The bill amends Section 11-43-12 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to allow municipal employees, specifically first responders, to receive funds from community development block grants that flow through the municipal treasury, under certain conditions. The new legal language specifies that first responders are not prohibited from accepting these funds as long as they do not have a decision-making role in the eligibility for receiving funds and that the benefits they receive are similar to those of other grant recipients. Additionally, the bill clarifies that this exception does not apply to public officials or their family members.

The bill also makes several deletions and insertions to the existing law. It removes the prohibition against municipal officers or employees having a financial interest in contracts funded by the municipal treasury, while inserting a provision that allows first responders to accept grant funds under specified conditions. Furthermore, the penalties for violations of this section are updated, changing the language from "person" to "individual" and adjusting the fine structure from "$50.00" to "fifty dollars ($50)" and from "$1,000.00" to "one thousand dollars ($1,000)." The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 11-43-12
Engrossed: 11-43-12