HB61 • 2026

Covington County; underground carbon dioxide and nonhazardous fluids storage prohibited; constitutional amendment

Elections

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Hammett (M)
Last action: 2026-01-13
Official status: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text states the amendment becomes valid upon approval by a majority, but does not specify which election will be used or when.

HB61: Ban on Underground Storage in Covington County

This bill proposes a change to the Alabama Constitution that would stop people from putting carbon dioxide and nonhazardous fluids into underground wells in Covington County.

What This Bill Does

Proposes an amendment to the state constitution for Covington County only.
Prohibits injecting, storing, or sequestering carbon dioxide in underground wells within the county.
Prohibits injecting, storing, or sequestering nonhazardous fluids in underground wells within the county.
Includes a ban on operating Class V and Class VI injection wells as defined by federal rules.

Who It Names or Affects

People who want to inject or store fluids in underground wells in Covington County
Operators of Class V and Class VI injection wells in Covington County

Terms To Know

Constitutional Amendment: A change to the state's main law that requires voter approval.
Class V and Class VI Wells: Types of underground injection wells defined by federal environmental rules under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Sequester: To store or trap something, in this case carbon dioxide, deep underground.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill only applies to Covington County and not other parts of Alabama.
The ban does not take effect unless voters approve it at an election.
The text does not state when the vote will happen or what happens if the amendment fails.

Bill History

2026-01-13 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-01-13 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Economic Development and Tourism

Official Summary Text

Covington County; underground carbon dioxide and nonhazardous fluids storage prohibited; constitutional amendment

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB61 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB61
4UGNU3R-1
By Representative Hammett (Constitutional Amendment)
RFD: Economic Development and Tourism
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 13-Nov-25
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4UGNU3R-1 11/13/2025 ZAK (L)ZAK 2025-3343
Page 1
PFD: 13-Nov-25
SYNOPSIS:
This bill would propose an amendment to the
Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to Covington
County, to prohibit persons from injecting and storing
carbon dioxide and nonhazardous fluids in underground
wells in the county.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to underground injection wells, to propose an
amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to
Covington County, to prohibit the injection and storage of
carbon dioxide and nonhazardous fluids in underground wells in
the county .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution
of Alabama of 2022, is proposed:
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
In Covington County, no person may inject, store, or
sequester carbon dioxide or nonhazardous fluids in underground
wells. This prohibition includes the operation of a Class V
and Class VI well as defined by the United States
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HB61 INTRODUCED
Page 2
and Class VI well as defined by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to the Underground
Injection Control Program of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42
U.S.C. § 300f et seq.
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 PROPOSED AMENDMENT
Section 2. An election upon the proposed amendment
shall be held in accordance with Sections 284, 284.01, 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:
"Relating to Covington County, proposing an amendment
to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to prohibit the
injection and storage of carbon dioxide and nonhazardous
fluids in underground wells in the county.
Proposed by Act ____."
This description shall be followed by the following
language:
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HB61 INTRODUCED
Page 3
language:
"Yes( ) No( )."
Section 3. The proposed amendment shall become valid as
part of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, when approved by
a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon.
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