SB231 • 2026

Security; security provided at new Alabama State House, parking deck, and adjacent park

Crime Labor

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Givhan
Last action: 2026-03-17
Official status: Enacted
Effective date: 2026-03-17

Plain English Breakdown

The bill authorizes ALEA to establish a permitting process, but the specific details of that process are not yet defined in this text.

Security Rules for the Alabama State House and Drone Use

This law assigns security duties to legislative staff, bans flying drones near state buildings without permission or with bad intent, and sets penalties for breaking these rules.

What This Bill Does

Requires security personnel from the House of Representatives and Senate to protect the new State House, parking deck, nearby park, and off-site official events.
Makes it a Class C felony to intentionally use a drone to spy on or record images of state buildings for criminal purposes.
Makes it a Class C felony to fly a drone in a way that disturbs operations at state government locations.
Bans flying drones within 250 feet horizontally and vertically of construction sites near the Capitol without written permission from ALEA, with penalties starting as misdemeanors.
Starting January 1, 2027, bans all intentional or knowing drone use in the area around the Capitol unless an exception applies.
Allows ALEA to stop violating drones by jamming signals (if allowed by federal law), hacking them, capturing them physically, and seizing the equipment.

Who It Names or Affects

Security officers employed by the Alabama House of Representatives and Senate.
People who fly or operate unmanned aircraft systems (drones) near state government buildings.
The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).
Federal, state, and emergency response workers who may be exempt from certain bans.

Terms To Know

Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS): An aircraft that flies without a person inside it, including the parts needed to control it and communicate with it.
Capitol Area: Specific locations in Montgomery like the State House, Governor's Mansion, court buildings, or other places where state officials meet for business.
Vicinity: The space within 500 horizontal feet and 250 vertical feet around a Capitol Area.

Limits and Unknowns

The full ban on drone use in the vicinity of the Capitol does not start until January 1, 2027.
Specific rules for getting written permission or permits from ALEA have not been fully detailed yet and will be established later by rule.

Amendments

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

ZQHGXRR-1

R 789

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment updates Alabama law to assign security duties for new and existing state buildings, requires other government agencies to help with safety, and makes it a crime to fly drones near the Capitol complex.

Security staff from the House and Senate are now responsible for protecting specific floors of the current State House, the new State House building, the legislative parking deck, and an adjacent park.
Legislative security officers can act as peace officers with full police powers while working in these designated areas or at official events held elsewhere in Alabama.
The law creates a Class C felony for anyone who intentionally uses a drone to spy on or record images of the Capitol complex to commit a crime.
It is also illegal to fly drones within 500 feet horizontally and 400 feet vertically around the Capitol complex if it interferes with operations or causes a disturbance.

The provided text cuts off before listing the specific penalty for interfering with Capitol operations using a drone.
While the bill mentions exemptions for certain people from these drone laws, the list of who is exempted was not included in the provided text.

W1XX25E-1

R 790

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment updates the rules for flying drones near Alabama's Capitol area by setting specific distance limits, defining new penalties starting in 2027, and giving officials more power to manage security zones.

It defines a 'Capitol Area' as locations where official business is performed or state property construction happens within 250 feet horizontally and vertically of the perimeter.
Starting January 1, 2027, it becomes illegal for anyone to intentionally fly a drone near a Capitol area unless they are exempted by law.
It sets penalties where breaking this rule is a Class C misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class B misdemeanor for any repeat offenses.
It allows the secretary of state security to create rules that add more locations or temporarily designate new areas as part of the Capitol Area.

The amendment text is incomplete because it only shows specific lines being replaced, so the full list of people exempt from these drone bans cannot be explained.
Some technical details about how 'official business' or 'disturbance' are defined in other parts of the bill are missing from this snippet.

Bill History

2026-03-17 Senate
Enacted
2026-03-10 Senate
Chambliss Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 731 (Yeas 30, Nays 0)
2026-03-10 House
Signature Requested
2026-03-10 Senate
Delivered to Governor
2026-03-10 Senate
Enrolled
2026-03-10 Senate
Ready to Enroll
2026-03-05 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 791 (Yeas 104, Nays 0)
2026-03-05 House
Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 790 (Yeas 104, Nays 0)
2026-03-05 House
Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 789 (Yeas 103, Nays 0)
2026-03-05 House
Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 104, Nays 0)
2026-03-05 House
Pringle 1st Amendment Offered
2026-03-05 House
State Government Engrossed Substitute Offered
2026-03-05 House
Carried Over to the Call of the Chair
2026-02-19 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-18 House
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-02-12 House
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-02-12 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on State Government
2026-02-10 Senate
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 342 (Yeas 32, Nays 0)
2026-02-10 Senate
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 32, Nays 0)
2026-02-05 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-04 Senate
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-01-29 Senate
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-01-29 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on State Governmental Affairs

Official Summary Text

This act amends Section 29-4-4, Code of Alabama 1975, to: (1) authorize the security personnel of the House of Representatives and Senate to be responsible for the security of the new Alabama State House, legislative parking deck, adjacent park, and at official legislative events away from the capitol complex; (2) prohibit intentionally using an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to conduct surveillance of or photograph or otherwise record images of a capitol area for the purpose of committing a criminal offense and provide a violation is a Class C felony; (3) prohibit intentionally or knowingly using a UAS in the vicinity of a capitol area in a manner that interferes with the operations of or causes a disturbance to a capitol area and provide a violation is a Class C felony; (4) prohibit intentionally or knowingly using a UAS without written permission from the Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) within 250 horizontal feet and 250 vertical feet of the perimeter of any site of the construction or improvement of state property within a capitol area and provide a first violation is a Class C misdemeanor and a second or subsequent violation is a Class B misdemeanor; (5) beginning January 1, 2027, prohibit intentionally or knowingly using a UAS in the vicinity of a capitol area and provide a first violation is a Class C misdemeanor and a second or subsequent violation is a Class B misdemeanor, subject to exceptions for certain persons including federal and state employees and contracted third parties; (6) authorize ALEA to take measures against unmanned aircraft systems operating in violation of this act, including seizure; (7) authorize the secretary to designate additional locations as Capitol areas; and (8) authorize the secretary, in consultation with the Governor, Alabama Legislative Council, and Alabama Administrative Office of Courts, to establish a permitting process for using a UAS in the vicinity of a Capitol area.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB231 ENROLLED
Page 0
SB231
ZQHGXRR-2
By Senator Givhan
RFD: State Governmental Affairs
First Read: 29-Jan-26
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First Read: 29-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to the Legislature; to amend Section 29-4-4,
Code of Alabama 1975, to provide security for the Legislature
in the new Alabama State House, legislative parking deck, and
park adjacent to the new Alabama State House and at official
legislative events held off-site; to create the crime of
unlawful use of unmanned aircraft systems within the Capitol
complex; to provide for penalties; to exempt certain persons
from the crime of unlawful use of unmanned aircraft systems
within the Capitol complex; and to authorize the Alabama State
Law Enforcement Agency to take certain actions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 29-4-4, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§29-4-4
(a) Unless provided otherwise by law or applicable
legislative rule or policy, security personnel employed by the
House of Representatives and the Senate shall be responsible
for the security of all of the following:
(1) The third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and
eighth floors of the Alabama State House located at 11 South
Union Street , such other areas within the Alabama State House
as which are occupied or used by the Legislature, and such
additional areas outside the Alabama State House in accordance
with Section 29-1-19.
(2) The new Alabama State House, as coordinated by the
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(2) The new Alabama State House, as coordinated by the
Secretary of the Legislative Council, the Secretary of the
Senate, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
(3) The legislative parking deck and park located
between South Union Street and the new Alabama State House.
(4) During any official legislative event, as
designated by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and
Speaker of the House of Representatives in coordination with
the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, held in the State of
Alabama away from the Capitol complex.
(b) The security officers employed under this chapter
shall have the powers of peace officers in this state and may
exercise those powers only in the areas designated in
subsection (a).
(c) The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, in
coordination with the Legislative Council, shall be
responsible for the security of the perimeter and points of
entry to the Alabama State House and new Alabama State House
as prescribed by the Legislative Council.
(d)(1) Every department, agency, and bureau of the
State of Alabama shall assist in any manner requested by the
Legislature in assuring the security of the areas of the
Alabama State House designated in subsection (a).
(2) Subsection (c) shall apply to any convening of the
Legislature outside of the Capitol or away from the Alabama
State House in accordance with Sections 48 or 48.01 of the
Constitution of Alabama of 2022, or other applicable law.
(e) For purposes of this section, "new Alabama State
House" means the building bounded by Pelham Street, South
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House" means the building bounded by Pelham Street, South
Jackson Street, and Washington Avenue in Montgomery. "
Section 2. (a) For the purposes of this section, the
following terms have the following meanings:
(1) ALEA. The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency.
(2) CAPITOL AREA. Any of the following locations:
a. The Downtown Capitol Area.
b. The Alabama Governor's Mansion and all real property
situated between Cromwell Street and Finley Avenue and between
Court Street and Perry Street in Montgomery, Alabama.
c. Any official residence of the Governor of Alabama.
d. Any location designated by the secretary where the
House of Representatives, the Senate, the Supreme Court of
Alabama, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, or the Alabama
Court of Criminal Appeals convenes, or will convene, to
perform official business.
(3) CONDUCTING FLIGHT OPERATIONS. Any of the following
actions:
a. Manipulating the flight controls of an unmanned
aircraft system.
b. Acting as a remote pilot in command for a person
manipulating the flight controls of an unmanned aircraft
system.
c. Acting as a visual observer for a person
manipulating the flight controls of an unmanned aircraft
system.
(4) DOWNTOWN CAPITOL AREA. All real property situated
between Madison Avenue and High Street and between Lawrence
Street and Hilliard Street in Montgomery, Alabama.
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Street and Hilliard Street in Montgomery, Alabama.
(5) SECRETARY. The Secretary of ALEA.
(6) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT. An aircraft operated without the
possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the
aircraft.
(7) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM or UAS. An unmanned
aircraft and its associated elements, including communication
links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft,
that are required for the safe and efficient operation of the
unmanned aircraft in the national airspace system.
(8) USE. When used in reference to an unmanned aircraft
system, any of the following actions:
a. Conducting flight operations for an unmanned
aircraft system.
b. Launching an unmanned aircraft.
c. Landing an unmanned aircraft, or otherwise allowing
an unmanned aircraft to make contact with any individual or
real or personal property.
d. Causing an unmanned aircraft to fly.
e. Causing an unmanned aircraft to drop any payload.
f. Causing an unmanned aircraft system to deploy or
discharge an attached weapon, firearm, explosive, destructive
device, or ammunition.
(9) VICINITY. The area of physical space within 500
horizontal feet and 250 vertical feet of the perimeter of a
Capitol area.
(b)(1) No person shall intentionally use a UAS to
conduct surveillance of, or photograph or otherwise record
images of, a Capitol area for the purpose of committing a
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images of, a Capitol area for the purpose of committing a
criminal offense.
(2) A violation of subdivision (1) is a Class C felony.
(c)(1) No person shall intentionally or knowingly use a
UAS in the vicinity of a Capitol area in a manner that
interferes with the operations of a Capitol area or causes a
disturbance to a Capitol area.
(2) A violation of subdivision (1) is a Class C felony.
(d)(1) No person shall, without written permission from
the secretary, intentionally or knowingly use a UAS within 250
horizontal feet and 250 vertical feet of the perimeter of any
site of the construction or improvement of state property
within a Capitol area.
(2) A violation of subdivision (1) is a Class C
misdemeanor for a first offense and is a Class B misdemeanor
for a second or subsequent offense.
(e)(1) On or after January 1, 2027, no person shall
intentionally or knowingly use a UAS in the vicinity of a
Capitol area.
(2) A violation of subdivision (1) is a Class C
misdemeanor for a first offense and is a Class B misdemeanor
for a second or subsequent offense.
(f) None of the following persons shall be subject to
the prohibition in subdivision (e)(1):
(1) The United States, including any agencies or
departments thereof.
(2) The State of Alabama, including any agencies or
departments thereof.
(3) An employee, agent, contractor, or other person
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(3) An employee, agent, contractor, or other person
acting under the direction or on behalf of the United States
or the State of Alabama if the person's use of a UAS is
performed within the line and scope of that relationship.
(4) A person conducting emergency law enforcement or
fire response operations.
(5) A person who uses a UAS in accordance with written
permission from the secretary, or with a permit issued by the
secretary, as established in subsection (g).
(g)(1) ALEA may take reasonable and necessary measures
against a UAS operating in violation of this section,
including all of the following measures:
a. Jamming, to the extent consistent with federal law
and regulations, including those of the Federal Communications
Commission.
b. Hacking.
c. Physical capture.
d. Any other reasonable mitigation measure undertaken
to neutralize, intercept, disable, or disrupt a UAS.
(2) ALEA may seize a UAS, any part thereof, and any
property attached to the aircraft or dropped therefrom if the
UAS, any part thereof, or any property attached to the
aircraft or dropped therefrom was used in violation of this
section.
(h)(1) The secretary, by rule, may designate additional
locations as a Capitol area and may establish procedures for
temporarily designating a location as a Capitol area.
(2) The secretary, in consultation with the Governor,
the Alabama Legislative Council, and the Alabama
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the Alabama Legislative Council, and the Alabama
Administrative Office of Courts, may establish by rule
permitting procedures for the use of a UAS in the vicinity of
a Capitol area.
(3) The secretary may adopt any other rules necessary
to implement and enforce this section.
Section 3. This act shall become effective immediately.
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Section 3. This act shall become effective immediately.
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
SB231
Senate 10-Feb-26
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and passed
the Senate.
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
House of Representatives
Amended and passed: 05-Mar-26
Senate concurred in House amendment 10-Mar-26
By: Senator Givhan
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