HB408 • 2026

City of Alabaster; entertainment districts authorized

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Bedsole
Last action: 2026-03-03
Official status: Enacted
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text specifies that businesses must be located in Alabaster; the candidate explanation's mention of 'Shelby County' was narrowed to reflect that only Alabaster is authorized.

HB408: Alabaster Entertainment Districts

This law allows the City of Alabaster to create up to two special areas where licensed businesses can let customers walk outside with open drinks, subject to city rules.

What This Bill Does

Allows the Alabaster City Council to pass local laws (ordinances) creating and managing entertainment districts.
Limits each district to an area no larger than one-half mile by one-half mile containing licensed alcohol sellers.
Permits customers of a business with a special permit to walk outside their bar or restaurant holding open containers of alcohol within the district boundaries.
Prohibits people from entering another business's property while carrying any container of alcohol, whether open or closed.
Bans anyone who is not a licensed seller from bringing alcohol into the district if it was bought outside that area during operating hours.

Who It Names or Affects

The City Council and government officials in Alabaster
Bars, restaurants, and other businesses selling alcohol for on-site consumption within designated districts in Alabaster
Customers who visit these licensed establishments within the designated districts

Terms To Know

Entertainment District: A specific area defined by city rules where people can carry open alcohol containers outside of bars and restaurants.
Ordinance: A local law or rule created by the City Council to manage how these districts work.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not state which specific streets or neighborhoods will become entertainment districts until the city passes its own rules.
The exact hours of operation and penalties for breaking the rules are decided by the City Council, not this law.

Bill History

2026-03-03 House
Enacted
2026-02-24 Senate
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 532 (Yeas 31, Nays 0)
2026-02-24 Senate
Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 31, Nays 0)
2026-02-24 House
Delivered to Governor
2026-02-24 Senate
Signature Requested
2026-02-24 House
Enrolled
2026-02-24 House
Ready to Enroll
2026-02-19 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-18 Senate
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-02-17 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 421 (Yeas 16, Nays 0)
2026-02-17 House
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 58, Nays 0)
2026-02-17 Senate
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-02-17 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Shelby County Legislation
2026-02-12 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-12 House
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-02-10 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-02-10 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Shelby County Legislation

Official Summary Text

City of Alabaster; entertainment districts authorized

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB408 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB408
HGYEZ38-2
By Representatives Bedsole, Paschal (N & P)
RFD: Shelby County Legislation
First Read: 10-Feb-26
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HB408 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 10-Feb-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to Shelby County; to authorize the City
Council of the City of Alabaster to establish and regulate the
operation of entertainment districts as designated by
ordinance; and to authorize the city council to provide
penalties for violations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act is adopted pursuant to the
authority in subdivision (31) of Section 104 of the
Constitution of Alabama of 2022.
Section 2. (a) The Alabaster City Council, by
ordinance, may provide for the establishment of not more than
two entertainment districts in the city, as those districts
are defined in the Alabaster City Code. The entertainment
districts may contain one or more Alabama Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board licensees in an area that does not exceed
one-half mile by one-half mile. The ordinance of the city
council shall regulate hours of operation of an entertainment
district, may provide for the revocation of the entertainment
district designation, and may regulate any other aspect of the
operation of entertainment districts.
(b) Any retail licensee of the Alabama Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board licensed to sell alcoholic beverages
for on-premises consumption located in an entertainment
district may obtain an entertainment district permit.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any licensee that
receives an entertainment district permit shall comply with
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HB408 Enrolled
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receives an entertainment district permit shall comply with
all laws and rules governing its license, except that patrons,
guests, or members of the licensee may exit the licensed
premises with open containers of alcoholic beverages anywhere
within the confines of the entertainment district but may not
enter the premises of another licensee with open containers or
closed containers of alcoholic beverages acquired elsewhere.
In addition, the ordinance shall prohibit a person other than
a retail licensee from possessing or bringing into the
entertainment district an open or closed container of
alcoholic beverages acquired outside of the entertainment
district during the hours of operation of the entertainment
district.
(c) The ordinance shall be enforced by the City of
Alabaster and shall provide penalties for violations of the
ordinance as otherwise authorized by law.
Section 3. This act shall become effective on June 1,
2026.
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HB408 Enrolled
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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 17-Feb-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 24-Feb-26 Passed
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