SB275 • 2026

City of Alabaster; entertainment districts authorized

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Weaver
Last action: 2026-03-03
Official status: Enacted
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill states it becomes effective on June 1, 2026, but does not specify when districts will actually be established or open.

Alabaster Entertainment Districts Bill

This law allows the City of Alabaster to create up to two special areas where customers can walk with open drinks from licensed businesses.

What This Bill Does

Allows the Alabaster City Council to make rules for creating entertainment districts by ordinance.
Limits each district to an area no larger than one-half mile by one-half mile containing at least one alcohol licensee.
Permits customers of licensed businesses in these areas to carry open containers of alcohol outside onto public streets within the district.
Prohibits people from bringing their own alcohol into the district or entering another business with an open container bought elsewhere.
Gives the city power to set operating hours and revoke a district's status if rules are not followed.

Who It Names or Affects

The City Council of Alabaster
Businesses holding alcohol licenses in Alabaster
Customers visiting licensed businesses within designated districts

Terms To Know

Entertainment District: A specific area approved by the city where people can walk with open alcoholic drinks from nearby bars or restaurants.
Ordinance: A local law passed by a city council to manage rules within that city.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not say exactly where the districts will be located or when they will open.
Specific penalties for breaking the new rules are not listed in this text and depend on other laws.
The law only applies to Shelby County, specifically the City of Alabaster.

Bill History

2026-03-03 Senate
Enacted
2026-02-24 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 513 (Yeas 14, Nays 0)
2026-02-24 House
Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 51, Nays 0)
2026-02-24 House
Signature Requested
2026-02-24 Senate
Delivered to Governor
2026-02-24 Senate
Enrolled
2026-02-24 Senate
Ready to Enroll
2026-02-19 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-19 House
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-02-17 Senate
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 417 (Yeas 32, Nays 0)
2026-02-17 Senate
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 32, Nays 0)
2026-02-17 House
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-02-17 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Shelby County Legislation
2026-02-12 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-11 Senate
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-02-10 Senate
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-02-10 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Shelby County Legislation

Official Summary Text

City of Alabaster; entertainment districts authorized

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB275 ENROLLED
Page 0
SB275
2JE14KS-2
By Senator Weaver (N & P)
RFD: Shelby County Legislation
First Read: 10-Feb-26
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SB275 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 10-Feb-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to Shelby County; to authorize the City
Council of the City of Alabaster to establish and regulate the
operation of entertainment districts as designated by
ordinance; and to authorize the city council to provide
penalties for violations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act is adopted pursuant to the
authority in subdivision (31) of Section 104 of the
Constitution of Alabama of 2022.
Section 2. (a) The Alabaster City Council, by
ordinance, may provide for the establishment of not more than
two entertainment districts in the city, as those districts
are defined in the Alabaster City Code. The entertainment
districts may contain one or more Alabama Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board licensees in an area that does not exceed
one-half mile by one-half mile. The ordinance of the city
council shall regulate hours of operation of an entertainment
district, may provide for the revocation of the entertainment
district designation, and may regulate any other aspect of the
operation of entertainment districts.
(b) Any retail licensee of the Alabama Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board licensed to sell alcoholic beverages
for on-premises consumption located in an entertainment
district may obtain an entertainment district permit.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any licensee that
receives an entertainment district permit shall comply with
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SB275 Enrolled
Page 2
receives an entertainment district permit shall comply with
all laws and rules governing its license, except that patrons,
guests, or members of the licensee may exit the licensed
premises with open containers of alcoholic beverages anywhere
within the confines of the entertainment district but may not
enter the premises of another licensee with open containers or
closed containers of alcoholic beverages acquired elsewhere.
In addition, the ordinance shall prohibit a person other than
a retail licensee from possessing or bringing into the
entertainment district an open or closed container of
alcoholic beverages acquired outside of the entertainment
district during the hours of operation of the entertainment
district.
(c) The ordinance shall be enforced by the City of
Alabaster and shall provide penalties for violations of the
ordinance as otherwise authorized by law.
Section 3. This act shall become effective on June 1,
2026.
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SB275 Enrolled
Page 3
2026.
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
SB275
Senate 17-Feb-26
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and passed
the Senate.
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
House of Representatives
Passed: 24-Feb-26
By: Senator Weaver
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