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HB169 • 2026

Department of Archives and History; composition of board and method of filling board vacancies further provided for, retroactive effect

Department of Archives and History; composition of board and method of filling board vacancies further provided for, retroactive effect

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Kiel
Last action
2026-04-09
Official status
On Third Reading in Second House
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The text contains conflicting dates: Section 2 states an effective date of October 1, 2026, but specific seat terms are listed as commencing in years prior to that (e.g., January 1, 2023). The bill title mentions 'retroactive effect,' which may explain this discrepancy.

Changes to the Board of Trustees for Alabama's Department of Archives and History

This law changes how many people serve on the board, who appoints them, when their terms start, and sets rules for filling empty seats.

What This Bill Does

  • Sets up a Board of Trustees with one member from each congressional district as they existed on January 1, 2025, nine at-large members, and the Governor or their designee.
  • Requires that two additional at-large members be selected by the board and confirmed by the Senate to serve initial terms of two, four, or six years before all future terms become six years.
  • Assigns appointment power for specific seats to the Governor, Speaker of the House, or President Pro Tempore of the Senate based on seat numbers.
  • Requires that appointments for Seat 9 and Seat 15 be made from a list of three nominees provided by the Minority Leader of their respective chambers.
  • States that appointing authorities should coordinate to ensure the board reflects racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity in Alabama.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Board of Trustees for the Department of Archives and History
  • State officials including the Governor, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Minority Leaders, and the State Senate
  • Residents living in specific congressional districts or across Alabama who may be appointed to board seats

Terms To Know

At-large member
A person on a group who represents the whole state instead of just one district.
Quorum
The minimum number of members that must be present to hold an official meeting and make decisions; for this board, it is a majority of trustees.
Per diem
A daily payment given to cover travel and living costs while doing work for the state.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not list specific names of people who will fill these seats.
  • It is unclear how many total members were on the board before this change took effect based solely on this text.
  • While some term start dates listed in the bill are prior to 2026, the act itself becomes effective on October 1, 2026.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

DG3ZGNH-1

R 1104

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment changes how members are chosen for Alabama's Department of Archives and History board by adding new seats, assigning specific start dates to each seat, and requiring the board to consider diversity when making appointments.

  • The total number of board members increases from one per congressional district plus nine at-large members to include two additional at-large members and one extra member for every U.S. Congressional District based on boundaries as of January 1, 2025.
  • Specific start dates are assigned to each of the 16 seats so that terms expire in different years between 2025 and 2030 instead of all at once.
  • The Governor appoints members for congressional district seats and some at-large seats, while the Speaker of the House and Senate President Pro Tempore appoint other at-large members, sometimes using nominees from minority leaders.
  • Board authorities must coordinate their appointments to ensure the board reflects racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity across the state.
  • The provided text contains a typo in Section (c) where it says 'reflects' twice ('shall reflect reflects'), making that sentence slightly unclear.
  • Section 41-6-4 is cut off at the end of the document, so the full rules for what happens if the Senate rejects an appointment are not visible.
L5RKDAA-1

R 1105

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment updates the bill to clarify how board vacancies are filled and sets specific start dates for six-year terms on the Department of Archives and History board.

  • The text is changed to explicitly state that the law provides rules for filling empty seats on the board.
  • Some board members will begin their six-year term starting January 1, 2031.
  • One specific group of board members will have a six-year term starting earlier, on January 1, 2023.
  • The entire law is scheduled to officially take effect on October 1, 2026.
  • The amendment text does not explain which specific board members get the 2023 start date versus the 2031 start date.
  • It is unclear why a term starting in 2023 would be included if the law itself becomes effective in October 2026.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 Senate

    Carried Over to the Call of the Chair

  2. 2026-04-02 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  3. 2026-04-02 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  4. 2026-04-01 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  5. 2026-04-01 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on County and Municipal Government

  6. 2026-03-31 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1106 (Yeas 66, Nays 0)

  7. 2026-03-31 House

    Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1105 (Yeas 66, Nays 0)

  8. 2026-03-31 House

    Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1104 (Yeas 66, Nays 0)

  9. 2026-03-31 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 66, Nays 0)

  10. 2026-03-31 House

    Engrossed

  11. 2026-03-31 House

    Collins 1st Amendment Offered

  12. 2026-03-31 House

    State Government Engrossed Substitute Offered

  13. 2026-02-12 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  14. 2026-02-11 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  15. 2026-01-13 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  16. 2026-01-13 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on State Government

Official Summary Text

Department of Archives and History; composition of board and method of filling board vacancies further provided for, retroactive effect

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB169 ENGROSSED
Page 0
HB169
DG3ZGNH-2
By Representative Kiel
RFD: State Government
First Read: 13-Jan-26
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HB169 Engrossed
Page 1
First Read: 13-Jan-26
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to the Department of Archives and History; to
amend Sections 41-6-3 and 41-6-4, Code of Alabama 1975; to
further provide for the composition of the Board of Trustees
of the Department of Archives and History; and to further
provide for the filling of vacancies on the board.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 41-6-3 and 41-6-4, Code of Alabama
1975, are amended to read as follows:
"§41-6-3
(a) The department shall be under the control of the
Board of Trustees of the Department of Archives and History,
which shall consist of one member from each congressional
district and the additional members selected pursuant to
subsection (b) as the districts existed on January 1, 2025,
nine at-large members, and the Governor or his or her
designee .
(b) Two additional at-large members shall be selected
and an additional member shall be selected from each U.S.
Congressional District. The additional members shall be
selected by the board of trustees and their names shall be
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HB169 Engrossed
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selected by the board of trustees and their names shall be
communicated to the Senate not later than the fifth
legislative day of the 2004 Regular Session of the
Legislature. Newly selected members shall be confirmed by the
Senate in the same manner as vacancies filled pursuant to
Section 41-6-4. The board of trustees shall select three of
the new members to serve initial terms of two years, three of
the new members to serve initial terms of four years, and
three of the new members to serve initial terms of six years.
All successor members shall serve terms of six years and shall
be selected as provided in Section 41-6-4.
(b) Each vacancy in an appointed board seat, as the
vacancy arises, whether by expiration of term of service or by
death, resignation, or removal shall be filled as follows:
(1) Seat 1, a resident of Congressional District 1, for
a six-year term commencing January 1, 2027, and every six
years thereafter, appointed by the Governor.
(2) Seat 2, a resident of Congressional District 2, for
a six-year term commencing January 1, 2029, and every six
years thereafter, appointed by the Governor.
(3) Seat 3, a resident of Congressional District 3, for
a six-year term commencing January 1, 2030, and every six
years thereafter, appointed by the Governor.
(4) Seat 4, a resident of Congressional District 4, for
a six-year term commencing January 1, 2026, and every six
years thereafter, appointed by the Governor.
(5) Seat 5, a resident of Congressional District 5, for
a six-year term commencing January 1, 2028, and every six
years thereafter, appointed by the Governor.
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HB169 Engrossed
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years thereafter, appointed by the Governor.
(6) Seat 6, a resident of Congressional District 6, for
a six-year term commencing January 1, 2028, and every six
years thereafter, appointed by the Governor.
(7) Seat 7, a resident of Congressional District 7, for
a six-year term commencing January 1, 2025, and every six
years thereafter, appointed by the Governor.
(8) Seat 8, a resident of the state at-large, for a
six-year term commencing January 1, 2031, and every six years
thereafter, appointed by the Governor.
(9) Seat 9, a resident of the state at-large, for a
six-year term commencing January 1, 2028, and every six years
thereafter, appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives from three nominees provided by the Minority
Leader of the House of Representatives.
(10) Seat 10, a resident of the state at-large, for a
six-year term commencing January 1, 2030, and every six years
thereafter, appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(11) Seat 11, a resident of the state at-large, for a
six-year term commencing January 1, 2027, and every six years
thereafter, appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(12) Seat 12, a resident of the state at-large, for a
six-year term commencing January 1, 2026, and every six years
thereafter, appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(13) Seat 13, a resident of the state at-large, for a
six-year term commencing January 1, 2031, and every six years
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HB169 Engrossed
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six-year term commencing January 1, 2031, and every six years
thereafter, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the
Senate.
(14) Seat 14, a resident of the state at-large, for a
six-year term commencing January 1, 2027, and every six years
thereafter, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the
Senate.
(15) Seat 15, a resident of the state at-large, for a
six-year term commencing January 1, 2023, and every six years
thereafter, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the
Senate from three nominees provided by the Minority Leader of
the Senate.
(16) Seat 16, a resident of the state at-large, for a
six-year term commencing January 1, 2026, and every six years
thereafter, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the
Senate.
(c) The membership of the board of trustees appointing
authorities shall be coordinate their appointments to assure
that the membership of the board is inclusive and shall
reflect reflects the racial and, gender , geographic, urban,
rural, and economic diversity of the state.
(d) Each appointed member shall serve at the pleasure
of his or her appointing authority. "
"§41-6-4
(a) The board of trustees shall fill all vacancies
occurring on the board, whether by expiration of term of
service or by death or resignation, but the names of all
successor members shall be communicated to the current session
or the next ensuing regular session of the state Senate for
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HB169 Engrossed
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or the next ensuing regular session of the state Senate for
confirmation. If the Senate rejects any successor trustee, the
board shall proceed forthwith to fill the vacancy. All
appointments made by the Governor shall be subject to
consideration by the Senate Committee on Confirmations as the
committee deems necessary. An appointee shall continue to
serve his or her term from the date of appointment unless and
until the Senate Committee on Confirmations elects to consider
the appointment and subsequently rejects the appointment. If
the Senate Committee on Confirmations rejects an appointment,
the Secretary of the Senate shall forward the rejection to the
Governor and request a new individual be appointed.
(b) A trustee An individual appointed to succeed a
member whose term has expired shall serve for a term of six
years. A person An individual appointed to fill a vacancy
occurring by death or, resignation , or removal shall only
serve out the unexpired term of his or her predecessor. A
person whose appointment to the board has been confirmed by
the Senate shall serve beyond his or her expired term until a
successor has been confirmed by the Senate.
(c) The board shall hold at the State Capital at least
one regular meeting during every year and as many special
meetings as may be necessary, and at any meeting . a A majority
of the trustees board members shall constitute a quorum. The
Governor of the state , or his or her designee, shall be a
voting member of the board as authorized by Section 41-6-3 ,
and he or she shall , as far as possible, shall lend every
encouragement to the success and upbuilding development of the
department. The director shall be the secretary of the board.
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HB169 Engrossed
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department. The director shall be the secretary of the board.
The trustees Members of the board shall receive no
compensation for their services. Each member of the board of
trustees shall be reimbursed at the same per diem and travel
allowance amounts paid by law to state employees for each day
of attendance of the business of the board.
(d) The board may do all of the following :
(1) Adopt rules for its own government and also for the
government of the department.
(2) Elect a director and provide for the selection or
appointment of other officials or employees as may be
authorized.
(3) Provide for the publication of historical material
pertaining to the state under the supervision of the director.
(4) Control and expend such appropriations as may be
made for the maintenance of the department.
(5) Perform such other acts as may be necessary to
carry out the intent and purposes of this article."
Section 2. This act shall become effective October 1,
2026.
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HB169 Engrossed
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2026.
House of Representatives
Read for the first time and referred
to the House of Representatives
committee on State Government
................13-Jan-26
Read for the second time and placed
on the calendar:
1 amendment
................12-Feb-26
Read for the third time and passed
as amended
Yeas 61
Nays 35
Abs 6
................31-Mar-26
John Treadwell
Clerk
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