HB578 Mobile County; certain boards of water and sewer commissioners…

Plain English Breakdown

There is a conflict between the metadata stating 'Passed Legislature' and the bill text showing only an introduction date (March 5, 2026) with no subsequent actions listed.

Mobile County Water and Sewer Boards Must Transfer Land Conservation Rights

This bill requires specific water and sewer boards in Mobile County to give conservation rights for listed land parcels to qualified groups by October 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

Requires certain Mobile County water and sewer boards established under Act 775 of 1951 or their successors to transfer a conservation easement on specific real property they own.
Sets a deadline of October 1, 2027, for these transfers to be completed.
Lists over one hundred specific parcel numbers that must have the easements conveyed.
Excludes certain parts of section 30 township 3 south range 3 west and any land within the Howell's Ferry Road right-of-way from this requirement.
States that existing laws about transferring conservation easements still apply to these boards.

Who It Names or Affects

Boards of water and sewer commissioners in Mobile County established under Act 775 of 1951 or their successor entities.
Charitable corporations, associations, or trusts that qualify as conservation easement holders to receive the land rights.

Terms To Know

Conservation Easement: A legal agreement defined in Alabama law (Section 35-18-1) that limits how a piece of property can be used to protect its natural or historical value.
Conservation Easement Holder: A charitable group, such as a corporation or trust, whose purpose includes protecting nature, open space, agriculture, water quality, or history on real property.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify which conservation easement holder will receive the rights for each parcel.
The text lists specific legal descriptions and numbers but does not provide street addresses or common names for most of these properties.
While the official status label says 'Passed Legislature,' the last recorded action in this document is that it was introduced on March 5, 2026.

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
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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
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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
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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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