The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Alabama HB 89 sets municipal qualification fees and income proof for indigent candidates
Last action · February 5, 2026: Read for the Second Time and placed on the CalendarSponsor: Mack Butler
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What This Bill Would Do
HB 89 establishes a $500 qualification fee for mayoral candidates and a $250 fee for council and school board candidates in certain Class 4 municipalities, while replacing the three-signature indigent exemption with a requirement to prove income under 130 percent of the federal poverty level via a federal tax return.
Municipal candidates in applicable cities face fixed qualification costs and a stricter documentation standard to claim financial hardship exemptions.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
candidates for municipal office in Class 4 municipalities
Candidates must pay specific qualification fees of $500 for mayor or $250 for council and school board, and indigent candidates must submit tax returns proving income is under 130 percent of the federal poverty level.
city clerks
City clerks receive qualification fees, indigent candidate tax returns, and sworn statements of campaign expenses.
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 much are the qualification fees for municipal candidates under this bill?
What is required for an indigent candidate to qualify for a fee exemption?
When must candidates file their campaign expense statements?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
10 actions- Feb 5, 2026SenateRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Feb 4, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee Second House
- Jan 27, 2026SenateCommitteePending Committee Action in Second House
- Jan 27, 2026SenateIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on County and Municipal Government
- Jan 27, 2026HouseFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 191
- Jan 27, 2026HouseThird Reading in House of Origin
Show 4 earlier actions
- Jan 21, 2026HouseRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Jan 21, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Jan 13, 2026HouseCommitteePending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Constitution, Campaigns and Elections
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 →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
Connected Entities
Sources
alison.legislature.state.al.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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