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Read. Follow. Verify.Alabama prohibits franchisors from forcing religious-day operations and sets court penalties
Last action · April 17, 2026: EnactedSponsor: Dan Roberts
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What This Bill Does
Alabama law bans franchisors from enforcing, requiring in agreement amendments, or refusing to renew agreements over a franchisee's refusal to operate on a religious day due to sincerely held beliefs, effective June 1, 2026. The legislation exempts original agreements, agreed renewals, or expansion agreements that explicitly contain operating requirements. Franchisors violating the ban face court-ordered damages, attorney fees, injunctions, and civil penalties ranging from $10,000 up to $50,000 for repeated violations.
Franchise owners gain the legal right to observe religious days without facing contract termination or nonrenewal, while franchisors face financial penalties up to $50,000 and court liability if they penalize franchisees for religious observance outside agreed terms.
- Franchise agreements are commercial contracts governed primarily by state laws and contract terms between franchisors and independent business owners. 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.
franchisees
Franchisees gain the right to refuse operating on religious days without facing contract termination or nonrenewal, and can seek court damages and penalties.
franchisors
Franchisors are prohibited from enforcing religious day operation requirements outside of explicit agreement exemptions and face potential civil penalties and legal costs for violations.
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
Does this law apply to all franchise agreements in Alabama?
What happens if a franchise agreement already explicitly requires operating on a religious day?
What penalties can a franchisor face for violating this law?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law.
Procedural history
22 actions- Apr 17, 2026SenateEnrolledEnacted
- Apr 9, 2026HouseSignature Requested
- Apr 9, 2026SenateEnrolledDelivered to Governor
- Apr 9, 2026SenateEnrolled
- Apr 8, 2026SenateReady to Enroll
- Apr 8, 2026SenateGudger Motion to Concur In and Adopt House Amendment - Adopted Roll Call 1260
Show 16 earlier actions
- Apr 8, 2026HouseFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1306
- Apr 8, 2026HouseMotion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1305
- Apr 8, 2026HouseBlackshear 1st Amendment Offered
- Apr 8, 2026HouseMotion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1304
- Apr 8, 2026HouseCommerce and Small Business Engrossed Substitute Offered
- Apr 8, 2026HouseThird Reading in Second House
- Feb 19, 2026HouseRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Feb 18, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Out of Committee Second House
- Feb 12, 2026HouseCommitteePending Committee Action in Second House
- Feb 12, 2026HouseIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Commerce and Small Business
- Feb 12, 2026SenateFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 388
- Feb 12, 2026SenateThird Reading in House of Origin
- Jan 29, 2026SenateRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Jan 28, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Jan 14, 2026SenateCommitteePending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development
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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
New Statutory Protections for Franchisee Religious Observance
The act establishes a specific statutory cause of action and tiered civil penalties for franchisors that penalize franchisees who refuse to operate on religious grounds.
Connected Entities
Sources
alison.legislature.state.al.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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