# Alabama HB597: Creates the Rural Behavioral and Mental Health Access program to expand access to mental health and substance use treatment in rural areas

Alabama HB597, Creates the Rural Behavioral and Mental Health Access program to expand access to mental health and substance use treatment in rural areas, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Patrice McClammy (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-10 (Pending Committee Action in House of Origin) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB597-2026rs
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Alabama HB597
- State: Alabama
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Creates the Rural Behavioral and Mental Health Access program to expand access to mental health and substance use treatment in rural areas
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-03-10
- Last action: 2026-03-10, Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
- Sponsor: Patrice McClammy (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 23
- Subjects: Mental Health
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Patrice McClammy (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Anthony Daniels (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Artis 'A.J.' McCampbell (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Barbara Drummond (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Curtis Travis (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jeremy Gray (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kelvin Datcher (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kelvin Lawrence (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kenyatté Hassell (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Laura Hall (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: M. Moore (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Marilyn Lands (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Napoleon Bracy (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Neil Rafferty (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ontario Tillman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Patrick Sellers (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Pebblin W. Warren (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Phillip Ensler (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Prince Chestnut (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Rolanda Hollis (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sam Jones (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: TaShina Morris (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Thomas Jackson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Travis Hendrix (Democratic), House

## Actions (2)

- 2026-03-10: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means General Fund (House)
- 2026-03-10: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (House)

## Bill text

- As Introduced: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB597-int.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/HB597-int.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-HB597-2026rs (as of 2026-10-16).