The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Alabama Constitutional Amendment Requires Election for Lieutenant Governor Vacancy and Sets Legislative Travel Approval Rules
Last action · April 2, 2026: EnactedSponsor: Sam Givhan
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
The Legislature of Alabama has enacted a proposed requiring that a vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor occurring more than 60 days before a general election be filled by election for the . The measure also allows the Legislature to set compensation for the Lieutenant Governor and legislative officers via and requires an elected legislative officer to approve all travel expense expenditures for lawmakers.
Voters will decide whether to alter succession rules for the state's second-highest executive office and how legislative salaries and travel funds are controlled, establishing new approval requirements for lawmaker travel expenses.
- The Lieutenant Governor is the second-highest executive official in Alabama, presiding over the state Senate and assuming gubernatorial duties when the Governor is incapacitated or absent. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Lieutenant Governor
Subject to new election requirements during a vacancy and new joint resolution procedures governing salary setting.
members of the Legislature
Must have travel expense expenditures approved by an elected officer of their respective chamber and are subject to joint resolution salary provisions.
qualified electors of Alabama
Must vote to approve or reject the constitutional amendment and will elect a lieutenant governor during applicable unexpired term vacancies.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will a vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor be filled under this amendment?
Who sets the salary for the Lieutenant Governor and legislative officers?
Who must approve travel expenses for members of the Legislature?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law.
Procedural history
24 actions- Apr 2, 2026SenateEnrolledEnacted
- Apr 1, 2026HouseSignature Requested
- Apr 1, 2026SenateSent to Secretary of State
- Apr 1, 2026SenateEnrolledDelivered to Governor
- Apr 1, 2026SenateEnrolled
- Apr 1, 2026SenateReady to Enroll
Show 18 earlier actions
- Apr 1, 2026SenateGivhan Motion to Concur In and Adopt House Amendment to SB271
- Mar 31, 2026HouseFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1091
- Mar 31, 2026HouseMotion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1090
- Mar 31, 2026HouseLovvorn 1st Amendment Offered
- Mar 31, 2026HouseThird Reading in Second House
- Mar 5, 2026HouseRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Mar 4, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Out of Committee Second House
- Feb 24, 2026HouseCommitteePending Committee Action in Second House
- Feb 24, 2026HouseIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the House Committee on State Government
- Feb 19, 2026SenateEngrossed
- Feb 19, 2026SenateFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 485
- Feb 19, 2026SenateGivhan motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 484
- Feb 19, 2026SenateGivhan 1st Amendment Offered
- Feb 19, 2026SenateThird Reading in House of Origin
- Feb 12, 2026SenateRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Feb 11, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Feb 5, 2026SenateCommitteePending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Feb 5, 2026SenateIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on State Governmental Affairs
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Voting Record
Givhan Motion to Concur In and Adopt House Amendment to SB271
Total
35
- Yes
- 25
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 8
- Abstain
- 2
How they voted (1)
Show 1 earlier roll call
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1091
Total
105
- Yes
- 66
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 7
- Abstain
- 32
How they voted (1)
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Establishment of Lieutenant Governor Election Mandate
Shifts state policy to mandate an election for lieutenant governor vacancies occurring more than 60 days before general elections rather than leaving the office vacant.
Connected Entities
Sources
alison.legislature.state.al.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools