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SB 155ALABAMASession 2026rsState BillBecame law
Enacted

Alabama establishes coal-impacted communities grant program and directs federal mineral lease revenues starting January 1, 2027

Original title: Coal-Impacted Communities Economic and Workforce Development Grant program established, new fund created, distribution of rent and royalties of federal coal lease sales

Last action · March 3, 2026: EnactedSponsor: Matt Woods

Companion · HB 285same policy, House version
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Senate Bill 155 creates the Coal-Impacted Communities Economic and Workforce Development Grant Program, establishing a dedicated fund in the State Treasury to distribute revenues from federal coal lease rents and royalties beginning January 1, 2027. Administered by the Secretary of the Department of Workforce, the program provides grants for s in designated coal-mining counties. The measure takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Why it matters

s and communities in Fayette, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties gain access to dedicated state grant funding for workforce training, infrastructure, and economic projects supported by federal coal lease revenues.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

local development organizations

Eligible non-profit and municipal entities may apply for and receive grant funds for regional economic and workforce development initiatives.

Directly affected

Alabama State Port Authority

Receives an annual distribution of $500,000 from federal coal lease revenues for the McDuffie Coal Terminal at the Port of Mobile.

Directly affected

Alabama Surface Mining Commission

Receives an annual distribution of $250,000 from federal coal lease revenues and is eligible to use grant funds for its operations.

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

Which counties are explicitly designated as coal-impacted communities under this law?
Fayette County, Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, and Walker County are designated as coal-impacted communities.
How will the federal coal lease revenues be distributed between 2027 and 2030?
Annually, the first $1,000,000 goes to the State General Fund, the next $500,000 to the Alabama State Port Authority for the McDuffie Coal Terminal, the next $250,000 to the Alabama Surface Mining Commission, and the remaining revenues go to the Renewing Coal-Impacted Communities Act Fund for local grants.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Became law.

Procedural history

25 actions
  1. Mar 3, 2026SenateEnrolled
    Enacted
  2. Feb 25, 2026House
    Signature Requested
  3. Feb 25, 2026SenateEnrolled
    Delivered to Governor
  4. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Enrolled
  5. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Ready to Enroll
  6. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Livingston Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 578
Show 19 earlier actions
  1. Feb 24, 2026HouseFloor
    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 546
  2. Feb 24, 2026House
    Holk-Jones intended to vote "Yea"
  3. Feb 24, 2026House
    Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 545
  4. Feb 24, 2026House
    Ways and Means General Fund Engrossed Substitute Offered
  5. Feb 24, 2026House
    Third Reading in Second House
  6. Feb 19, 2026House
    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
  7. Feb 18, 2026HouseCommittee
    Reported Out of Committee Second House
  8. Feb 12, 2026HouseCommittee
    Pending Committee Action in Second House
  9. Feb 12, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means General Fund
  10. Feb 11, 2026Senate
    Engrossed
  11. Feb 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 329
  12. Feb 10, 2026Senate
    Singleton motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 328
  13. Feb 10, 2026Senate
    Finance and Taxation General Fund 1st Amendment Offered
  14. Feb 10, 2026Senate
    Third Reading in House of Origin
  15. Feb 5, 2026Senate
    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
  16. Feb 4, 2026SenateCommittee
    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
  17. Feb 4, 2026Senate
    Finance and Taxation General Fund 1st Amendment
  18. Jan 14, 2026SenateCommittee
    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
  19. Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation General Fund

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

Matt WoodsSenate · District 5RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

financial connection95% confidence

Federal Mineral Lease Revenue Recirection

Federal coal lease revenues under 30 U.S.C. § 191(a) are explicitly channeled to specific state entities and local development funds through a structured annual statutory distribution.

State TreasuryAlabama State Port AuthorityAlabama Surface Mining Commission

Connected Entities

McDuffie Coal Terminal, Walker County, Alabama Department of Workforce and 8 more
locationMcDuffie Coal Terminal“Primary export terminal for coal extracted from federal lands in Alabama”Map →
locationWalker County“Designated as a coal-impacted community”Map →
OrganizationAlabama Department of Workforce“Administers the grant program and fund”Map →
locationFayette County“Designated as a coal-impacted community”Map →
OrganizationAlabama State Port Authority“Receives funds for the McDuffie Coal Terminal at the Port of Mobile”Map →
OrganizationAlabama Surface Mining Commission“Receives fund allocations and uses grant funds”Map →
locationJefferson County“Designated as a coal-impacted community”Map →
OrganizationAlabama Mining Association“President serves on the advisory committee”Map →
locationPort of Mobile“Location of McDuffie Coal Terminal”Map →
OrganizationState Treasury“House of the Renewing Coal-Impacted Communities Act Fund”Map →
locationTuscaloosa County“Designated as a coal-impacted community”Map →

Sources

Open source document

alison.legislature.state.al.us

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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