HB562 • 2026

Bonding authorities; authorize Legislature to participate on bonding authorities; constitutional amendment

Elections

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Garrett
Last action: 2026-03-03
Official status: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the bill was introduced and read on March 3, 2026. The metadata label 'Passed Legislature' conflicts with the last action listed as 'Pending Committee Action,' so it is unclear if this specific version has actually passed both chambers yet.

HB562: Letting Legislators Join Bonding Authorities

This bill proposes changing Alabama's state constitution to let lawmakers join groups that borrow money and stop those groups from issuing debt.

What This Bill Does

Proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022 regarding bonding authorities.
Allows the Legislature, by general law, to provide full legislative participation on any authority with power to issue bonds or become indebted.
Gives legislators participating in these groups the power to override decisions to issue bonds or take on other debt.
Requires voters to approve this change in an election before it becomes part of the state constitution.

Who It Names or Affects

The Alabama Legislature
Any authority, board, or entity with the power to issue bonds or become indebted
Qualified electors who will vote on the proposed amendment

Terms To Know

Bonding authorities: Groups that have the legal power to borrow money by selling bonds.
Constitutional amendment: A formal change or addition to a state's constitution that requires voter approval.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill only proposes the change; it does not take effect until voters approve it in an election.
The text does not specify which specific bonding authorities will be affected, as it applies to any entity with debt power.
The exact details of how legislators would participate are left for future general laws to decide.

Bill History

2026-03-03 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-03-03 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Fiscal Responsibility

Official Summary Text

Bonding authorities; authorize Legislature to participate on bonding authorities; constitutional amendment

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB562 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB562
EJLZT92-1
By Representatives Garrett, Ledbetter, Lovvorn, Lee, Reynolds
(Constitutional Amendment)
RFD: Fiscal Responsibility
First Read: 03-Mar-26
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EJLZT92-1 02/26/2026 PMG (L)cr 2025-3718
Page 1
First Read: 03-Mar-26
SYNOPSIS:
This bill would propose an amendment to the
Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to authorize the
Legislature, by general law, to provide full
legislative participation on any bonding authority in
order to limit the issuance of bonds or incurrance of
other debt.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama
of 2022, relating to bonding authorities; to authorize the
Legislature, by general law, to provide for legislative
participation on any authority that issues bonds.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution
of Alabama of 2022, is proposed:
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
The Legislature, by general law, may provide for full
legislative participation on any authority, board, or other
entity with the power to issue bonds or otherwise become
indebted. Legislative participation includes the power to
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HB562 INTRODUCED
Page 2
indebted. Legislative participation includes the power to
override the issuance of the bonds or debt.
Upon ratification of this constitutional amendment, the
Code Commissioner shall number and place this amendment as
appropriate in the constitution omitting this instructional
paragraph and may make the following nonsubstantive revisions:
change capitalization, hierarchy, spelling, and punctuation
for purposes of style and uniformity; correct manifest
grammatical, clerical, and typographical errors; revise
internal or external citations and cross-references; harmonize
language; and translate effective dates.
END OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT
Section 2. An election upon the proposed amendment
shall be held in accordance with Sections 284 and 285 of the
Constitution of Alabama of 2022, and the election laws of this
state. The appropriate election official shall assign a ballot
number for the proposed constitutional amendment on the
election ballot and shall set forth the following description
of the substance or subject matter of the proposed
constitutional amendment:
"Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama
of 2022, to authorize the Legislature, by general law, to
provide for legislative participation on any bonding
authority.
Proposed by Act ____. "
This description shall be followed by the following
language:
"Yes( ) No( ). "
Section 3. The proposed amendment shall become valid as
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HB562 INTRODUCED
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Section 3. The proposed amendment shall become valid as
a part of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, when approved
by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon.
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