Sentencing; habitual felony offender act, resentencing procedures, established

What it does: Lets people serving life without parole under the habitual felony offender act, sentenced before May 26, 2000, and with no homicide, sex, attempted murder or injury offenses, ask a court to reduce their sentence starting October 1, 2025. (AI-written summary of the bill; the official record shows the exact version voted)

Question before the chamber: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended

A yes vote would have passed SB156, as amended, which establishes habitual felony offender act resentencing procedures, in the Senate. (AI-written)

Yes 16 · No 16 · Democrats 7–0 · Republicans 9–16

Primary Elections; require political party registration to vote in primary or primary runoff elections

What it does: Requires voters, from 2027, to register a party affiliation to vote in countywide or statewide primaries and runoffs (requesting a party ballot at the polls counts); bars changing parties from 60 days before a primary until the general election; repeals the runoff crossover ban. (AI-written summary of the bill; the official record shows the exact version voted)

Question before the chamber: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended

A yes vote passed HB 541, which requires party registration to vote in primary or primary runoff elections, in the House as amended. (AI-written)

Yes 63 · No 35 · Democrats 0–29 · Republicans 63–6

Small Craft Alcoholic Beverage Producers; licensing of small craft distilleries, small craft wineries, and small craft alcoholic beverage producers authorized

What it does: "This act amends Sections 28-4A-1 through 28-4A-6, Code of Alabama 1975, and redesignates those sections as Article 1, Chapter 4A, Title 28, Code of Alabama 1975, adds Sections 28-4A-7, 28-4A-8, and 28-4A-9 to Article 1, Chapter 4A, Title 28, Code of Alabama 1975, adds Articles 2, 3, and 4 to Chapter 4A, Title 28, Code of Alabama 1975, and amends Section 28-3A-13.1, Code of Alabama 1975, to: (1) rename the Alabama Brewpub Act as the Alabama Small Craft Alcoholic Beverages Act; (2) authorize the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to issue hybrid craft alcoholic beverage complex licenses to… (official summary)

Question before the chamber: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended

A yes vote passed HB 593, which authorizes licensing of small craft distilleries, wineries and alcoholic beverage producers, in the House as amended. (AI-written)

Yes 61 · No 35 · Democrats 0–28 · Republicans 61–7

Administrative rules; adopting environmental protection criteria stricter than federal requirements prohibited

What it does: This act prohibits a state agency from adopting or amending a rule that establishes numeric limitations or criteria for certain substances relating to environmental protection that: (1) is more stringent or extensive than federal requirements on the same topic; and (2) if there are no federal requirements on the same topic, is not based on the best available science and weight of scientific research for each substance to which the rule applies. (official summary)

Question before the chamber: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass

A yes vote passed SB 71, which bars state agencies from adopting environmental rules stricter than federal requirements, in the House. (AI-written)

Yes 67 · No 34 · Democrats 0–29 · Republicans 67–5

Primary Elections; require political party registration to vote in primary or primary runoff elections

What it does: Requires voters, from 2027, to register a party affiliation to vote in countywide or statewide primaries and runoffs (requesting a party ballot at the polls counts); bars changing parties from 60 days before a primary until the general election; repeals the runoff crossover ban. (AI-written summary of the bill; the official record shows the exact version voted)

Question before the chamber: Third Reading in House of Origin

Yes 69 · No 32 · Democrats 0–29 · Republicans 69–3

Youthful offender status, to prohibit a judge from granting youthful offender status to any person who is 16 years of age and older and charged with murder

What it does: Bars youthful offender status for people who were 16 or older at the time of the offense and are charged with capital murder or intentional murder; they are charged, arrested and tried as adults. (AI-written summary of the bill; the official record shows the exact version voted)

Question before the chamber: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended

A yes vote passed HB 146 as amended, which prohibits a judge from granting youthful offender status to a person 16 or older charged with murder. (AI-written)

Yes 67 · No 33 · Democrats 0–28 · Republicans 67–5

Motor vehicles; off-road vehicles, operation requirements for use on public roads, provided

What it does: Allows off-road vehicles on public roads in unincorporated areas with speed limits of 45 mph or less if they are registered, insured, and equipped, and operated by a licensed driver. (AI-written summary of the bill; the official record shows the exact version voted)

Question before the chamber: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass

A yes vote would have passed SB303, which sets operating requirements for off-road vehicles on public roads, in the House. (AI-written)

Yes 43 · No 44 · Democrats 1–21 · Republicans 42–23

Administrative rules; adopting environmental protection criteria stricter than federal requirements prohibited

What it does: This act prohibits a state agency from adopting or amending a rule that establishes numeric limitations or criteria for certain substances relating to environmental protection that: (1) is more stringent or extensive than federal requirements on the same topic; and (2) if there are no federal requirements on the same topic, is not based on the best available science and weight of scientific research for each substance to which the rule applies. (official summary)

Question before the chamber: Third Reading in Second House

Yes 67 · No 30 · Democrats 0–27 · Republicans 67–3

2nd Amendment Sales Tax Holiday created; to exempt certain items from sales tax during the last weekend of August

What it does: As introduced, creates an annual sales tax holiday, the last Friday through Sunday of August, exempting ammunition, firearms and hunting supplies from state sales and use tax; counties and municipalities may opt in for their own taxes. (AI-written summary of the bill; the official record shows the exact version voted)

Question before the chamber: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass

A yes vote passed HB 360, which creates a sales tax holiday exempting certain items from sales tax during the last weekend of August, in the House. (AI-written)

Yes 72 · No 29 · Democrats 0–29 · Republicans 72–0

Youthful offender status, to prohibit a judge from granting youthful offender status to any person who is 16 years of age and older and charged with murder

What it does: Bars youthful offender status for people who were 16 or older at the time of the offense and are charged with capital murder or intentional murder; they are charged, arrested and tried as adults. (AI-written summary of the bill; the official record shows the exact version voted)

Question before the chamber: Motion to Adopt

Yes 65 · No 29 · Democrats 0–26 · Republicans 65–3

Gulf of Mexico, renamed, observation and implementation by state and local entities and state and local employees required where practicable

What it does: This act is the Gulf of America Act. This act: (1) renames the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America for all purposes within the state; (2) requires all state and local entities and their employees to refer to the body of water as the Gulf of America, reflect the new name in all newly created maps, documents, educational materials, websites, official communications, and other resources, and make reasonable efforts to update all pre-existing resources where practicable if not an operational or financial burden. (official summary)

Question before the chamber: Third Reading in House of Origin

Yes 73 · No 30 · Democrats 0–29 · Republicans 73–1

Gulf of Mexico, renamed, observation and implementation by state and local entities and state and local employees required where practicable

What it does: This act is the Gulf of America Act. This act: (1) renames the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America for all purposes within the state; (2) requires all state and local entities and their employees to refer to the body of water as the Gulf of America, reflect the new name in all newly created maps, documents, educational materials, websites, official communications, and other resources, and make reasonable efforts to update all pre-existing resources where practicable if not an operational or financial burden. (official summary)

Question before the chamber: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended

A yes vote passed HB 2, the Gulf of America Act, in the House as amended. (AI-written)

Yes 73 · No 30 · Democrats 0–29 · Republicans 73–1