Read the full stored bill text
HB285 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB285
3PWADZZ-1
By Representatives Brinyark, Faulkner, Lamb, Bolton, Carns,
Hill, Sellers, Shaw, Hulsey, Treadaway, Barnes, Garrett,
Givan, Datcher, Stadthagen, DuBose, England, McCampbell,
Travis, Wadsworth, Rafferty, Hollis
RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
First Read: 20-Jan-26
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
3PWADZZ-1 11/20/2025 SS (F)SS 2025-3436
Page 1
First Read: 20-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
This bill would establish the Coal-Impacted
Communities Economic and Workforce Development Grant
Program to provide grants to local development
organizations for regional economic and workforce
development initiatives in coal-impacted communities in
the state.
This bill would establish the Renewing
Coal-Impacted Communities Act Fund in the State
Treasury for the implementation and operation of the
grant program.
This bill would provide for the distribution of
revenues derived from the payment of rent and royalties
of federal coal lease sales in the state.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to economic and workforce development; to
establish the Coal-Impacted Communities Economic and Workforce
Development Grant Program to assist local development
organizations with economic and workforce development
initiatives in coal-impacted communities; to provide for the
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
HB285 INTRODUCED
Page 2
initiatives in coal-impacted communities; to provide for the
purposes for which the grant funds may be used; to establish
the Coal-Impacted Communities Economic and Workforce
Development Grant Program Advisory Committee to review
applications and make recommendations; to establish the
Renewing Coal-Impacted Communities Act Fund in the State
Treasury; to provide for the distribution of revenues received
from rent and royalties derived from federal coal lease sales
in the state beginning after January 1, 2027; and to provide
an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the Renewing Coal-Impacted Communities Act.
Section 2. The Legislature finds and declares all the
following:
(1) The Federal Lands Program regulates coal mining and
reclamation operations on federal lands pursuant to the
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) and the
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (MLA).
(2) The United States Department of the Interior Office
of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) collects royalties and
other revenues from coal production on federal lands and pays
a portion of this revenue to the state where the mineral was
extracted.
(3) The primary intent of the royalties is to
compensate states that host federal mineral extraction
activities, including the communities most impacted by mineral
extraction. Costs to these communities, include, but are not
limited to, infrastructure, increased demand on public
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
HB285 INTRODUCED
Page 3
limited to, infrastructure, increased demand on public
services, and workforce-related costs.
(4) The McDuffie Coal Terminal at the Port of Mobile
serves as the primary export terminal for coal extracted from
federal lands in Alabama, handling the majority of coal
shipped from mining operations in coal-impacted communities.
The movement of coal through the McDuffie Coal Terminal at the
Port of Mobile generates significant economic activity,
creates jobs in transportation and logistics sectors, and
contributes substantial tax revenue to state and local
governments. Infrastructure improvements and maintenance at
the Port of Mobile are essential to maintaining the
competitiveness of Alabama's coal industry, ensuring efficient
market access for coal production, and supporting the broader
economic ecosystem dependent on coal mining activities.
(5) It is the intent of the Legislature, by the passage
of this act, to require that all federal funds made available
to the state through 30 U.S.C. § 191(a), be expended within
coal-impacted communities, the Port of Mobile, and the State
General Fund.
Section 3. The following words and phrases, whenever
used in this act, have the following meanings:
(1) COAL-IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. Areas or jurisdictions
of the state that meet one or more of the following criteria:
a. Areas where coal is currently being mined on federal
lands.
b. Areas where a significant population of the
workforce is engaged in the mining of coal on federal lands.
c. Areas that have experienced substantial economic
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
HB285 INTRODUCED
Page 4
c. Areas that have experienced substantial economic
impact due to the decline or cessation of coal mining
operations on federal lands.
d. Jurisdictions where coal mining on federal lands has
historically been a major source of employment or tax revenue.
e. For purposes of this definition, Fayette County,
Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, and Walker County are
designated as coal-impacted communities.
(2) FUND. The fund created in Section 6 of this act.
(3) LOCAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. Any organization
that is determined by the board to meet both of the following
criteria:
a. The organization is an Alabama entity not operating
for profit, including, but not limited to, a municipality,
county, industrial development board, industrial development
authority, chamber of commerce, institution of higher
education, or some other foundation or nonprofit organization
charged with improving a community or region of the state.
b. The organization has a record of supporting or
otherwise participating in economic or workforce development
in some parts of the state.
(4) PERSON. One or more individuals, corporations,
partnerships, associations, legal representatives, mutual
companies, joint-stock companies, trusts, unincorporated
organizations, trustees, bankruptcy, receivers, and
fiduciaries.
(5) SECRETARY. The Secretary of the Department of
Workforce.
Section 4. (a) The Coal-Impacted Communities Economic
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
HB285 INTRODUCED
Page 5
Section 4. (a) The Coal-Impacted Communities Economic
and Workforce Development Grant Program is established for the
purpose of awarding grants to eligible local development
organizations for regional economic and workforce development
initiatives in coal-impacted communities in the state.
(b) The Secretary of the Department of Workforce shall
implement and administer the grant program.
(c) Grant funds awarded under this program may be used
to support coal-impacted communities through:
(1) Workforce development and training programs;
(2) Quality of place initiatives that enhance community
livability and economic competitiveness;
(3) Public works, infrastructure, and public services;
(4) Capital improvement that support community
resilience and economic development; and
(5) Operations of the Alabama Surface Mining
Commission.
Section 5. (a) To ensure that coal-impacted communities
have meaningful input into the expenditure of grant funds, a
Coal-Impacted Communities Economic and Workforce Development
Grant Program Advisory Committee is established to review
applications and make recommendations to the secretary. Each
advisory committee member shall be appointed to a four-year
term and shall serve at the pleasure of their respective
appointing authority. The advisory committee shall meet at
least annually. Additional meetings may be called at the
discretion of the secretary.
(b) The committee shall consist of the following
members:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
HB285 INTRODUCED
Page 6
members:
(1) One member appointed by the Governor from a
coal-impacted community.
(2) One member appointed by the Lieutenant Governor
from a coal-impacted community.
(3) One member appointed by the President Pro Tempore
of the Senate from a coal-impacted community.
(4) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives from a coal-impacted community.
(5) One member appointed by the Fayette County
Legislative Delegation.
(6) One member appointed by the Jefferson County
Legislative Delegation.
(7) One member appointed by the Tuscaloosa County
Legislative Delegation.
(8) One member appointed by the Walker County
Legislative Delegation.
(9) The President of the Alabama Mining Association.
(c) The appointing authorities shall coordinate their
appointments to assure the advisory board membership is
inclusive and reflects the racial, gender, geographic, urban,
rural, and economic diversity of the state.
Section 6. (a) The Renewing Coal-Impacted Communities
Act Fund is created within the State Treasury to provide grant
funds to local development organizations for the purpose of
improving economic and workforce development in coal-impacted
communities. The fund shall be administered by the department
and shall be comprised of revenues received from rent and
royalties derived from federal coal lease sales in the state
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
HB285 INTRODUCED
Page 7
royalties derived from federal coal lease sales in the state
beginning after January 1, 2027, or allocated by the
Legislature from other funds for the purposes of this act.
Amounts deposited into the fund shall be budgeted and allotted
in accordance with Sections 41-4-80 through 41-4-96 and
Sections 41-19-1 through 41-19-12, Code of Alabama 1975. All
funds received into the fund shall remain in the fund and not
revert or be expended for any other purposes other than those
set out in this act.
(b) The department may retain up to 10 percent of the
total funds allocated for the Coal-Impacted Communities
Economic and Workforce Development Grant Program for actual
expenses relating to administering the program, reimbursing
advisory committee members for necessary expenses incurred in
the performance of their duties, and conducting financial
audits.
Section 7. The Secretary of the Department of Workforce
shall adopt rules as necessary to implement and administer the
provisions of this act.
Section 8. Notwithstanding any other law to the
contrary, the revenues derived from the payment of rent and
royalties of federal coal lease sales occurring in the state
after January 1, 2027 shall be distributed as follows:
(1) The first one million dollars ($1,000,000) shall be
deposited in the State General Fund.
(2) The next five-hundred thousand dollars ($500,000)
shall be distributed to the Alabama State Port Authority for
the McDuffie Coal Terminal at the Port of Mobile.
(3) The next two-hundred fifty thousand dollars
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
HB285 INTRODUCED
Page 8
(3) The next two-hundred fifty thousand dollars
($250,000) shall be distributed to the Alabama Surface Mining
Commission.
(4) The remaining revenues shall be deposited in the
Renewing Coal-Impacted Communities Act Fund and shall be used
by the department to award grants to eligible local
development organizations pursuant to the provisions of this
act.
Section 9. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205