Budget Discussions & Big Bills Passing In the House
March 2, 2026 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House
The House was busy last week, voting on and approving several contested pieces of legislation. Read more about its activity and other topics in #alpolitics below.
Looking Back: The House Moves Ahead
HB360, which creates a tax-free holiday for the purchase of guns, ammunition and hunting supplies passed the House last week. But unlike other pieces of legislation enjoying bipartisan support this session, this measure is wholly supported by House Republicans and hardly criticized by the state's Democrat lawmakers. Republicans say the bill will promote the legal purchase of guns. Democrats say giving gun buyers a tax break shouldn't not be a priority. Read more here.
Also dividing lawmakers, HB363, which makes disrupting a worship service in a church via protesting a felony, passed the House last week, too, with strong Republican support and equally strong concerns expressed by Democrats. During debate on the House floor, some Democrats blamed Fox News for inspiring the bill; another called it “overkill.” Read more here.
And after passing the house on a 74-30 vote, HB2, a measure requiring state and local governments to change Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America on maps, other documents and educational materials, now heads to the Senate. Democrats claim the legislation is unnecessary. House Republicans say it simply puts the state in agreement with President Trump’s executive order changing the name of the body of water to Gulf of America. Read more here.
Find more details and a list of all the legislation passed last week, here.
Looking Ahead: Requests for Funding Increases May Not Get Granted
Image via Unsplash by Alexander Grey
Last week, multiple agencies made presentations to support their requests for more funds in the budget for Fiscal Year 2027. The Department of Human Resources and Medicaid were among them. Governor Ivey’s proposed budget doesn’t allow much room for additional monies, but after the meeting, Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Chair Senator Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, said that while he’s still not sure the legislature will be able to give the agencies what they’ve requested, lawmakers will look for ways to move money around and give agencies at least some of what they want. Read more here.
Public Service Commission Bill Dead
Last week, Senate President Pro Tem Senator Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, said a bill that would have changed the way members are added to the Public Service Commission could not get the needed votes to pass this session. HB392 would have ended elections to determine PSC members and going forward, members would be appointed by the governor. The bill was introduced in an effort to cut energy costs, but detractors said it was unclear if moving to an appointed PSC would accomplish that goal. While Gudger pronounced the legislation “dead,” he said he would be working with legislators on a new bill to address the state’s energy costs. Read more here.
Quick Hits
Republicans are looking to change the way Alabama residents vote in an effort to keep Democrats from voting in Republican primary elections. While no specific legislation has yet been introduced, Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, said several lawmakers are currently working on bills. Read more here.
Easily follow the progress of bills in the Alabama Legislature’s 2026 regular session and find news coverage on bills with this handy interactive legislation dashboard, here.
X Post of the Week
Meet The Bloom Group: (left to right) John Guthrie Jr., Harris Sanderson, Stephanie Norrell, Hal Bloom (principal/founder), Allen Sanderson (principal), Sara Elizabeth Burnham (vice president), James Dupree Jr., John Floyd.