Title 36 — Title 36

Whenever used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings: (1) BUSINESS. Any corporation, partnership, proprietorship, firm, enterprise, franchise, association, organization, self-employed individual, or any other legal entity. (2) BUSINESS WI…

Lobbying includes promoting or attempting to influence the awarding of a grant or contract with any department or agency of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government. No member of the Legislature, for a fee, reward, or other compensation, in addition to t…

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law, including, but not limited to, this chapter, a person acting as an economic development professional is not a lobbyist, unless and until he or she seeks incentives through legislative action, or is seeking funds over which a legislator or…

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law, including, but not limited to, this chapter, an individual acting as an economic development professional is not a lobbyist, unless and until he or she seeks incentives through legislative action in the Legislature, that are above and bey…

If a public official or public employee, or family member of the public employee or family member of the public official, or a business with which the person is associated, represents a client or constituent for a fee before any quasi-judicial board or commission, regulatory body…

Unless exempt pursuant to Alabama competitive bid laws or otherwise permitted by law, no public official or public employee, or a member of the household of the public employee or the public official, and no business with which the person is associated shall enter into any contra…

No person shall offer or give to a member or employee of a governmental agency, board, or commission that regulates a business with which the person is associated, and no member or employee of a regulatory body, shall solicit or accept a thing of value while the member or employe…

(a) No public official shall serve for a fee as a lobbyist or otherwise represent clients, including his or her employer before the board, agency, commission, department, or legislative body, of which he or she is a former member for a period of two years after he or she leaves s…

(a) A statement of economic interests shall be completed and filed in accordance with this chapter with the commission no later than April 30 of each year covering the period of the preceding calendar year by each of the following: (1) All elected public officials at the state, c…

Failure to Submit Statement. [Effective until October 1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-543, EFFECTIVE APRIL 15, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. (a) Candidates at every level of government shall file a completed statement of economic interests for the previous calendar year with …

Regulatory Body or Contract with State. (a) When any citizen of the state or business with which he or she is associated represents for a fee any person before a regulatory body of the Executive Branch, he or she shall report to the commission the name of any adult child, parent,…

(a) Every governmental agency head shall within 10 days file reports with the commission on any matters that come to his or her attention in his or her official capacity which constitute a violation of this chapter. (b) Governmental agency heads shall cooperate in every possible …

(a) Every lobbyist shall register by filing a form prescribed by the commission no later than January 31 of each year or within 10 days after the first undertaking requiring such registration. Each lobbyist, except public employees who are lobbyists, shall pay an annual fee of on…

(a) Every person registered as a lobbyist pursuant to Section 36-25-18 and every principal employing any lobbyist shall file with the commission a report provided by the commission pertaining to the activities set out in that section. The report shall be filed with the commission…

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares: (1) It is essential to the proper operation of democratic government that public officials be independent and impartial. (2) Governmental decisions and policy should be made in the proper channels of the governmental structure. (3) N…

(a) A person who ceases to engage in activities requiring registration pursuant to Section 36-25-18 shall file a written, verified statement with the commission acknowledging the termination of activities. The notice shall be effective immediately. (b) A person who files a notice…

All reports filed pursuant to Sections 36-25-18 to 36-25-20, inclusive, are public records and shall be made available for public inspection during regular business hours. History: (Acts 1973, No. 1056, p. 1699, §22; Acts 1975, No. 130, p. 603, §1; Acts 1995, No. 95-194, p. 269, …

Sections 36-25-18 to 36-25-21, inclusive, shall not be construed as affecting professional services in drafting bills or in advising clients and in rendering opinions as to the construction and effect of proposed or pending legislation, executive action, rules, or regulations, wh…

Solicitation of Lobbyists by Public Officials or Employees; Contracts to Provide Lobbying Services Contingent Upon Legislative Action. (a) No public official elected to a term of office shall serve for a fee as a lobbyist or otherwise represent a client, including his or her empl…

(a) A supervisor shall not discharge, demote, transfer, or otherwise discriminate against a public employee regarding the employee’s compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment based on either the employee’s reporting a violation or what he or she believes in goo…

No person, for the purpose of influencing legislation, may do either of the following: (1) Knowingly or willfully make any false statement or misrepresentation of the facts to a member of the Legislative or Executive Branch. (2) Knowing a document to contain a false statement, ca…

(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided, any person subject to this chapter who intentionally violates any provision of this chapter other than those for which a separate penalty is provided for in this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class B felony. (2) Any person sub…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as to deprive any citizen, not lobbying, of the citizen’s constitutional right to communicate with members of the Legislature. History: (Acts 1973, No. 1056, p. 1699, §25; Acts 1975, No. 130, p. 603, §1; Acts 1995, No. 95-194, p. 269, §1…

(a) The Legislature shall appropriate such sums as it deems necessary to implement the provisions of and administer this chapter. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, and beginning with the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, the annual appropriation…

(a) There is hereby created a State Ethics Commission composed of five members, each of whom shall be a fair, equitable citizen of this state and of high moral character and ability. The following persons shall not be eligible to be appointed as members: (1) a public official; (2…

This chapter shall be construed in pari materia with other laws dealing with the subject of ethics. History: (Acts 1973, No. 1056, p. 1699, §32; Acts 1975, No. 130, p. 603, §1; Acts 1995, No. 95-194, p. 269, §1.)

(a) The commission shall do all of the following: (1) Prescribe forms for statements required to be filed by this chapter and make the forms available to persons required to file such statements. (2) Prepare guidelines setting forth recommended uniform methods of reporting for us…

Notwithstanding any other law, regulation, or rule, no complaints shall be made available to the public or available on the Internet until the disposition of the matter. In no event may a complaint be made public or available on the Internet if the complaint is dismissed or found…

(a) At the beginning of each legislative quadrennium, the State Ethics Commission shall provide for and administer training programs on the state ethics laws for members of the Legislature, state constitutional officers, cabinet officers, executive staff, municipal mayors, counci…

(a) The commission, by April 1, 2012, shall implement and maintain each of the following: (1) A system for electronic filing of all statements, reports, registrations, and notices required by this chapter. (2) An electronic database accessible to the public through an Internet we…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, prior to any hearing before the State Ethics Commission pursuant to Section 36-25- 4(e), for a violation of this chapter or Chapter 5 of Title 17, or issuance of an order for administrative resolution of an alleged violation of this…

(a) No public official or public employee shall use or cause to be used his or her official position or office to obtain personal gain for himself or herself, or family member of the public employee or family member of the public official, or any business with which the person is…

(a) No lobbyist, subordinate of a lobbyist, or principal shall offer or provide a thing of value to a public employee or public official or to a family member of the public employee or family member of the public official; and no public employee or public official or family membe…

Federal Government. (a) For purposes of this section, the term state shall include the State of Alabama and any of its agencies, departments, political subdivisions, counties, colleges and universities and technical schools, the Legislature, the appellate courts, district courts,…

Contributions to an office holder, a candidate, or to a public official’s inaugural or transitional fund shall not be converted to personal use. History: (Acts 1973, No. 1056, p. 1699, §4; Acts 1975, No. 130, p. 603, §1; Acts 1995, No. 95-194, p. 269, §1; Acts 1997, No. 97-651, p…

Addition to That Received in Official Capacity. (a) No person shall offer or give to a public official or public employee or a member of the household of a public employee or a member of the household of the public official and none of the aforementioned shall solicit or receive …

No public official, public employee, former public official or former public employee, for a period consistent with the statute of limitations as contained in this chapter, shall use or disclose confidential information gained in the course of or by reason of his or her position …

Financial Interest in Matter Prohibited from Voting. (a) Unless expressly provided otherwise by law, no person shall serve as a member or employee of a state, county, or municipal regulatory board or commission or other body that regulates any business with which he is associated…