Alabama Sunset Law
Alabama · State Government · §§ 41-20-1 to 41-20-9 · 16 sections
Overview
This act establishes a "sunset" framework under which state agencies terminate automatically on scheduled dates unless the legislature affirmatively acts to continue, modify, or reestablish them. It creates a joint legislative review committee that evaluates each agency on a set schedule — holding public hearings, gathering information from the agency and from state auditing and legislative-services offices, applying zero-based review principles, and placing on the agency the burden of demonstrating a continuing public need — and then reports recommendations to the legislature for debate and a vote. It also governs the consequences of termination, providing for the winding up of a terminated agency's affairs, the abolition of its positions, the reversion of unexpended funds to the state, the expiration of licenses it issued, the unenforceability of its penalties, and the disposition of outstanding claims and unsettled accounts.
Editorial summary generated from the text of this act. It is not part of the statute — read the sections below for the operative language.
Sections covered
- Ala. Code § 41-20-1Short Title.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-10Debate and Voting Upon Recommendations as to Continuance or Termination of Agencies.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-11Requirement as to Bill Continuing, Modifying or Reestablishing Agencies.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-12Cessation of Affairs of Agencies Terminated; Abolition of Personnel Positions and Reversion to State of Unexpended Funds; Expiration of Licenses; Penalties Unenforceable.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-14Effect of Termination of Agency Upon Claims or Rights Against Said Agency; Payment of Unsettled Accounts.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-15Utilization of Principles of Zero-Based Review and Evaluation by Governor in Preparation of Budget.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-16Construction of Chapter.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-2Definitions.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-3Specification of Termination Dates for Certain Agencies; Date and Procedure Generally for Termination of Agencies Not Designated; Committee’s Right to Review and Make Recommendations.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-3.1State Government › Continuation or Termination of State Agencies
- Ala. Code § 41-20-4(Amended by Act 2026-327) Creation of Select Joint Committee for Review and Evaluation of Agencies; Composition; Selection of Members; Chairman; Duties Generally; Submission of Data and Report of Recommendations as to Continuation or Termination of Agencies; Voting Upon Committee Recommendations by Legislature Generally; Compensation of Members of Committee.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-5Procedure for Review and Evaluation of Agencies - Commencement and Conclusion.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-6Procedure for Review and Evaluation of Agencies - Public Hearings and Receipt of Testimony Generally; Burden of Establishing Public Need for Continuation of Agencies; Information to Be Provided by Agencies Under Review.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-7Procedure for Review and Evaluation of Agencies - Factors to Be Considered in Determining Public Need for Continuation of Agencies Generally.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-8Procedure for Review and Evaluation of Agencies - Zero-Based Review and Evaluation.
- Ala. Code § 41-20-9Procedure for Review and Evaluation of Agencies -- Furnishing of Information by Department of Examiners of Public Accounts; Legislative Services Agency, Legal Division; and Legislative Services Agency, Fiscal Division.
Enacted in other states
Download
Copy
Embed on your site
Hover to preview · click to copy the code