[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,75],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6630106,"mediaKeyId","2699110-360caf8ba940c4566195cbfc99c46549","parentId",2699110,"title","Committee hears public comments on HB 248 to ban intentional weather modification; vote deferred","audioSeconds",1133,"startMs",377000,"endMs",1510000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2699110-360caf8ba940c4566195cbfc99c46549&start=377&end=1510","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2699110-360caf8ba940c4566195cbfc99c46549/thumbnail_377000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6630106/Alabama/Committee-hears-public-comments-on-HB-248-to-ban-intentional-weather-modification-vote-deferred","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630106-a293e8f67c986fc9b82df0e342149237/orig.mp4?Expires=1770154389&Signature=eatThwSb09Ev8DjJ1hg0VJ1bCGJSDvI-WyvSgWREurOXVepkppf8NKyV1NoBtS7-k0ClRvM1mNO5SSzMKb8Wu5i7LfQxaVMk4CUP2nja2OYXVTb~Uy~OQJsDL9rjt9Z4ytfBDDdnTTLPY0hVs0G~3Ttj~S~gktpucxLUxOW~qae18y8d4cDJAL25oJe-2KDgA7~k2k~Mo-TWs0MRiaxVPnR74RVAN-UiWHi440gBH6Hi3GM320j4nw4n85YKxVuGRkvsi1yOws037~L1v210GxYBrs4Nr1BNZrz9X9eVr9OivOjAjTYh2FHyjDtAwQZ4RjRBGFAGsuLgfaC9k4essQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alabama House Sessions","date","2025-03-19T22:58:52.987Z","article","Representative Matt Butler presented House Bill 248 during a meeting of the Alabama House Committee on Economic Development and Tourism and the committee called a public hearing on the bill. Committee members and two registered supporters discussed geoengineering, weather modification and related public-health and regulatory questions; the committee did not vote on HB 248 and will carry the bill to the next meeting.

Butler described the bill as a prohibition on \"the dispersion of items in the atmosphere with the intention of affecting the weather,\" and said the substitute before the committee adds procedures for citizen reporting, creates an \"Alabama air pollution control fund\" and would impose misdemeanor penalties and fines of up to $100,000 for intentional dispersion into the atmosphere for weather modification. He said the bill incorporated some refinements requested during drafting, but also acknowledged open questions about scope and implementation.

Two supporters spoke during the public comment period. Sherry Saunders described stratospheric aerosol injection and said, \"Stratospheric aerosol injection is a solar radiation management geoengineering or climate engineering approach that uses tiny reflective particles or aerosols to reflect sunlight into space in order to cool the planet and reverse or stop global warming.\" She also told the committee she believes heavy metals such as aluminum are present in soils and said that federal funding has supported related activities; Saunders urged Alabama to act.

Stephanie Jarnin, director of Health Freedom Alabama, told the committee she supports HB 248 and cited a February 2013 Congressional Research Service report on solar radiation management and a February 2022 White House research initiative exploring solar engineering. Jarnin said federal agencies such as NOAA and the Department of Energy have acknowledged weather-modification experiments and that some states are considering legislation; she said Tennessee has already passed a related law and that about two dozen states had considered similar measures.

Committee members asked technical questions about distinctions between contrails and intentional dispersions, whether snowmaking for ski resorts would be affected, and whether the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) had been consulted. Butler said he had not spoken with ADEM and that some definitions in the draft could be amended to avoid unintentionally criminalizing local snowmaking or agricultural spraying. Members warned the committee that a reporting website could be swamped with complaints if citizens submitted non-actionable observations and pressed for further technical detail.

Decision and next steps: the committee called the public hearing and did not vote on HB 248; the chair said the bill will be carried over to the next meeting for further consideration and technical refinement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Alabama House Economic Development and Tourism Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Matt Butler presented HB 248 to prohibit deliberate dispersion of materials into the atmosphere to affect weather. The committee called a public hearing, heard two supporters, and did not vote; the bill will be carried over to the next meeting.","taxTitle","Economic Development and Tourism, House, Alabama Legislative Sessions, Alabama","taxId",15873,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":76,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":77,"_40":78,"_42":79,"_44":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630110,"Committee adopts substitute to let improvement districts finance residential developments",274,70000,344000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2699110-360caf8ba940c4566195cbfc99c46549&start=70&end=344","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2699110-360caf8ba940c4566195cbfc99c46549/thumbnail_70000.jpg","/articles/6630110/Alabama/Committee-adopts-substitute-to-let-improvement-districts-finance-residential-developments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630110-41e3e6fc4c968cfda8c50d018465c1f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770154389&Signature=IXM2YRz8RHROu3P6tLVcPqxqfNqtddkbDGlgbbxRmvUDZO8fbIYlhpa9FJv1ihPqSURQXmUyaMvZZzvHnY3Bk1wePReOc0T-GokVA3V1TsTMuWWy04pyNXGzi~-L-52x36k7hynETXBF1~X1Cvs-a9SPkMNslbE0az2ctkWp0q-7eitL42ABsvYMwT9EmJ4HSLNJIBdTR90Wn7V4lHLXCHIB4AaxJZtXk1lPKLfQHIlOw-rdJVrOE5b3CaCGDjMPQbIv9VOOZrMP803PfiTieSOkwhSRPe2XqbQIFAgPH1~cWLSVmGYyi-lZN8t~GDIbVE3I-SaJ6LcxS00e5ofN1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alabama House Committee on Economic Development and Tourism on an unspecified date adopted a substitute for House Bill 311, a bill by Representative Will Cox that would allow improvement districts to be used for residential developments and, supporters said, help lower costs for first-time homebuyers.

Supporters told the committee the substitute incorporates changes requested by tax collection officials and includes a limitation on interest rate increases tied to the rates charged for bonds. \"It does lower the cost for first time home buyers,\" Representative Will Cox said while presenting the measure.

The substitute was moved and seconded; Representative Raffy is recorded as the seconder for one motion and Representative Jeff Brown later moved adoption of HB 311 as substituted, with Representative Lomax seconding. Committee members voiced no recorded opposition and the substitute was adopted by voice vote.

Committee discussion and the bill text, as described by Cox, reflect several procedural safeguards: local approval by the governing body in the jurisdiction where a project would be located (city councils or county commissions may accept or decline projects), prior certification submitted to the probate court and notice to potential buyers. Cox said tax collection officials met with the bill authors and provided technical edits, and the substitute incorporated those edits. He also said a concession was made so that a government entity could not increase the interest rate beyond what is charged for the bonds.

A committee member asked about differences shown on charts comparing neighboring states; Cox said some nearby states have pending legislation on related topics. Committee members also discussed liability, and Cox said the plan is to certify projects in probate court before any assessments are charged so buyers are notified in advance. Cox gave an example from prior hearings in which a county commission approved three of four proposed projects and declined one, demonstrating local discretion.

The committee record shows the substitute was adopted and the amended HB 311 was approved to move forward from committee; no roll-call tally with member-by-member votes was recorded in the transcript.

Ending: The committee advanced HB 311 as substituted. Staff and members said additional technical work had been done with tax officials; the bill will continue through the legislative process with the substitute language in place.","The House Committee on Economic Development and Tourism adopted a substitute for HB 311 to allow improvement districts to be used for residential developments, incorporate technical changes requested by tax officials and limit interest increases to bond rates; county and city governments retain approval authority.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears public comments on HB 248 to ban intentional weather modification; vote deferred

Committee adopts substitute to let improvement districts finance residential developments