HB468 • 2026

Local commissions and authorities; prohibition on officers serving on commission or board of directors of authority removed for certain municipalities

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Chestnut
Last action: 2026-03-17
Official status: Read Second Time in Second House
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the effective date is October 1, 2026, which matches the candidate explanation.

HB468: Changes to Rules for Local Officials Serving on Boards

This law allows certain local government officials in Alabama to serve on specific planning and utility boards that they were previously banned from joining.

What This Bill Does

Removes the ban on municipal officers serving on a city planning commission if the town has 7,500 residents or fewer.
Allows county commissions to let municipal officers sit on boards for water, sewer, or fire protection authorities.
Permits appointing bodies to name county or municipal officials to solid waste disposal districts, provided those officials do not serve on the body that appointed them.
Keeps existing bans in place so state and county officers cannot serve on certain water, sewer, or fire protection boards.

Who It Names or Affects

Municipalities with a population of 7,500 people or less
County commissions that manage water, sewer, or fire authorities
Local officials who hold office in counties or municipalities

Terms To Know

Municipal officer: A person holding an elected or appointed job within a city or town government.
Planning commission: A local group that makes rules about how land is used and where buildings can go.
Authority: An organization created to manage specific services like water, sewer systems, or fire protection.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only applies if the local government chooses to allow these officials to serve.
State and county officers remain prohibited from serving on certain utility boards under this bill.
This act will not take effect until October 1, 2026.

Amendments

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

6YTJF3Z-1

R 834

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment allows certain local government officials to serve on specific boards and commissions that they were previously banned from joining.

Officials in towns with fewer than 7,500 people can now be allowed to sit on their municipal planning commission.
County leaders may permit city officers to join the board of directors for local water, sewer, or fire protection authorities.
City and county officials who are not part of the main governing body can now serve on solid waste disposal district boards.

The law does not change rules for state officers serving on these boards.
Officials in towns with more than 7,500 residents still cannot serve on planning commissions under this amendment.
Local leaders must choose to allow these changes; they are not automatic.

Bill History

2026-03-17 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-03-17 Senate
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-03-11 Senate
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-03-11 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on County and Municipal Government
2026-03-10 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 835 (Yeas 104, Nays 0)
2026-03-10 House
Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 834 (Yeas 105, Nays 0)
2026-03-10 House
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 105, Nays 0)
2026-03-10 House
Engrossed
2026-03-10 House
Faulkner 1st Substitute Offered
2026-02-25 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-25 House
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-02-17 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-02-17 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on County and Municipal Government

Official Summary Text

Local commissions and authorities; prohibition on officers serving on commission or board of directors of authority removed for certain municipalities

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB468 ENGROSSED
Page 0
HB468
6YTJF3Z-2
By Representatives Chestnut, Brown, Robbins, Jones, Shaw,
Lawrence
RFD: County and Municipal Government
First Read: 17-Feb-26
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HB468 Engrossed
Page 1
First Read: 17-Feb-26
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to local commissions and authorities; to
remove the prohibition against a municipal official serving on
a municipal planning commission for municipalities with less
than 7,500 residents; to remove the prohibition against a
municipal officer serving on a county water, sewer, or fire
protection authority; and to remove the prohibition against a
county or municipal officer serving on a solid waste disposal
district or authority if the officer does not serve on the
governing or appointing authority.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Notwithstanding Section 11-52-3, Code of
Alabama 1975, municipalities with 7,500 residents or less may
authorize individuals who hold a municipal office to serve on
a municipal planning commission, pursuant to Chapter 52 of
Title 11, Code of Alabama 1975.
Section 2. (a) Notwithstanding Chapters 88 and 89 of
Title 11, Code of Alabama 1975, a county commission may
authorize municipal officers to serve on a board of directors
for a county water, sewer, or fire protection authority.
(b) This section shall not affect the prohibition on
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HB468 Engrossed
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(b) This section shall not affect the prohibition on
state or county officers from serving on any county board of
directors for a water, sewer, or fire protection district or
authority pursuant to Chapters 88 and 89 of Title 11, Code of
Alabama 1975.
Section 3. Notwithstanding Chapters 89 and 89A of Title
11, Code of Alabama 1975, an appointing or governing authority
of a municipality or county may appoint any county or
municipal official who does not serve on the appointing or
governing authority to a solid waste disposal district or
authority.
Section 4. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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HB468 Engrossed
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1, 2026.
House of Representatives
Read for the first time and referred
to the House of Representatives
committee on County and Municipal
Government
................17-Feb-26
Read for the second time and placed
on the calendar:
0 amendments
................25-Feb-26
Read for the third time and passed
as amended
Yeas 104
Nays 0
Abstains 0
................10-Mar-26
John Treadwell
Clerk
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