PRIA Logo™
AlabamaHB5802026 Regular SessionHouse

Public institutions of higher education; faculty senates limited to advisory role, tenure policy required, review and dismissal of tenured faculty authorized, governing board authority over courses and curriculum provided

Sponsored By: Troy Stubbs (Republican)

Enacted

Education

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.

Tenured faculty dismissal grounds and hearing rights

Beginning October 1, 2026, Alabama public colleges can dismiss tenured faculty at any time after providing required due process. Grounds include professional incompetence, failure to perform duties or meet review requirements, misconduct, law or school-policy violations, unprofessional conduct, false credentials, and convictions affecting fitness to serve. A real financial crisis or program phaseout can also justify dismissal when it requires eliminating the position; school policies can define other good cause. Boards must adopt serious-misconduct dismissal policies, define that misconduct to include the listed statutory conduct, and name administrators to hold hearings. Faculty facing serious-misconduct dismissal must receive written allegations, supporting evidence, and a chance to respond at a hearing.

Tenured faculty face reviews and discipline

Beginning October 1, 2026, Alabama public college boards must set policies for granting tenure, faculty dismissal, and reviews after tenure. Boards can tailor policies to their school's mission and set stricter rules; earlier review policies can continue only if they meet the law and board policies. Each tenured faculty member must receive a review at least every six years, but no more than once a year. Reviews must include peers, cover professional duties, and support professional growth; incompetence, neglect of duty, or other good cause can lead to loss of tenure or discipline after required due process. Boards must file policies and changes with the provost, who must make them public by September 1 each year.

Faculty senates face new limits

Beginning October 1, 2026, only governing boards can create faculty senates at Alabama public colleges and universities. Existing senates are abolished unless created under the law or found compliant with the law and board policies and ratified; authorized but unformed senates must follow the law. Senates can give confidential advice, but cannot make final decisions or speak for their institution. Boards must first set membership policies representing every college or school; default rules allow up to 60 members, with one presidential appointee and one faculty-elected representative per college or school. Unless boards set different rules, presidents appoint senate leaders and can immediately remove members for misconduct or failure to perform duties, or approve removal recommended by the provost; boards can change membership rules and include non-faculty members.

Accreditors face limits over college governance

Beginning October 1, 2026, accrediting groups cannot force Alabama public colleges to violate these governance, tenure, or curriculum rules. They cannot take adverse action based wholly or partly on a school's compliance with the law. Schools cannot use accrediting standards as a reason to break these rules. The law creates no private right to sue to enforce these articles.

College boards control degree course requirements

Beginning October 1, 2026, governing boards control courses and subjects taught at Alabama public colleges and universities. Courses and curriculum required for a degree must receive board approval. Boards can delegate course approval to a designated university administrator. The law does not set new tuition rates or specific degree requirements.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Troy Stubbs

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 458 • No: 14

Senate vote • 4/9/2026

Waggoner Petition to Cease Debate - Adopted Roll Call 1311

Yes: 25 • No: 7

Senate vote • 4/9/2026

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1312

Yes: 27 • No: 7

House vote • 3/31/2026

Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1056

Yes: 102 • No: 0 • Other: 1

House vote • 3/31/2026

Third Reading in House of Origin

Yes: 102 • No: 0 • Other: 1

House vote • 3/31/2026

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1058

Yes: 101 • No: 0

House vote • 3/31/2026

Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1057

Yes: 101 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Enacted

    4/13/2026House

  2. Finance and Taxation Education 1st Amendment Offered

    4/9/2026Senate

  3. Orr motion to Table - Adopted Voice Vote

    4/9/2026Senate

  4. Waggoner Petition to Cease Debate - Adopted Roll Call 1311

    4/9/2026Senate

  5. Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1312

    4/9/2026Senate

  6. Ready to Enroll

    4/9/2026House

  7. Enrolled

    4/9/2026House

  8. Signature Requested

    4/9/2026Senate

  9. Delivered to Governor

    4/9/2026House

  10. Finance and Taxation Education 1st Amendment

    4/7/2026Senate

  11. Reported Out of Committee Second House

    4/7/2026Senate

  12. Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

    4/7/2026Senate

  13. Third Reading in House of Origin

    3/31/2026House

  14. Stubbs 1st Substitute Offered

    3/31/2026House

  15. Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1056

    3/31/2026House

  16. Bracy 1st Amendment Offered

    3/31/2026House

  17. Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1057

    3/31/2026House

  18. Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1058

    3/31/2026House

  19. Engrossed

    3/31/2026House

  20. Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation Education

    3/31/2026Senate

  21. Pending Committee Action in Second House

    3/31/2026Senate

  22. Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

    3/19/2026House

  23. Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

    3/18/2026House

  24. Re-referred to Committee in House of Origin

    3/10/2026House

  25. Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Education Policy

    3/5/2026House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation