The 2026 legislative session convened on Tuesday, January 13, as the House and Senate gaveled in promptly at noon. This marked the beginning of the last general session of the quadrennium and the last session to be held in the current Alabama State House.
Budget discussions will dominate the 2026 session, with the Education Trust Fund originating in the House and the General Fund beginning in the Senate. Joint budget hearings are scheduled for January 26 to address the General Fund and February 2 to address the Education Trust Fund. The Senate moved quickly on Thursday through a ten-bill special order calendar that included several Sunset bills and Pro Tem Gudger’s Smith Lake Development District repeal. Meanwhile, the House worked through its regular order calendar, with an election audit bill requiring significant time on the floor.
We expect a full committee calendar in both chambers next week. The Senate convenes at 3:00 p.m., and the House will convene at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20. It is expected to be another three-day legislative workweek. The House has introduced 278 bills so far, while the Senate has introduced 171. The BCA Government Affairs team is currently tracking more than three dozen pieces of legislation.
Tuesday morning, we kicked off our first Tuesday Morning Issues Briefing of 2026, welcoming Governor Kay Ivey, who offered a preview of her State of the State address delivered that evening at the Capitol. The governor left no doubt that this is the best time to invest in Alabama and encouraged the Legislature to maintain this momentum as the final session begins.
January 14, we hosted our annual Legislative Reception—bringing together lawmakers, elected officials, and business leaders from across the state to kick off the 2026 legislative session. The evening of networking and festivities with 500 of our closest friends is one we look forward to each year, and we thank each of you who sponsored and attended.
Capitol Briefing An Update from the Legislature The Alabama Legislature returned to the State House this week to complete days 11 and 12 of the 2026 legislative calendar, and is
Capitol Briefing An Update from the Legislature The Alabama Legislature returned to the State House this week to complete days 9 and 10 of the Legislative Calendar, and will reconvene
Capitol Briefing An Update from the House The House of Representatives had several bills introduced this week—Representative Parker Moore’s HB324 and HB325, along with Representative Ben Robbins’ HB327—that reflect
