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SB97 INTRODUCED
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SB97
QN8MU54-1
By Senator Allen
RFD: Healthcare
First Read: 13-Jan-26
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QN8MU54-1 01/12/2026 PMG* (L)cr 2025-3482
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First Read: 13-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
This bill would establish the Alabama Health
Command as an independent agency tasked with
designating a virtual AI-assisted health platform that
may be used in conjunction with rural hospitals,
clinics, and health care clinicians that allows
consumers in rural areas of the state to connect with a
rural health care provider and receive other
health-related services, such as wellness education and
follow-up assistance, in a virtual encounter.
This bill would require the Alabama Health
Command to establish standards to ensure patient
privacy and ensure the platform does not provide any
practice that constitutes the practice of a health care
profession.
This bill would also exempt rural hospitals and
other rural health care providers and state health
institutions that contract to use the virtual
AI-assisted health platform from competitive bid laws.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
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Relating to rural health care; to establish the Alabama
Health Command to designate an entity to develop a virtual
AI-assisted health platform to provide certain health care
services to consumers in rural areas of the state; to require
the Alabama Health Command to establish certain standards; and
to exempt rural health care providers that contract to use the
virtual AI-assisted health platform from competitive bid laws.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of
the following:
(1) The state is facing a number of challenges in its
ability to deliver quality health care in rural communities
across the state.
(2) AI-based technologies hold promising potential in
providing basic health and wellness information and
educational material to rural patients, connecting patients
with rural health care providers, and answering general
questions that can be handled outside the clinical setting.
(3) A system of providing for virtual encounters with
patients using an avatar-based technology would facilitate
meaningful communication with a patient and provide ease of
access for the patient to connect with an appropriate rural
health care provider.
(4) To the extent federal funds are made available to
rural health care providers earmarked for rural health care
initiatives, whether through the Rural Health Transformation
Program or from other grants from the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services, Health Resources Services Administration,
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Medicaid Services, Health Resources Services Administration,
or Department of Health and Human Services, having a uniform,
interoperable avatar-based virtual encounter system available
to all rural health care providers will position the state as
a leader in transforming the delivery of rural health care
services.
(5) Sustainable delivery of rural health care services
increasingly depends on the ability of health systems to
leverage modern digital platforms that support education,
navigation, and health-related partnerships aligned with
patient needs.
Section 2. (a) As used in this section, the following
terms have the following meanings:
(1) AVATAR-BASED VIRTUAL ENCOUNTER SYSTEM. A digital,
interactive platform that enables a consumer to participate in
a virtual health-related encounter through one or more
computer-generated avatars representing an automated
interface, a participating health care provider, a user, or a
partner institution tethered together within a single, unified
visual environment. The system presents the consumer
interaction together with identifying information of
participating rural or remote health care providers,
accreditation indicators, or other authorized entities, and
may link or tether avatar interactions to health-related data
for the purposes of health management services, navigation,
education, referral, and the contextual presentation of
health-related information, resources, or promotions relevant
to the consumer's needs. The term does not include the
diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of medical conditions
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diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of medical conditions
and does not, without connection to a licensed clinician,
constitute the practice of a health care profession.
(2) DEVELOPER. The business entity that develops the
virtual AI-assisted health platform that is designated by the
Alabama Health Command pursuant to subsection (c).
(3) HEALTH MANAGEMENT SERVICES. Includes services
relating to health research; wellness and prevention
education; record management; scheduling of appointments;
connecting or navigating a consumer to a rural heath care
provider; providing consumers access to escalation options,
including connecting access for telehealth interactions with
rural health care providers; recommending that a consumer seek
emergency care; and routine follow-up assistance. The term
does not include treating or diagnosing illnesses or medical
conditions.
(4) RURAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. A rural hospital, rural
health clinic, other licensed rural health care facility, or
any licensed clinician practicing in a rural area of the
state.
(b)(1) The Alabama Health Command is created for the
purpose of designating an entity to develop, along with
providing standards and qualifications for the utilization of,
a virtual AI-assisted health platform to be instituted in
rural communities throughout the state.
(2) The Alabama Health Command shall be an agency that
acts independently under the direction and authority of a
director who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure
of the Governor. The director must have a knowledge of
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of the Governor. The director must have a knowledge of
AI-based technology platforms and shall be responsible for
administering and implementing this section. The director may
employ or contract with individuals as needed to carry out
these responsibilities.
(c) The Alabama Health Command shall designate a
business entity that is headquartered in the state to develop
a uniform, interoperable, virtual AI-assisted health platform
that may be used throughout the state to provide
consumer-initiated, health management services in rural
communities. The platform must have the capability of using a
patented avatar-based virtual encounter system.
(d) The Alabama Health Command shall establish
standards that:
(1) Ensure that the developer of the platform holds the
necessary patent or legal or licensing rights to the platform
and related technologies;
(2) Provide for the sharing and transfer of health data
while protecting patient privacy, including certification of
electronic health records, interoperability, algorithm
transparency, and other information sharing;
(3) Incorporate guardrails to prevent consumers from
receiving misinformation and to prevent the platform from
offering or providing any service that would be considered the
practice of health care by a professional licensed under Title
34, Code of Alabama 1975; and
(4) Any other standards the director determines are
necessary to protect consumers while optimizing and leveraging
available technologies to promote efficient delivery of health
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available technologies to promote efficient delivery of health
management services.
(e) Any rural health care provider or state health
institution that contracts to use the virtual AI-assisted
health platform developed pursuant to subsection (c) is exempt
from Article 5 of Chapter 4 of Title 41 and Chapter 16 of
Title 41, Code of Alabama 1975.
Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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