Agriculture Authority Board Director Succession and Purchasing Requirements
Summary
Alabama Senate Bill 288 was enacted, requiring directors on agriculture authority boards to appoint their own successors. The bill also mandates that these authorities make purchases through a national or regional governmental cooperative purchasing program authorized under state law. The legislation passed with strong bipartisan support in both chambers.
What changed
SB288 adds new requirements for agriculture authorities in Alabama. Directors serving on boards of agriculture authorities must now appoint their own successors, and these authorities are required to make purchases through an authorized national or regional governmental cooperative purchasing program. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson and passed the Senate unanimously (29-0) on February 19, 2026, and the House with near-unanimous support (99-0, 1 Nay) on April 2, 2026.
Agriculture authority boards in Alabama must now ensure their governance procedures include formal succession planning by current directors. Board procurement policies must be updated to utilize authorized cooperative purchasing programs for applicable purchases. Compliance is required upon the bill's effective date, which occurs upon passage since no delayed effective date was specified.
What to do next
- Review current board succession procedures to ensure directors have formally appointed successors
- Update procurement policies to require use of authorized national or regional governmental cooperative purchasing programs
- Ensure all board members are aware of the new succession appointment requirement
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Alabama / SB288 Passed SB288 Senate Bill Passed 2026-02-19
Agriculture authorities; directors on board required to appoint own successor, make purchases through national or regional governmental cooperative purchasing program authorized
Bill Details
State Alabama
Session 2026 Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search
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Sponsors
Tim Melson (Sen - R)
Action History
2026-04-02 H Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1188 2026-04-02 H Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1187 V7EK3PV-1 2026-04-02 H County and Municipal Government Engrossed Substitute Offered V7EK3PV-1 2026-04-02 H Third Reading in Second House 2026-03-11 H Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar 2026-03-11 H Reported Out of Committee Second House from House County and Municipal Government V7EK3PV-1 2026-02-24 H Pending House County and Municipal Government 2026-02-24 H Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on County and Municipal Government 2026-02-19 S Engrossed 2026-02-19 S Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 509 2026-02-19 S Melson motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 508 2JZ1MSI-1 2026-02-19 S Melson 2nd Amendment Offered 2JZ1MSI-1 2026-02-19 S Melson motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 507 G3J3ZC6-1 2026-02-19 S Melson 1st Amendment Offered G3J3ZC6-1 2026-02-19 S Carried Over to the Call of the Chair 2026-02-19 S Melson motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 490 NRVG6J8-1 2026-02-19 S Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry 1st Substitute Offered NRVG6J8-1 2026-02-19 S Third Reading in House of Origin 2026-02-12 S Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar 2026-02-11 S Reported Out of Committee House of Origin 2026-02-11 S Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry 1st Substitute NRVG6J8-1 2026-02-10 S Pending Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry 2026-02-10 S Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
Votes
2026-02-19 SBIR: Passed by House of Origin Yea: 29 Nay: 0 2026-02-19 Third Reading in House of Origin Yea: 29 Nay: 0 2026-02-19 Melson motion to Adopt - Roll Call 490 NRVG6J8-1 Yea: 29 Nay: 0 2026-02-19 Melson motion to Adopt - Roll Call 507 G3J3ZC6-1 Yea: 26 Nay: 0 2026-02-19 Melson motion to Adopt - Roll Call 508 2JZ1MSI-1 Yea: 25 Nay: 1 2026-02-19 Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Roll Call 509 Yea: 26 Nay: 1 2026-04-02 HBIR: Passed by Second House Yea: 99 Nay: 0 2026-04-02 Third Reading in Second House Yea: 99 Nay: 0 2026-04-02 Motion to Adopt - Roll Call 1187 V7EK3PV-1 Yea: 100 Nay: 0 2026-04-02 Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Roll Call 1188 Yea: 99 Nay: 1
Committee Referrals
2026-02-10 S Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 2026-02-24 H County and Municipal Government
Amendments
2026-02-11 Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry 1st Substitute 2026-02-19 Senate Melson motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 508 2026-02-19 Senate Melson motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 507 2026-03-11 House County and Municipal Government Reported Out of Committee Second House
Bill Text Versions
2026-02-10 Introduced 2026-02-19 Engrossed
Subjects
Agriculture & Forestry Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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