# Alabama HB161: Consumer protection, app store providers and developers required to take certain actions related to age verification and parental consent, Attorney General authorized to bring action for violations as deceptive trade practice, parents authorized to bring civil action Alabama HB161, Consumer protection, app store providers and developers required to take certain actions related to age verification and parental consent, Attorney General authorized to bring action for violations as deceptive trade practice, parents authorized to bring civil action, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Chris Sells (Republican); status enacted, last action 2026-02-17 (Enacted) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB161-2026rs - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Alabama HB161 - State: Alabama - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Consumer protection, app store providers and developers required to take certain actions related to age verification and parental consent, Attorney General authorized to bring action for violations as deceptive trade practice, parents authorized to bring civil action - Status: enacted - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-02-17, Enacted - Sponsor: Chris Sells (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Consumer Protection - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 8 (588 yes, 3 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Alabama can penalize app protection violations: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, knowing or reckless violations count as deceptive trade practices. The Alabama Attorney General alone can bring these enforcement cases and seek up to $7,500 per violation, attorney fees, and court costs. A consistent pattern of knowing or reckless conduct can also lead t… - Minors gain protections against app contracts: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, app stores cannot enforce contracts or terms against minors without verified parental consent. Developers must verify that consent through the app store before enforcing their contracts or terms against minors. Neither stores nor developers may knowingly mislead parents i… - Privacy limits protect app users’ age data: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, stores must limit age-check data collection and processing to age checks, parental consent, and compliance records. They must use industry-standard encryption when sending that data. Developers may use store-provided age categories only for age restrictions, protections o… - App companies gain limited liability protections: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, developers avoid liability under this act when they rely in good faith on store-provided age data and consent notices and comply with the act. A separate protection covers consent-disclosure misrepresentation claims when developers consistently and in good faith use widel… - Age checks for Alabama app accounts: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, app stores must request and verify age categories for new accounts held by people in Alabama. Accounts existing on October 2, 2026, must be checked before October 1, 2027. Checks must use a reasonably accurate commercial method or a system meeting Alabama Attorney General… - App changes require renewed parental approval: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, developers must report significant app changes, and app stores must then notify users. Covered changes include material terms or privacy changes involving data categories, new money-making features, age ratings, or content descriptions. For minor accounts, stores must als… - Developers receive age and consent checks: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, app stores must give developers real-time age categories for Alabama users and parental-consent status for minors. Developers must use those tools to verify age and consent. Required checks cover downloads or purchases, first use of pre-installed apps, significant app cha… - Parents control children’s app spending: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, app stores must link minor accounts to parent accounts and get verified consent for downloads, app purchases, and in-app purchases. A minor is under 18 unless married or legally emancipated. Consent requires checking that the parent is at least 18, providing a notice, and… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Chris Sells (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Arnold Mooney (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-10 | House | Sells Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 367 | pass | 103 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 244 | pass | 35 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Third Reading in Second House | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Singleton motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 243 | pass | 32 | 3 | | | 2026-01-22 | House | Third Reading in House of Origin | pass | 94 | 0 | 3 | | 2026-01-22 | House | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 126 | pass | 103 | 0 | | | 2026-01-22 | House | Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 125 | pass | 102 | 0 | | | 2026-01-22 | House | Motion to Add Cosponsor - Adopted Roll Call 127 | pass | 86 | 0 | 1 | ## Actions (24) - 2026-02-17: Enacted (House) - 2026-02-10: Sells Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 367 (House) - 2026-02-10: Ready to Enroll (House) - 2026-02-10: Enrolled (House) - 2026-02-10: Signature Requested (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Delivered to Governor (House) - 2026-02-05: Third Reading in Second House (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Singleton 1st Amendment Offered (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Singleton motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 243 (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 244 (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Reported Out of Committee Second House (Senate) - 2026-01-23: Pending Committee Action in Second House (Senate) - 2026-01-22: Third Reading in House of Origin (House) - 2026-01-22: Chestnut 1st Amendment Offered (House) - 2026-01-22: Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 125 (House) - 2026-01-22: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 126 (House) - 2026-01-22: Motion to Add Cosponsor - Adopted Roll Call 127 (House) - 2026-01-22: Engrossed (House) - 2026-01-22: Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Children and Youth Health (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Reported Out of Committee House of Origin (House) - 2026-01-14: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (House) - 2026-01-13: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on State Government (House) - 2026-01-13: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (House) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB161-int.pdf) - Engrossed: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB161-eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB161-enr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for misuse of personal voter information; created (enacted) - SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026 (enacted) - SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require indigent candidates to submit documentation for fee exemption (enacted) - HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for violations provided for (enacted) - SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitation purposes prohibited; redaction of certain information relating to financial tr… (enacted) - SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular (enacted) ## Sources - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB161-int.pdf) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB161-eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB161-enr.pdf) ## Related - [HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB67-2026rs) - [SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB154-2026rs) - [SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require in…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB165-2026rs) - [HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for vio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB317-2026rs) - [SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitatio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB272-2026rs) - [SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB190-2026rs) - [Alabama bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama/bills) - [Alabama state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB161-2026rs (as of 2026-10-19).