcome to the Alabama Senate. Great to have you today. Message from the House. Mr.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with a prayer, pledge, and roll call establishing a quorum of 30 senators. The chamber approved excusing absent senators, dispensed with reading the prior journal, and agreed to allow bill introductions and committee reports throughout the day. Several guests were recognized in the gallery, including local officials, construction representatives for the new statehouse, and advocacy groups. A series of House messages were received and referred to committees, including local bills and constitutional amendments for Macon, Winston, Perry, Montgomery, Mobile, Jefferson, Marengo, Covington, Tuscaloosa, and Madison counties, along with measures on campaign finance, title fraud, public health, workforce, income tax, legal tender, consumer protection, seafood products, carbon dioxide injection wells, and boards of registrars. Committee reports included favorable reports on Senate Bill 374 and House Bill 432 from the Committee on Local Legislation. The Senate also adopted Senate Joint Resolution 97 commending the University of Alabama on its planned ROTC facility and Student Veteran Center, and Senate Joint Resolution 98 naming a portion of Highway 9 in Elmore County the Lamar S. "Bubba" Woodham Jr. Highway. During personal privilege, Senator Smitherman urged attention to the lack of septic systems in parts of the state and suggested the Senate may need to study the issue, possibly through a resolution or task force. Senator Orr submitted a notice in writing regarding proposed Senate rules changes. The Senate then took up local legislation, adopting budget isolation resolutions and passing multiple local bills and constitutional amendments, including House Bill 569 (Autauga County), House Bill 337 and Senate Bill 371 (Madison County), House Bill 576 (Mobile County), House Bill 529 (Class 2 municipalities), Senate Bill 369 (Lauderdale County), House Bill 612 (Covington County), and House Bill 514 (Tuscaloosa County), with votes largely unanimous or near-unanimous. The Senate recessed until 1:00 p.m. after completing the local calendar items.

Transcript Highlights:

• LS, Alabama, House 10, Madison County.
• I live in Wilmer, Alabama. Big Creek Lake is my home. Wilmer, Alabama. Big Creek Lake is my home.
• Matthew Prer, Mobile, Alabama.
• I reside in Wilmer, Alabama.
• I'm a lifelong resident of Mobile County, Alabama. I live 5 minutes from Big Creek. Alabama.

Bills: HB471, HB473

Keywords: water authority, sewer management, fire protection, local governance, board of directors, local officers, water recreation, public access, water bodies, recreational use, water commissions, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , that the Alabama House of Alabama, that the Alabama House of Alabama, that the Alabama House of Representatives
• Currently in Alabama, any vehicle registered in Alabama, any vehicle registered in Alabama, any vehicle
• registered in Alabama has to have insurance on the Alabama has to have insurance on the Alabama has
• If an Alabama resident and Tennessee If an Alabama resident and Tennessee If an Alabama resident and
• Alabama Power regions EPCO Boeing Alpha Alabama Power regions EPCO Boeing Alpha Alabama Power Company

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, ladies and gentlemen, tonight is the Alabama Beverage Association... ...the Alabama Beverage
• Anderson for earning the Business Alabama Lifetime Achievement Award in... ...Alabama Lifetime Achievement
• the state of Alabama is going to be what?
• Living breathing animal in Alabama. Is that in Alabama? I don't know if it was in Alabama.
• Members, the Alabama Crime Mr. Speaker.

Bills: HJR 99, HB 1399, HB 1400, HB 1094, HB 365, HB 1109, HB 647, HCR 35, SB 14, HB 12, HB 1522, HB 422, HB 675, HB 204, HB 748, HB 912, HJR 99, HB 1399, HB 1400, HB 1094, HB 365, HB 1109, HB 647, HCR 35, HCR 123, HCR 124, HR 57, HR 87, HR 111, HR 228, HR 230, HR 322, HR 624, HR 625, HR 626, HR 627, HR 628, HR 630, HR 631, HR 634, HR 635, HR 636, HR 637, HR 638, HR 639, HR 640, HR 645, HR 646, HR 648, HR 649, HR 651, HR 652, HR 653, HR 654, HR 664, HR 665, HR 668, HR 675, HR 676, HR 678, HR 679, HR 680, HR 683, HR 686, HR 688, HR 689, HR 694, HR 695, HR 697, HR 698, HR 699, HR 472, HR 622, HR 632, HR 633, HR 643, HR 655, HR 657, HR 660, HR 661, HR 662, HR 663, HR 667, HR 670, HR 674, HR 681, HR 682, HR 696

Keywords: animal feed, tax exemption, ad valorem taxation, retail, constitutional amendment, retail sale, tangible personal property, Texas tax code, groundwater, water conservation, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, innovation fund, local conservation districts, transportation protection agreement, funeral services, insurance exemption, regulation, deceased transportation, HB 365

Transcript Highlights:

• Briefly, just some information on Alabama specifically. So, there are four PA programs in Alabama.
• Um, Alabama continues to address safety.
• Um, recently we just got Botox approved in Alabama.
• We were the last state to allow Alabama.
• <00:24:02.320> So state of Alabama. So state of Alabama.

Bills: HB31, HB31

Keywords: absentee voting, disabled, blind, voter assistance, voting rights, SNAP, public assistance, nutritional standards, waiver, food regulation, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Wednesday night, the Alabama Retired State Employees Association will hold a reception at the Alabama
• Could you give the people of Alabama what...?
• To establish the Alabama Veterans Resource Center Act, to create and designate the Alabama Veterans Resource
• In the state of Alabama, 85% of veterans.
• Members, this is an Alabama Law Institute bill that revises the Alabama Small Estates Act.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the executive director of the Alabama Wildlife Federation.
• We've all been watching it coming for a long time, and finally it has landed here in Alabama.
• No movement of deer into Alabama from other states.
• I am on the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Board.
• In section 911502, hunting of tame animals is prohibited in Alabama.

Bills: HB509

Keywords: HB509, game breeder, game breeder license, cervid, deer breeder, whitetail deer, elk, fallow deer, deer farm, captive deer, cervidae, wildlife disease, disease testing, antemortem testing, state veterinarian, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, property rights, private property, animal transfer, breeding stock

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, this bill was stopped last year because of concerns with IVF out of Alabama.
• In fact, this bill was stopped last year because of concerns with IVF out of Alabama.
• HB 1101 out-of-network providers enhances transparency and health care by requiring practitioners to
• inform patients when referring them to out-of-network providers.
• It also applies payments made to out-of-network practitioners to the patient's deductible.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the pledge, quorum call, and several recognitions, including guests for Education and Sharing Day, law enforcement officer of the day Detective Miata Anderson, and later FAMU Day at the Capitol and other visiting groups. The chamber adopted the special order report and then moved through a series of budget-related bills and conforming measures, with debate focused largely on recurring funding, environmental programs, housing, insurance reserves, and tax policy. Members approved HB 5011/SB 2506, which conform environmental resource funding to the proposed budget by shifting Seminole Gaming Compact-related dollars from recurring to nonrecurring funding; supporters said this preserves annual legislative review, while opponents warned it would reduce funding for the Resilient Florida program, wildlife corridor protection, invasive species removal, and other conservation efforts. The House then passed HB 5013, reducing state-funded property reinsurance reserves by lowering the RAP program and repealing FORA funding, and HB 5501, which redirects documentary stamp tax revenues from housing and transportation trust funds to general revenue; Democrats argued the housing changes would reduce affordable housing support, while Republicans said the move was needed to control recurring spending. The chamber also passed HB 5015 on state group insurance, HB 5201 on Florida PALM accounting conforming changes, HB 5203 on Capitol Center tenancy and utilities control, and HB 5009 creating a Florida Accountability Office and revising audit and budgeting functions. The most extended debate came on HB 7031, which permanently reduces the state sales tax rate from 6% to 5.25% and also lowers several related tax rates. Supporters described it as broad-based, immediate tax relief for Floridians, while opponents said property tax relief would be more targeted and that sales tax cuts also benefit tourists and out-of-state visitors. The bill passed 112-0. The House then took up the main budget bill, HB 501, and subcommittee chairs outlined the proposed $112.9 billion budget, including education, health care, transportation, agriculture and natural resources, higher education, state administration, justice, and IT spending. Members began questioning the pre-K-12 budget on school funding, vouchers, proration, mental health and safety allocations, and inflation, with the discussion continuing beyond the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• He is a native of Lyndon, Alabama, and the lead pastor of Flatline Church here in Montgomery, Alabama
• Alabama. Hello everyone. All right, let us pray.
• We have 127,000 job openings in the state of Alabama.
• Also, we have Teresa Gilwater from Valley, Alabama, and Letha Crawford from Valley, Alabama, guest of
• They can say Alabama did this, and Alabama would be able to help Florida's case.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• has nothing to do with the Alabama case. has nothing to do with the Alabama case.
• And to 30% of the state of Alabama.
• We're Alabama redist until 2030.
• and confusion for Alabama voters? and confusion for Alabama voters?
• Alabama Alabama the<01:34:21.840> law.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum of 34 senators present. The chamber then received a House message referring House Bill 1 on primary elections to the Committee on County and Municipal Government, and moved to Senate Bill 1, also dealing with primary elections and tied to ongoing court action over Alabama’s legislative maps. Senator Elliott explained SB 1 as a prospective measure meant to set up a special election if federal courts lift injunctions on the state Senate districts, while opponents argued the bill was being rushed and could disrupt voters, candidates, absentee voters, and election administration. Much of the debate focused on whether the bill would effectively change election rules too close to an election and whether it conflicted with a 2022 statewide amendment requiring election-related changes to take effect at least six months before a general election. Supporters said the bill simply preserves the legislature’s enacted maps and responds to recent court rulings, while opponents said it could disenfranchise voters, especially military, elderly, absentee, rural, and Black voters, and that the underlying litigation and federal Voting Rights Act issues remained unresolved. Several members also referenced a Brennan Center report and broader concerns about racial turnout gaps and minority representation in Alabama. Senator Coleman offered an amendment to give the state discretion rather than mandate a special election, arguing it would better align with the current court order; the Senate rejected it on a roll call vote, 8 yeas to 25 nays. Senator Vivian Figures then offered a notice-focused amendment requiring adequate public notice before any election changes, arguing that voters need time to learn new dates, polling places, deadlines, and ballot information; that amendment also failed on a roll call vote, with the clerk announcing it did not pass. The transcript ends with further discussion beginning after the failed amendment votes.