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SB237 • 2026

Ethics, Certain research and development activities of public institutions of higher education not covered by ethics laws

Ethics, Certain research and development activities of public institutions of higher education not covered by ethics laws

Education Labor
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Singleton
Last action
2026-03-17
Official status
Read Second Time in Second House
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the types of research and development activities exempted from ethics laws.

Ethics Law Exemption for Higher Education Research

This bill adds a new section to the Alabama Code that excludes certain research and development activities from existing ethics laws, allowing public higher education institutions and their employees to engage in these activities without restrictions.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new section to the Alabama Code that excludes certain research and development activities from existing ethics laws.
  • Allows public higher education institutions to accept grants and contracts for research and development.
  • Permits collaboration with both internal and external partners in research projects.
  • Enables the creation of entities under Title 10A to promote innovation and commercialization within these institutions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public higher education institutions in Alabama
  • Employees and officials working at public higher education institutions

Terms To Know

Ethics laws
Rules that govern the behavior of government employees to prevent conflicts of interest.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how these activities will be regulated within the institutions.
  • It is unclear what specific types of research and development are exempted from ethics laws.

Amendments

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

9JTGWPB-1

R 758 • Singleton

Adopted

Plain English: 9JTGWPB-1 : 3/9/2026 : PMG 1ST SINGLETON AMENDMENT TO SB237 OFFERED BY SENATOR SINGLETON Page 1 Replace lines 35 through 36 on page 2 with the following: education, along with the public officials and public employees within the institutions, to: (1) Accept and award grants and contracts, conduct research, Replace line 40 on page 2 with the following: property by agreement in accordance with institution policy; and (2) Establish one or more entities organized under Title 10A to promote innovation and commercialization consistent with the institution's mission.

  • 9JTGWPB-1 : 3/9/2026 : PMG 1ST SINGLETON AMENDMENT TO SB237 OFFERED BY SENATOR SINGLETON Page 1 Replace lines 35 through 36 on page 2 with the following: education, along with the public officials and public employees within the institutions, to: (1) Accept and award grants and contracts, conduct research, Replace line 40 on page 2 with the following: property by agreement in accordance with institution policy; and (2) Establish one or more entities organized under Title 10A to promote innovation and commercialization consistent with the institution's mission.
  • 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-17 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  2. 2026-03-17 House

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  3. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 759 (Yeas 35, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Singleton motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 758 (Yeas 35, Nays 0)

  5. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 35, Nays 0)

  6. 2026-03-10 House

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  7. 2026-03-10 House

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

  8. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed

  9. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Singleton 1st Amendment Offered

  10. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  11. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  12. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  13. 2026-01-29 Senate

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

Official Summary Text

Ethics, Certain research and development activities of public institutions of higher education not covered by ethics laws

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB237 ENGROSSED
Page 0
SB237
DGMP3HN-2
By Senators Singleton, Hatcher, Figures, Coleman,
Coleman-Madison, Stewart, Orr
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 29-Jan-26
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SB237 Engrossed
Page 1
First Read: 29-Jan-26
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to government ethics; to add Section 36-25-1.4
to the Code of Alabama 1975, to provide that the ethics laws
do not limit certain research and development activities
conducted by public institutions of higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 36-25-1.4 is added to the Code of
Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
§36-25-1.4
Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to limit or
restrict the ability of public institutions of higher
education, along with the public officials and public
employees within the institutions, to:
(1) Accept and award grants and contracts, conduct
research, collaborate with persons both within and outside the
institution, enter into technology transfer agreements, and
otherwise commercialize, protect, and share intellectual
property by agreement in accordance with institution policy;
and
(2) Establish one or more entities organized under
Title 10A to promote innovation and commercialization
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SB237 Engrossed
Page 2
Title 10A to promote innovation and commercialization
consistent with the institution's mission.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on June 1,
2026.
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SB237 Engrossed
Page 3
2026.
Senate
Read for the first time and referred
to the Senate committee on Judiciary
................29-Jan-26
Read for the second time and placed
on the calendar:
0 amendments
................25-Feb-26
Read for the third time and passed
as amended
Yeas 35
Nays 0
Abstains 0
................10-Mar-26
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
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