There’s a lot happening at the Alabama State House, and several bills important to small business owners are moving forward. Here’s a quick look at the latest updates:

Giving Taxpayers a Voice

The Senate unanimously passed SB 233 by Sen. David Sessions of Grand Bay. The bill adds two consumer members to the Ad Valorem Advisory Committee. These members will be appointed by the Alabama Revenue Commissioner and will help represent taxpayers’ interests. The House version, HB 426 by Rep. Chris Sells of Greenville, is moving right along too.

Courts Would Have to Play Fair

The Senate also unanimously passed SB 248, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr of Decatur. This bill says Alabama courts should interpret laws and regulations without automatically siding with state agencies. Judges would have to use standard legal tools first, instead of deferring to government opinions. The idea follows a big U.S. Supreme Court case known as Chevron.

NFIB has been involved nationally, filing a brief in another important case, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Gina Raimondo, that challenges agency overreach.

More Time to Appeal Tax Assessments

Thanks to a recommendation from NFIB’s Tax Advisory Committee, taxpayers might soon get more time to appeal a final tax bill. HB 505, also by Rep. Chris Sells, passed a key Senate committee this week. The bill would double the time to file an appeal with the Alabama Tax Tribunal or circuit court — from 30 days to 60 days.

Data Privacy for Small Businesses

The House passed an amended version of HB 283 by Rep. Mike Shaw of Hoover. The bill protects consumer data by requiring businesses to offer a secure way for customers to opt out of their database. Originally, the bill would have been a burden for small businesses, with costly fines and compliance rules. But thanks to NFIB’s advocacy, the bill now exempts businesses with 500 or fewer employees that don’t sell customer information.

Small Business Week

Finally, the Senate passed a resolution recognizing National Small Business Week, happening May 4-10, 2025. Sen. Jabo Waggoner of Vestavia Hills introduced Senate Joint Resolution 79, which highlights how important small businesses are to Alabama’s economy.

Waters of the U.S.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joined 19 other attorneys general in urging federal regulators to adopt a clearer, more limited definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). In a letter, the coalition said the current rules infringe on states’ traditional authority to regulate intrastate waters and called for definitions that reflect recent Supreme Court rulings and are easily understood by landowners.