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HB83 • 2026

Blount County; judge of probate authorized to exercise equity jurisdiction under certain conditions; Constitutional Amendment

Blount County; judge of probate authorized to exercise equity jurisdiction under certain conditions; Constitutional Amendment

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Standridge
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Contingent

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how many people will be affected by this change.

Blount County Judge of Probate Jurisdiction

This law proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow the Blount County Judge of Probate to handle certain types of legal cases if they are licensed to practice law in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

  • Proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama, allowing the Blount County Judge of Probate to exercise equity jurisdiction similar to circuit courts under specific conditions.
  • Requires that the Blount County Judge of Probate must be licensed to practice law in Alabama to handle these cases.
  • Specifies that when handling such cases, the judge will have the same powers and authority as a circuit court judge.
  • States that the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure apply to these cases unless other laws say otherwise.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Judge of Probate in Blount County
  • People involved in legal cases originally filed in the Blount County Probate Court

Terms To Know

equity jurisdiction
The power to handle certain types of legal disputes, especially those involving fairness and justice.
circuit court
A type of court that handles a wide range of cases in different areas or districts.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The amendment needs to be ratified by voters before it becomes part of the Constitution.
  • It is not clear how many people will be affected by this change.
  • Additional laws may need to be created to fully implement this constitutional amendment.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 House

    Enacted

  2. 2026-02-03 House

    Delivered to Governor

  3. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Signature Requested

  4. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Chambliss Local Certification Resolution - Adopted Roll Call 181 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  5. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 180 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  6. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  7. 2026-01-29 House

    Enrolled

  8. 2026-01-29 House

    Ready to Enroll

  9. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  10. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  11. 2026-01-21 House

    LocalCertificationResolutionAdopted (Yeas 57, Nays 0)

  12. 2026-01-21 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 83 (Yeas 67, Nays 0)

  13. 2026-01-21 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 70, Nays 0)

  14. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  15. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Local Legislation

  16. 2026-01-20 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  17. 2026-01-20 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  18. 2026-01-13 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  19. 2026-01-13 House

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

Official Summary Text

This act proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to Blount County, to allow the Judge of Probate of Blount County to exercise equity jurisdiction concurrent with that of circuit courts in cases filed in the Probate Court of Blount County if the judge of probate is licensed to practice law in the state.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB83 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB83
6YC2633-2
By Representative Standridge (Constitutional Amendment)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 17-Dec-25
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HB83 Enrolled
Page 1
PFD: 17-Dec-25
Enrolled, An Act,
To propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama
of 2022, relating to Blount County, to authorize the Judge of
Probate of Blount County to exercise jurisdiction concurrent
with certain circuit court cases if the judge of probate is
licensed to practice law in the State of Alabama.
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 Judge of Probate of Blount County may exercise
equity jurisdiction concurrent with that of the circuit court
in cases originally filed in the Probate Court of Blount
County if the judge of probate is licensed to practice law in
the State of Alabama. In any case subject to this amendment,
the judge of probate shall possess the power and authority of
a circuit court judge trying the case, and the case shall be
treated in all respects in the same manner as a case filed in
circuit court. The Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure shall
apply in the cases except as otherwise specifically provided
by law. This amendment is self-executing, but the Legislature
may enact additional laws to implement this amendment if
needed.
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
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HB83 Enrolled
Page 2
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 Blount County, proposing an amendment to
the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to authorize the Judge of
Probate of Blount County to exercise equity jurisdiction
concurrent with that of the circuit court in cases originally
filed in the Probate Court of Blount County if the judge of
probate is licensed to practice law in the State of Alabama.
Proposed by Act ____."
This description shall be followed by the following
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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HB83 Enrolled
Page 3
a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 21-Jan-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 29-Jan-26 Passed
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