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Read. Follow. Verify.Alabama Restructures Forestry Commission, Modifies Burn Permit Rules, and Repeals Peace Officer Status for Enforcement Staff
Last action · April 9, 2026: EnactedSponsor: Chris Sells
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What This Bill Does
Alabama enacted legislation effective October 1, 2026, that revises the Alabama Forestry Commission's administrative structure, updates the burn permit process and associated penalties, and removes police powers from forest law enforcement officers. The measure grants the State Forester sick and annual leave benefits, exempts certain commission facility construction projects under $750,000 from Finance Department oversight, and establishes rules for seizure and forfeiture of equipment used in timber-related felonies.
Property owners, timber operators, and residents planning s face new permit requirements, mandatory safety criteria, and penalties for non-compliance, while the Forestry Commission undergoes operational changes regarding land sales, facility construction, and law enforcement authorities.
- The Alabama Forestry Commission is the state agency responsible for protecting and sustaining Alabama's forests, preventing and suppressing wildfires, and providing technical assistance to landowners. context
- Prescribed burning is a widely used land management tool in forestry and agriculture to reduce fuel loads, control invasive species, and restore natural ecosystems. 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.
Alabama Forestry Commission
The commission assumes new administrative responsibilities, revised property forfeiture handling procedures, and modified oversight exemptions for facility construction projects.
Prescribed burn practitioners
Practitioners must obtain burn permits meeting explicit safety criteria and face misdemeanor penalties for conducting burns without authorization or during wildfire alerts.
Law enforcement officers
Sheriffs, police officers, and other peace officers arresting individuals for timber-related felonies must deliver seized vehicles and equipment to the State Forester.
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
What happens if someone conducts a prescribed burn without a permit?
Who oversees construction projects for commission offices under this law?
Are forest law enforcement officers still considered state peace officers?
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
21 actions- Apr 9, 2026HouseEnrolledEnacted
- Apr 2, 2026HouseEnrolledDelivered to Governor
- Apr 2, 2026SenateSignature Requested
- Apr 1, 2026HouseEnrolled
- Apr 1, 2026HouseReady to Enroll
- Apr 1, 2026SenateFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1038
Show 15 earlier actions
- Apr 1, 2026SenateThird Reading in Second House
- Feb 12, 2026SenateRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Feb 11, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee Second House
- Feb 5, 2026SenateCommitteePending Committee Action in Second House
- Feb 5, 2026SenateIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
- Feb 5, 2026HouseEngrossed
- Feb 5, 2026HouseGivan intended to vote "Nay"
- Feb 5, 2026HouseFloorMotion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 283
- Feb 5, 2026HouseMotion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 282
- Feb 5, 2026HouseCrawford 1st Amendment Offered
- Feb 5, 2026HouseThird Reading in House of Origin
- Jan 21, 2026HouseRead for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
- Jan 21, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Out of Committee House of Origin
- Jan 15, 2026HouseCommitteePending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Jan 15, 2026HouseIntroducedRead for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
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.
Removal of Peace Officer Status
The legislation explicitly eliminates the peace officer status and police powers previously held by forest law enforcement officers.
Consolidation of Burn Permit Requirements
The act replaces older wildfire and burning regulations with updated statutory provisions governing burn permits and wildfire alerts.
Connected Entities
Sources
alison.legislature.state.al.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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