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HB578 • 2026

Mobile County; certain boards of water and sewer commissioners required to convey conservation easements on certain real property

Mobile County; certain boards of water and sewer commissioners required to convey conservation easements on certain real property

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Pringle
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text lists specific real property parcels but does not provide their exact locations or descriptions, which may be necessary for full understanding.

Mobile County; Water and Sewer Boards Must Protect Land

This bill requires certain water and sewer boards in Mobile County to give up some rights on specific pieces of land by October 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines a conservation easement using the meaning provided in Section 35-18-1 of the Code of Alabama 1975.
  • Requires water and sewer boards in Mobile County to convey conservation easements for specific parcels of land they own by October 1, 2027.
  • Lists specific real property parcels within Mobile County where these conservation easements must be conveyed.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Boards of water and sewer commissioners in Mobile County who own certain parcels of land.
  • Charitable organizations or trusts that will receive conservation easements for these lands.

Terms To Know

Conservation Easement
An agreement to limit the use of land to protect natural resources, open spaces, and other environmental values.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a board fails to convey conservation easements by the deadline.
  • It is unclear how many parcels of land are affected or their exact locations without additional information.
  • The bill only applies to specific water and sewer boards in Mobile County.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  2. 2026-03-05 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Mobile County Legislation

Official Summary Text

Mobile County; certain boards of water and sewer commissioners required to convey conservation easements on certain real property

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB578 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB578
YMRPG2N-1
By Representative Pringle (N & P)
RFD: Mobile County Legislation
First Read: 05-Mar-26
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YMRPG2N-1 03/04/2026 ZAK (L)ZAK 2026-120
Page 1
First Read: 05-Mar-26
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to Mobile County; to require certain boards of
water and sewer commissioners to convey a conservation
easement for certain real property parcels.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) For purposes of this section, the
following terms have the following meanings:
(1) CONSERVATION EASEMENT. The same meaning as provided
in Section 35-18-1, Code of Alabama 1975.
(2) CONSERVATION EASEMENT HOLDER. A charitable
corporation, charitable association, or charitable trust, the
purposes or powers of which include retaining or protecting
the natural, scenic, or open-space values of real property;
assuring the availability of real property for agricultural,
silvicultural, forest, recreational, or open-space use;
protecting natural resources, maintaining, or enhancing air or
water quality; or preserving the historical, architectural,
archaeological, paleontological, or cultural aspects of real
property.
(b) Any board of water and sewer commissioners
established and organized under Act 775 of the 1951 Regular
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HB578 INTRODUCED
Page 2
established and organized under Act 775 of the 1951 Regular
Session (Acts 1951, pg. 1359), or successor entity, that owns
one or more of the following real property parcels within
Mobile County, not later than October 1, 2027, shall convey a
conservation easement for each parcel to a conservation
easement holder:
1607250000006.000; 1607250000006.01; 1607360000001.000;
1709310000003.002; 1709310000003.001; 1709300000005.000;
1709310000003.000; 1709310000003.004; 2403060000003.000;
2403070002061.002; 2403070002064.001; 2403060000001.003;
2403060000004.000; 2403060000001.012; 2403060000003.01;
2403060000002.000; 2403070002061.001; 2403070001001.000;
2501010000001.000; 2501010000006.000; 2501010000007.000;
2501120000002.000; 2501120000008.000; 2501122000001.000;
2501010000008.000; 2501013000004.000; 2501013000008.000;
2501013000009.000; 2501120000001.000; 2501122000002.000;
2501110000001.000; 2501120000007.000; 2501120000007.01;
2501120000009.000; 2501120000009.001; 2501120000009.01;
2506140000001.001; 2506140000001.01; 2506140000001.000;
2506130000001.000; 2505150000025.000; 2506130000001.01;
2404180000022.000; 2404170002023.000; 2404170002023.01;
2404190000004.000; 2408330000049.000; 2409310000004.002;
2506230000001.000; 2506230000002.000; 2506230000003.000;
2506230000014.000; 2506240000007.000; 2506240000007.01;
2507250000020.000; 2507260000001.000; 2507260000004.000;
2507260000007.01; 2507350000001.000; 2507350000014.000;
2507360000003.000; 2507360000004.000; 2507360000005.003;
2507360000006.000; 2507360000007.000; 2507360000008.000;
2507360000009.000; 2601010000002.000; 2601010000003.000;
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HB578 INTRODUCED
Page 3
2507360000009.000; 2601010000002.000; 2601010000003.000;
2601020000001.000; 2601020000001.01; 2505220000001.000;
2506240000008.000; 2507250000003.000; 2507250000004.000;
2507360000001.000; 2507360000002.000; 2508340000001.000;
2506240000021.001; 2506230000016.000; 2507250000022.000;
2507250000023.000; 2409320000009.000; 2409320000009.001;
2507260000003.000; 2508270000002.003; 2507260000002.000;
2506240000025.000; 2507250000015.000; 2507250000019.000;
2507250000021.000; 2506240000001.000; 2507260000007.000;
2409310000010.000; 2507350000003.000; 2507350000003.001;
2507350000003.002; 2507350000015.000; 2507360000005.002;
2507360000010.000; 2601010000004.000; 2409310000010.009;
2505220000053.000; 2507260000005.000; 2508270000001.000;
2507260000002.01; 2506240000022.000; 2702040000007.000;
2601010000005.000; 2601020000001.02; 2601020000009.001;
2606130000002.000; 2703050000001.001; 2601010000006.000;
2601010000008.000; 2601020000009.002; 2601010000007.000;
2601110000004.000; 2601120000001.000; 2702030000074.000;
2702030000076.000; 2702030000078.000; 2703050000001.01;
2703050000001.02; 2703050000001.03; 2703060000001.01;
2703060000001.02; 2703080000019.000; 2703060000001.000;
2703060000001.03; 2703060000002.000; 2703080000020.000;
270350000001.000; 2702040000010.000; 2703080000001.000;
2703070000001.000; 2703070000006.003; 2703070000006.006;
2704180000008.000; 2507250000018.000; 2601010000001.000;
2403060000001.000; 2506230000004.000; 1709310000002.000;
1709300000014.000; 2409300000085.001; 2404200000006.005;
2404200000006.006; 2703070000006.012; 1606240000002.000; and
2409300000085.000, less and except the northwest quarter of
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HB578 INTRODUCED
Page 4
2409300000085.000, less and except the northwest quarter of
the northwest quarter of section 30 township 3 south range 3
west, and any part lying within the existing Howell's Ferry
Road right of way .
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to
exempt any board of water and sewer commissioners or any other
party from any law that would otherwise apply to the
conveyance of a conservation easement.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026 .
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