HB287 • 2026

Legislative committee; Joint Legislative Committee on the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor and Meritorious Service Award, created

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Bedsole
Last action: 2026-02-12
Official status: Read Second Time in Second House
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the committee already existed under a joint resolution, so this bill changes its legal basis rather than creating it from scratch.

HB287: Continues the Permanent Committee for Law Enforcement Awards

This bill moves a legislative committee that gives medals to law enforcement officers from a joint resolution into general state law.

What This Bill Does

Continues the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor and Meritorious Service Award under general statutory law instead of by joint resolution.
Requires the committee to award two honors annually: the Legislative Medal of Honor for Law Enforcement and the Legislative Meritorious Service Award.
Sets up a group of 10 members, including five from the House appointed by the Speaker and five from the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore.
Requires at least one member from the minority party in each chamber to be on the committee.
Directs appointing authorities to ensure the committee reflects racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity of the state.
Allows the committee to meet as needed but requires them to hold at least one meeting every year.
Requires members appointed for four-year terms concurrent with their elected office.

Who It Names or Affects

Law enforcement officers who demonstrate extraordinary courage or exceptional service in the line of duty and are eligible for awards.
State legislators serving on the new permanent committee.
The Legislative Services Agency, Clerk of the House, and Secretary of Senate who provide administrative support.

Terms To Know

Joint Legislative Committee: A group made up of members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate that works together on a specific task.
Per diem: A daily payment given to cover travel and living costs for committee members attending meetings, unless the Legislature is in session.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not list specific rules or criteria used to decide which officers receive each award beyond demonstrating extraordinary courage or exceptional service.
While the law takes effect on June 1, 2026, it does not specify when the first awards will be given out.

Bill History

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 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 278 (Yeas 100, Nays 0)
2026-02-05 House
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 75, Nays 0)
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 Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Safety
2026-02-05 House
Givan intended to vote "Yea"
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
2026-01-20 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-01-20 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Official Summary Text

Legislative committee; Joint Legislative Committee on the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor and Meritorious Service Award, created

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB287 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB287
84Z1CH2-1
By Representatives Bedsole, Reynolds, Pettus, Treadaway,
Stringer, Hendrix
RFD: Public Safety and Homeland Security
First Read: 20-Jan-26
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84Z1CH2-1 08/21/2025 JWB (L)lg 2025-2322
Page 1
First Read: 20-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, the Permanent Joint
Legislative Committee on the Law Enforcement Medal of
Honor and Meritorious Service Award was created by
joint resolution for the purpose of awarding the Law
Enforcement Medal of Honor and Meritorious Service
Award.
This bill would continue the committee under
general statutory law.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to the Legislature; to continue the Permanent
Joint Legislative Committee on the Law Enforcement Medal of
Honor and Meritorious Service Award under general statutory
law.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) The Permanent Joint Legislative
Committee on the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor and
Meritorious Service Award is created for the purpose of
awarding the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor and the
Meritorious Service of Award.
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HB287 INTRODUCED
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Meritorious Service of Award.
(b)(1) The membership of the committee shall consist of
all of the following:
a. Five members of the House of Representatives,
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, at
least one of whom shall be a member of the minority party.
b. Five members of the Senate, appointed by the
President Pro Tempore of the Senate, at least one of whom
shall be a member of the minority party.
(2) Members of the committee shall be appointed for a
four-year term concurrent with the members' elected terms of
office. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the
original appointment for the remainder of the term.
(3) The appointing authorities shall coordinate their
appointments to ensure the committee membership is inclusive
and reflects the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and
economic diversity of the state.
(c) The committe e annually shall award the Legislative
Medal of Honor for Law Enforcement and the Legislative
Meritorious Service Award to members of law enforcement who
demonstrate extraordinary courage and exceptional service in
the line of duty.
(d)(1) The first meeting of the committee shall be held
at the call of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, at
which time the committee shall elect a chair and vice chair.
An election for chair and vice chair shall occur at the
committee's first meeting of each quadrennium.
(2) The committee may meet as necessary to conduct
business during the sessions of the Legislature, any recess,
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HB287 INTRODUCED
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business during the sessions of the Legislature, any recess,
and in the interim period between sessions, provided that the
committee shall meet at least once every year.
(e) The Legislative Services Agency, the Clerk of the
House of Representatives, and the Secretary of the Senate
shall provide administrative and other assistance for the work
of the committee.
(f) Each member of the committee shall be entitled to
their legislative compensation, per diem, and travel expenses
for each day they attend a meeting of the committee pursuant
to Section 49 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no member shall receive
additional legislative compensation or per diem when the
Legislature is in session.
(g) Pursuant to Section 36-14-17.1, Code of Alabama
1975, the committee shall provide a notice of all meetings,
the name of each member serving on the committee, and a copy
of and any documents produced by the committee throughout its
duration to the Secretary of State.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on June 1,
2026.
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