# Alabama SB167: Alabama Administrative Procedure Act; standard of judicial review revised regarding agency's interpretation of law Alabama SB167, Alabama Administrative Procedure Act; standard of judicial review revised regarding agency's interpretation of law, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Arthur Orr (Republican); status enacted, last action 2026-03-31 (Enacted) (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB167-2026rs - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Alabama SB167 - State: Alabama - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Alabama Administrative Procedure Act; standard of judicial review revised regarding agency's interpretation of law - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-03-31, Enacted - Sponsor: Arthur Orr (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Administrative Law and Procedures - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (306 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Independent court review for Alabama agency cases: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, Alabama courts must interpret laws and rules themselves using standard legal tools when reviewing agency actions. Courts may consider an agency’s view, but cannot defer to it or assume it is correct. In cases brought by or against agencies, any doubt remaining after that… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Arthur Orr (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-17 | House | Third Reading in Second House | pass | 99 | 0 | 1 | | 2026-03-17 | House | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 962 | pass | 105 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 266 | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Third Reading in House of Origin | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Orr motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 265 | pass | 34 | 0 | | ## Actions (22) - 2026-03-31: Enacted (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Delivered to Governor (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Signature Requested (House) - 2026-03-18: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-17: Third Reading in Second House (House) - 2026-03-17: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 962 (House) - 2026-03-17: Ready to Enroll (Senate) - 2026-03-17: Ready to Enroll (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (House) - 2026-02-11: Reported Out of Committee Second House (House) - 2026-02-05: Third Reading in House of Origin (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Finance and Taxation General Fund 1st Amendment Offered (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Orr motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 265 (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 266 (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Engrossed (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary (House) - 2026-02-05: Pending Committee Action in Second House (House) - 2026-01-21: Finance and Taxation General Fund 1st Amendment (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Reported Out of Committee House of Origin (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation General Fund (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Senate) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB167-int.pdf) - Engrossed: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB167-eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB167-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/SB167-int.pdf) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB167-eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB167-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-SB167-2026rs (as of 2026-10-16).