# Alabama HB475: Public Service Commission; number of commissioners expanded to represent congressional districts, phase-in by election provided, term of office revised, position of Secretary of Energy established as cabinet member, calculation of electric utility rates revised; rate hearings authorized Alabama HB475, Public Service Commission; number of commissioners expanded to represent congressional districts, phase-in by election provided, term of office revised, position of Secretary of Energy established as cabinet member, calculation of electric utility rates revised; rate hearings authorized, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Mack Butler (Republican); status enacted, last action 2026-04-03 (Enacted); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB475-2026rs - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Alabama HB475 - State: Alabama - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Public Service Commission; number of commissioners expanded to represent congressional districts, phase-in by election provided, term of office revised, position of Secretary of Energy established as cabinet member, calculation of electric utility rates revised; rate hearings authorized - Status: enacted - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-19 - Last action: 2026-04-03, Enacted - Sponsor: Mack Butler (Republican) - Cosponsors: 8 - Subjects: Telecommunications & Utilities - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 10 (648 yes, 60 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Job protection for utility commission employees: benefit, high. The law protects certain Alabama Public Service Commission employees' jobs during the leadership change. Covered employees must have been unclassified, employed on June 1, 2026, and appointed by a commissioner. Their employment continues regardless of the appointing authority. The Secretary of Ener… - Alabama elects utility commissioners by district: benefit, low. Beginning June 1, 2026, the law expands Alabama's Public Service Commission from three statewide members to seven district members. Districts follow the 2024 congressional map. Commissioners must have lived in Alabama for seven years before taking office and remain state residents. The Governor mus… - Stronger conflict rules for energy officials: benefit, low. Beginning June 1, 2026, Alabama utility commissioners and the Secretary of Energy must follow state ethics laws. Commissioners, the secretary, their spouses and children, and commission employees cannot provide paid services to public utilities. That ban also covers services provided through a part… - New cabinet secretary directs utility regulation: cost, low. Beginning January 19, 2027, Alabama has a Secretary of Energy in the Governor's cabinet. The Governor appoints the secretary, sets the salary, and may remove the secretary. The secretary must have experience in utility regulation, energy policy, or a related field. The secretary directs commission… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mack Butler (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Arnold Mooney (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ben Harrison (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Cindy Myrex (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ernie Yarbrough (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mark Gidley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ritchie Whorton (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Shane Stringer (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Susan DuBose (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | Smitherman motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1028 | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | Chambliss motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1027 | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | Third Reading in Second House | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2026-04-01 | House | Butler motion to Non-Concur and Appoint Conference Committee- Smith to Table Motion | pass | 68 | 31 | 1 | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1029 | pass | 32 | 0 | | | 2026-04-01 | House | Smith motion to Concur in and Adopt Senate Amendment to HB475 | pass | 72 | 26 | 2 | | 2026-03-17 | House | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 944 | pass | 104 | 0 | 1 | | 2026-03-17 | House | Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 943 | pass | 81 | 3 | 19 | | 2026-03-17 | House | Third Reading in House of Origin | pass | 95 | 0 | 8 | | 2026-03-17 | House | Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 942 | pass | 103 | 0 | 2 | ## Actions (32) - 2026-04-03: Enacted (House) - 2026-04-02: Signature Requested (Senate) - 2026-04-02: Delivered to Governor (House) - 2026-04-01: Third Reading in Second House (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development 1st Substitute Offered (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Chambliss motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1027 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Smitherman 1st Amendment Offered (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Smitherman motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1028 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1029 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Butler motion to Non-Concur and Appoint Conference Committee- Smith to Table Motion (House) - 2026-04-01: Smith motion to Concur in and Adopt Senate Amendment to HB475 (House) - 2026-04-01: Ready to Enroll (House) - 2026-04-01: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-31: Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development 1st Substitute (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Reported Out of Committee Second House (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Pending Committee Action in Second House (Senate) - 2026-03-17: Third Reading in House of Origin (House) - 2026-03-17: Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure 1st Substitute Offered (House) - 2026-03-17: Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 942 (House) - 2026-03-17: Brown 1st Amendment Offered (House) - 2026-03-17: Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 943 (House) - 2026-03-17: Robbins 1st Amendment Offered (House) - 2026-03-17: Robbins 2nd Amendment Offered (House) - 2026-03-17: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 944 (House) - 2026-03-17: Engrossed (House) - 2026-03-11: Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure 1st Substitute (House) - 2026-03-11: Reported Out of Committee House of Origin (House) - 2026-03-11: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (House) - 2026-02-19: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure (House) - 2026-02-19: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (House) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB475-int.pdf) - Engrossed: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB475-eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB475-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/HB475-int.pdf) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB475-eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB475-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-HB475-2026rs (as of 2026-10-16).