HB254 • 2026

Vessels; stopping and boarding for safety or sanitation equipment inspections prohibited

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Stringer
Last action: 2026-03-05
Official status: Enacted
Effective date: 2026-06-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not define what constitutes other valid reasons for stopping or boarding vessels, only that these specific inspections cannot be the sole reason.

HB254: Limits on Stopping Boats for Inspections

This law stops law enforcement officers from stopping or boarding a vessel just to check safety gear or marine sanitation equipment.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits law enforcement officers from stopping or boarding a vessel if the only reason is to do a safety inspection or a marine sanitation equipment inspection.
Defines 'vessel' using Section 33-5-3 of the Code of Alabama 1975.
Sets June 1, 2026, as the date this rule begins.

Who It Names or Affects

Law enforcement officers
People who own or operate vessels

Terms To Know

Vessel: A boat defined by Section 33-5-3 of the Code of Alabama 1975.
Marine sanitation equipment inspection: An inspection related to marine sanitation equipment, as mentioned in the law's title and text.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only applies when stopping or boarding is done for the sole purpose of these specific inspections.
The exact definition of 'vessel' depends on a separate state code section not included in this bill's full text here.

Amendments

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

6YE9P31-1

R 243

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment makes it illegal for police officers in Alabama to stop or get onto a boat just to check its safety gear or sanitation equipment.

Law enforcement officers cannot stop a vessel if their only reason is to do a safety inspection.
Officers are also banned from boarding a vessel solely to inspect marine sanitation equipment.

Bill History

2026-03-05 House
Enacted
2026-02-26 Senate
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 648 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)
2026-02-26 Senate
Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 33, Nays 0)
2026-02-26 House
Delivered to Governor
2026-02-26 Senate
Signature Requested
2026-02-26 House
Enrolled
2026-02-26 House
Ready to Enroll
2026-02-12 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-11 Senate
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-02-05 Senate
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-02-05 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary
2026-02-03 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 244 (Yeas 102, Nays 1)
2026-02-03 House
Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 243 (Yeas 101, Nays 0)
2026-02-03 House
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 99, Nays 1)
2026-02-03 House
Engrossed
2026-02-03 House
Public Safety and Homeland Security 1st Substitute Offered
2026-01-29 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-01-28 House
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-01-28 House
Public Safety and Homeland Security 1st Substitute
2026-01-15 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-01-15 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Official Summary Text

This act prohibits law enforcement officers from stopping or boarding a vessel for the sole purpose of performing a safety inspection or marine sanitation equipment inspection.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB254 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB254
6YE9P31-3
By Representatives Stringer, Brown, Wilcox, Pettus, Sorrells,
Pringle, Hendrix, Stadthagen, Brinyark, Kirkland, Smith, Rehm,
Wadsworth, Whorton, Robertson, Allbright, Butler, Harrison,
Gray, Bolton, Treadaway, Jackson
RFD: Public Safety and Homeland Security
First Read: 15-Jan-26
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HB254 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 15-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to vessels; to prohibit law enforcement
officers from stopping or boarding vessels for safety or
marine sanitation equipment inspections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) A law enforcement officer may not stop
or board a vessel for the sole purpose of performing a safety
inspection or marine sanitation equipment inspection.
(b) For the purposes of this section, the term "vessel"
has the meaning as defined in Section 33-5-3, Code of Alabama
1975.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on June 1,
2026.
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HB254 Enrolled
Page 2
2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House, as amended 03-Feb-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 26-Feb-26 Passed
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