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HB 98ALABAMASession 2026rsState BillBecame law
Enacted

Alabama creates tuition scholarship program for law enforcement families funded by blackout license plates

Original title: College tuition; establishing a scholarship program for the dependents of law enforcement officers.

Last action · April 9, 2026: EnactedSponsor: Treadaway

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Alabama establishes the Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship Program to provide up to $2,500 per semester for tuition and mandatory fees to eligible children and spouses of qualifying law enforcement officers, taking effect October 1, 2026. The program is funded through a new $50 annual blackout motor vehicle license plate fee and an eventual annual from the of up to $10,000,000 until license plate revenue reaches that threshold.

Why it matters

Qualifying spouses and children under 24 can receive up to eight semesters or 12 quarters of undergraduate tuition assistance at participating Alabama public colleges, provided the officer has served full-time for at least 15 years.

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

Eligible dependents of law enforcement officers

Eligible spouses and children may receive tuition and mandatory fee assistance up to $2,500 per academic period for up to eight semesters or 12 quarters.

Directly affected

Qualifying law enforcement officers

Officers meeting the 15-year full-time service requirement provide their dependents eligibility for undergraduate tuition scholarships.

Directly affected

Participating Alabama public postsecondary institutions

Institutions enter into contracts with the commission, accept scholarship reimbursements via certified invoices, and provide student records upon request.

Directly affected

Alabama motor vehicle owners

Residents who request a blackout license plate must pay an additional annual fee of $50.

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

Who is eligible to receive the law enforcement family scholarship?
Eligible dependents include natural or adopted children under 24 years of age and current or surviving spouses of qualifying law enforcement officers, provided they have resided in Alabama for at least five preceding years and are not eligible for the police officers' survivors educational assistance under Article 5.
How much financial support does the scholarship provide?
The scholarship covers tuition and mandatory fees up to $2,500 per academic period (or up to $1,500 if the recipient receives an institutional tuition discount tied to postsecondary employment) for up to eight semesters or 12 quarters.
How is the scholarship program funded?
The program is funded by a new $50 annual fee for a blackout vehicle license plate and, starting October 1, 2027, by an annual of up to $10,000,000 from the until plate revenues reach that annual level.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Current status: Became law.

Procedural history

23 actions
  1. Apr 9, 2026HouseEnrolled
    Enacted
  2. Apr 8, 2026Senate
    Signature Requested
  3. Apr 8, 2026HouseEnrolled
    Delivered to Governor
  4. Apr 8, 2026House
    Enrolled
  5. Apr 7, 2026House
    Ready to Enroll
  6. Apr 7, 2026House
    Treadaway Motion to Concur In and Adopt Senate Amendment - Adopted Roll Call 1256
Show 17 earlier actions
  1. Apr 7, 2026SenateFloor
    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1182
  2. Apr 7, 2026Senate
    Orr motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1181
  3. Apr 7, 2026Senate
    Orr 1st Substitute Offered
  4. Apr 7, 2026Senate
    Barfoot motion to Table - Adopted Voice Vote
  5. Apr 7, 2026Senate
    Finance and Taxation Education 1st Substitute Offered
  6. Apr 7, 2026Senate
    Third Reading in Second House
  7. Apr 1, 2026Senate
    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
  8. Apr 1, 2026SenateCommittee
    Reported Out of Committee Second House
  9. Apr 1, 2026Senate
    Finance and Taxation Education 1st Substitute
  10. Feb 26, 2026SenateCommittee
    Pending Committee Action in Second House
  11. Feb 26, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation Education
  12. Feb 26, 2026HouseFloor
    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 608
  13. Feb 26, 2026House
    Third Reading in House of Origin
  14. Feb 12, 2026House
    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
  15. Feb 11, 2026HouseCommittee
    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
  16. Jan 13, 2026HouseCommittee
    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
  17. Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means Education

Version history

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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

TreadawayHousePrimary sponsorNo profile match

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

financial connection95% confidence

Shift from License Plate Revenue to State Appropriations

The scholarship fund is initially supported by blackout license plate fees and transitions or supplements with an annual Education Trust Fund appropriation of up to $10,000,000 once plate revenues reach that target.

Education Trust FundAlabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship Fund

Connected Entities

United States Department of Education, Alabama Commission on Higher Education, Department of Corrections and 3 more
OrganizationUnited States Department of Education“Receives completed FAFSA applications required for scholarship eligibility.”Map →
OrganizationAlabama Commission on Higher Education“Administers the scholarship program and contracts with institutions.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Corrections“Receives manufacturing cost distributions from blackout license plate fees.”Map →
OrganizationEducation Trust Fund“Provides an annual appropriation of up to $10,000,000 beginning in fiscal year 2”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Revenue“Receives administrative costs from blackout license plate fees and prescribes pl”Map →
OrganizationAlabama Law Enforcement Officers' Family Scholarship Fund“State Treasury fund established to hold monies for scholarship awards.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

alison.legislature.state.al.us

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz45
    Current news / social attention level

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