Alabama House approves scores of local and statewide bills; HB 28 oyster-credit and several regulatory measures pass
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Summary
The Alabama House completed a packed floor session, adopting unanimous or largely uncontested votes on a long list of local and regular-calendar bills and recording final passage on measures including HB 28 (oyster-shell recycling tax credit), HB 128 (midwifery substitute carried over for amendment work), HB 117 (county pre-funded payment-card authority), and HB 153 (Trussville personnel opt-out refile).
The Alabama House of Representatives spent much of the floor session advancing a wide array of bills, finishing the day with recorded votes on dozens of local and regular-calendar measures and several debated items.
Most of the calendar moved rapidly under the clerk’s roll calls: a string of uncontested local bills and committee reports were put to recorded votes and adopted. The clerk announced adoption and final passage on multiple measures on the consent and regular calendars.
Among the measures that drew explicit floor explanations or debate:
- HB 28 (Representative Kevin Brown) — Sponsor explanation and substitute: Brown described a tax credit to support oyster-shell recycling and reef restoration, set at $1 per 50-pound unit of shell with a $100,000 total program cap and a five-year sunset; a committee substitute and clarifying Department of Revenue language were adopted before final passage.
- HB 117 (Representative Hill) — County payments card: House members debated a plan to let county administrators load pre-funded payment cards (a ‘p-card’) that can be issued to commissioners or personnel for travel and service purchases. Supporters said the change improves efficiency and auditability; skeptics pressed for statutory caps and oversight to avoid expanding special privileges. The bill passed on final tally (recorded 90 ayes, 5 nays).
- HB 128 (Representative Rosalyn Lance) — Midwifery board housekeeping: Lance presented a committee substitute with technical revisions for the State Board of Midwifery, including aligning rules and allowing donations beyond licensing fees. Floor amendments addressing newborn screening and hospital information requirements were discussed; the sponsor asked to carry the item over to work out language with stakeholders.
- HB 153 (Representative Garrett) — Trussville personnel board: Garrett explained a refiled bill, crafted to apply only to Trussville (a two-county city), that would allow the city to opt out of the Jefferson County personnel board; he cited prior litigation and a Supreme Court procedural ruling. The bill was adopted and passed.
The House also adopted ceremonial resolutions honoring pediatrician Jacqueline W. Stewart and the Lauderdale County FFA String Band.
What’s next: Sponsors and committee staff will finalize language where amendments were carried over; otherwise, passed bills will proceed to the next step in the legislative process as required.