Alabama Legislature Wraps Unplanned 2026 Session with Reforms, Budgets

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Day.News) — The Alabama Legislature adjourned its 2026 regular session on April 10, capping a whirlwind period that began in January and addressed critical state priorities despite not being on the original calendar.[1] Lawmakers introduced 1,010 bills — 375 in the Senate and 645 in the House — navigating filibusters, spring break and procedural hurdles to pass budgets and reforms.[3] Gov. Kay Ivey signed landmark legislation expanding the Alabama Public Service Commission from three to seven commissioners and creating a Secretary of Energy position, the biggest overhaul in decades to modernize utility oversight amid population growth.[2] Budget battles defined the session's endgame. The House approved a $3.74 billion General Fund budget for non-education agencies on April 3, with minor tweaks to the Senate version now awaiting concurrence.[2] The Senate greenlit the FY 2027 Education Trust Fund package, sending it back to the House for final alignment as fiscal deadlines loomed.[2] Civil rights advocates hailed HB86, updating parole reviews to factor in inmates' employment and education, and SB240, allowing virtual parole hearings for the incarcerated.[1] Solar farm debates heated up along the Gulf Coast, with Rep. Matt Simpson's House bill advancing a one-year moratorium on construction in coastal counties, mirroring Sen. Greg Albritton's Senate measure amid concerns over land use.[2] The session named the Sarah Marsh Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act after the Mountain Brook 8-year-old who died in Texas flooding; sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner and Sen. Dan Roberts, it mandates emergency licensing for Alabama's overnight camps.[2] Sen. Chris Elliott and Rep. David Standridge pushed through a bill requiring 'Gulf of America' over 'Gulf of Mexico' in government references, exempting schools and cost-burdened entities after overcoming a filibuster.[2] HB486, restoring felons' voting rights with no-excuse absentee and early voting plus an Alabama Voting Rights Commission, cleared committee for the first time since 2024.[1] Senate rules clarified Lt. Gov. authority without debate, while parental rights bills from Sen. Shay Shelnutt and Rep. Susan DuBose tightened religious released-time policies in schools.[2]