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SB230 • 2026

Campaign contributions; using contributions on certain security expenses to protect candidate, elected official, family members, and staff authorized

Campaign contributions; using contributions on certain security expenses to protect candidate, elected official, family members, and staff authorized

Elections Labor Technology
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Givhan
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
2026-03-03

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide additional details on specific types of data removal services or other cybersecurity measures beyond what is explicitly stated.

Using Campaign Funds for Security

This law allows campaign funds to be used for security expenses, including cybersecurity and physical protection, to safeguard candidates, elected officials, their families, and staff.

What This Bill Does

  • Campaign contributions can now cover costs related to protecting a candidate or an elected official's safety, including reasonable costs of cybersecurity such as data removal services that find and remove personal information from online sources.
  • Physical security devices like locks, alarms, motion detectors, and cameras are also covered by campaign funds if they provide security without enhancing property value.
  • The law allows for the hiring of security personnel to safeguard candidates, officials, their families, and staff members.
  • Security equipment that is permanently attached to a candidate's or official’s property does not need to be sold when the campaign ends.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Candidates running for office
  • Elected officials
  • Family members of candidates and elected officials
  • Staff members working with candidates and elected officials

Terms To Know

Cybersecurity
Measures to protect computer systems from theft or damage to hardware, software, or information.
Security devices
Physical items like locks, alarms, and cameras used for protection.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not require the state, counties, or municipalities to provide security services.
  • Legislators can dispose of office furnishings purchased with campaign funds before a building demolition without accounting for their value.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

XD1AL77-1

R 612

Adopted

Plain English: XD1AL77-1 02/25/2026 PMG (H) HSE 2026-132 House Ethics and Campaign Finance Reported Substitute for SB230 Page 1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to campaign finance; to add Section 17-5-7.3 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to authorize campaign funds to be used for certain security measures to protect the safety of a candidate, an elected official, or his or her immediate family or staff ; and to allow legislators who used campaign funds to purchase furnishings for their offices at the State House on South Union Street before a certain date to dispose of the property in preparation for demolition of the building .

  • XD1AL77-1 02/25/2026 PMG (H) HSE 2026-132 House Ethics and Campaign Finance Reported Substitute for SB230 Page 1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to campaign finance; to add Section 17-5-7.3 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to authorize campaign funds to be used for certain security measures to protect the safety of a candidate, an elected official, or his or her immediate family or staff ; and to allow legislators who used campaign funds to purchase furnishings for their offices at the State House on South Union Street before a certain date to dispose of the property in preparation for demolition of the building .
  • BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1.
  • Section 17-5-7.3 is added to the Code of Alabama 1975, to read as follows: §17-5-7.3 (a) In addition to the use of campaign contributions for the purposes listed in Section 17-5-7, campaign contributions may be used to pay, or reimburse the state or any county or municipality, for security expenses to protect the safety of a candidate, an elected official, or an immediate family or staff member of a candidate or an elected official.
  • For purposes of this section, "security expenses" include all of the following: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 XD1AL77-1 02/25/2026 PMG (H) HSE 2026-132 House Ethics and Campaign Finance Reported Substitute for SB230 Page 2 include all of the following: (1) Reasonable costs of cybersecurity such as data removal services that find and remove personal information of a candidate, elected official, or immediate family or staff member of the candidate or elected official from data brokers and websites, and other online sources.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.
846832F-1

R 288 • Givhan

Adopted

Plain English: 846832F-1 : 2/3/2026 : PMG 1ST GIVHAN AMENDMENT TO SB230 OFFERED BY SENATOR GIVHAN Page 1 Replace line 31 on page 2 with the following: contributions may be used to pay, or reimburse the state or any county or municipality, for 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

  • 846832F-1 : 2/3/2026 : PMG 1ST GIVHAN AMENDMENT TO SB230 OFFERED BY SENATOR GIVHAN Page 1 Replace line 31 on page 2 with the following: contributions may be used to pay, or reimburse the state or any county or municipality, for 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Enacted

  2. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Gudger Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 663 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  3. 2026-02-26 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 613 (Yeas 102, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-02-26 House

    Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 612 (Yeas 103, Nays 0)

  5. 2026-02-26 House

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 103, Nays 0)

  6. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Delivered to Governor

  7. 2026-02-26 House

    Signature Requested

  8. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Ready to Enroll

  10. 2026-02-26 House

    Ethics and Campaign Finance Engrossed Substitute Offered

  11. 2026-02-25 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  12. 2026-02-25 House

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  13. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 289 (Yeas 34, Nays 0)

  14. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Givhan motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 288 (Yeas 34, Nays 0)

  15. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 34, Nays 0)

  16. 2026-02-05 House

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  17. 2026-02-05 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Ethics and Campaign Finance

  18. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Engrossed

  19. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Givhan 1st Amendment Offered

  20. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  21. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  22. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  23. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary

Official Summary Text

This act adds Section 17-5-7.3 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to: (1) authorize using campaign funds to pay or reimburse the state or a county or municipality for security expenses, including reasonable costs for cybersecurity, security devices, and security personnel, to protect a candidate, an elected official, or an immediate family member or staff member thereof; (2) exempt from the liquidation requirements of the Fair Campaign Practices Act any security device purchased under this act which is permanently affixed to property; and (3) authorize legislative members to dispose of property purchased with campaign funds to furnish their offices at the State House on South Union Street in Montgomery by donation or any other manner, without accounting for its value.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB230 ENROLLED
Page 0
SB230
XD1AL77-2
By Senator Givhan
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 29-Jan-26
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SB230 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 29-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to campaign finance; to add Section 17-5-7.3
to the Code of Alabama 1975, to authorize campaign funds to be
used for certain security measures to protect the safety of a
candidate, an elected official, or his or her immediate family
or staff; and to allow legislators who used campaign funds to
purchase furnishings for their offices at the State House on
South Union Street before a certain date to dispose of the
property in preparation for demolition of the building.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 17-5-7.3 is added to the Code of
Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
§17-5-7.3
(a) In addition to the use of campaign contributions
for the purposes listed in Section 17-5-7, campaign
contributions may be used to pay, or reimburse the state or
any county or municipality, for security expenses to protect
the safety of a candidate, an elected official, or an
immediate family or staff member of a candidate or an elected
official. For purposes of this section, "security expenses"
include all of the following:
(1) Reasonable costs of cybersecurity such as data
removal services that find and remove personal information of
a candidate, elected official, or immediate family or staff
member of the candidate or elected official from data brokers
and websites, and other online sources.
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SB230 Enrolled
Page 2
and websites, and other online sources.
(2) Reasonable costs of installing and monitoring
nonstructural security devices, including home security
hardware, locks, alarm systems, motion detectors, and security
cameras, provided the security devices are intended to provide
security and not to improve or increase the value of the
property.
(3) Reasonable costs of security personnel for a
candidate, elected official, or immediate family or staff
member of the candidate or elected official.
(b) Any device or other item purchased and installed
pursuant to subsection (a) which is permanently attached to
the property of a candidate, elected official, or immediate
family or staff member of the candidate or elected official is
exempt from the liquidation provisions of Section 17-5-7.2.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to
require the state, a county, or a municipality to provide
security solely based on this section.
Section 2. Notwithstanding Section 17-5-7.2, Code of
Alabama 1975, a member of the Legislature who, on or before
January 1, 2026, acquired property described in Section
17-5-7.2(a), Code of Alabama 1975, to furnish his or her
office in the Alabama State House located on South Union
Street in Montgomery, may, in preparation for the demolition
of the building, dispose of such property by donation or in
any other manner, without the need to account for its value
pursuant to Section 17-5-7.2, Code of Alabama 1975.
Section 3. This act shall become effective immediately.
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SB230 Enrolled
Page 3
Section 3. This act shall become effective immediately.
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
SB230
Senate 05-Feb-26
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and passed
the Senate, as amended.
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
House of Representatives
Amended and passed: 26-Feb-26
Senate concurred in House amendment 26-Feb-26
By: Senator Givhan
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