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HB38 ENROLLED
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HB38
6Y5FDZ1-3
By Representative Brown
RFD: Ports, Waterways and Intermodal Transit
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 14-Aug-25
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PFD: 14-Aug-25
Enrolled,
An Act, to state marine waters; to create the Alabama
Seagrass Restoration Task Force; and to provide for its
membership and duties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to
establish a collaborative and coordinated effort among public
and private research entities to develop restoration
technologies and approaches to address the loss of seagrass
within state marine waters and the cascading ecological and
economic impacts of that loss to this state.
Section 2. (a) The Alabama Seagrass Restoration Task
Force is established to lead and expedite formulating,
testing, and developing innovative, effective, cost-efficient,
and environmentally sustainable technologies to restore
coastal seagrass ecosystems by building upon research and
efforts within the public and private sectors.
(b) The task force shall consist of the following
members:
(1) The executive director of the Dauphin Island Sea
Lab to serve as a cochair.
(2) The President of the University of South Alabama,
or his or her designee, to serve as a cochair.
(3) The Chair of the House of Representatives Ports,
Waterways, and Intermodal Transit Committee.
(4) The Commissioner of Conservation and Natural
Resources, or his or her designee who has expertise in
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Resources, or his or her designee who has expertise in
seagrass ecosystems.
(5) The Director of the Mobile Bay National Estuary
Program.
(6) A member from a private commercial enterprise
appointed by the Governor.
(7) A member from a public or private university in
this state other than the University of South Alabama
appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
(8) Two members from a non-university public or private
marine environmental organization with one member appointed by
the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one member
appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.
(9) A member appointed by the Mobile County Commission.
(10) A member appointed by the Baldwin County
Commission.
(c) The task force shall develop a 10-year Alabama
Seagrass and Sea Oats Restoration Plan to recommend the tools,
approaches, and technologies developed pursuant to this act.
(d) If a vacancy occurs for any appointed member, the
respective appointing authority shall appoint a new member.
(e) The appointing authorities shall coordinate their
appointments to assure the task force membership is inclusive
and reflects the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and
economic diversity of this state.
(f)(1) The legislative members of the task force shall
be entitled to their legislative compensation, per diem, and
travel expenses for each day they attend a meeting of the task
force pursuant to Section 49 of the Constitution of Alabama of
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force pursuant to Section 49 of the Constitution of Alabama of
2022.
(2) The nonlegislative members of the task force shall
serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary
expenses in attending meetings of the task force pursuant to
the policies of their respective appointing authority.
(g) The initial meeting of the task force shall be
called by the cochairs and shall be held by January 1, 2027.
Thereafter the task force shall meet no less than twice per
year.
(h) The Dauphin Island Sea Lab shall provide all
necessary staff and support, including meeting space, to the
task force for the performance of its duties.
(i) Not later than the first day of each regular
session of the Legislature, the task force shall provide a
report of its progress made in developing and administering
the 10-year Alabama Seagrass and Sea Oats Restoration Plan and
its findings, conclusions, accomplishments, priorities for
subsequent years, and recommendations for proposed
legislation, if any, to the Governor, President Pro Tempore of
the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Section 3. (a) The Dauphin Island Sea Lab shall be the
fiscal agent for all funds appropriated to the task force to
achieve the goals of the task force.
(b) The Dauphin Island Sea Lab, with the consent of the
task force, may use funds appropriated to the task force to
facilitate engagement with other relevant marine science and
technology development organizations in this state, nation,
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technology development organizations in this state, nation,
and around the world to pursue applied research and technology
for the successful restoration of seagrass ecosystems.
(c) The Dauphin Island Sea Lab may retain funds
appropriated to the task force for administrative costs
expended by the sea lab pursuant to this act.
(d) In addition to any state-appropriated funds, the
task force may accept gifts, grants, and donations from
private and federal sources.
Section 4. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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1, 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 22-Jan-26, as amended.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 12-Feb-26 Amended and Passed
House 25-Feb-26 Concurred in Senate
Amendment
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