By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
The Alabama House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee reviewed a series of law enforcement and vehicle regulation measures during its first meeting of the 2026 legislative session, advancing several bills with unanimous support.
Five bills dealing with vehicle registration requirements and benefits for law enforcement officers received favorable reports from the committee and will move forward to the full House for consideration.
House Bill 74, sponsored by Rep. Chad Robertson, R-Heflin, would require counties and municipalities to provide retiring law enforcement officers with their badge. The bill would also allow agencies to present or sell officers their service pistol as part of a retirement package. A similar version passed the House unanimously last year.
House Bill 35, sponsored by Rep. Ron Bolton, R-Northport, targets so-called “squat trucks.” The bill would prohibit trucks with more than a four-inch height difference between front and rear fenders from operating on public roads. First-time violations would carry fines up to $50, increasing to $250 for repeat offenses.
“This is our squat truck bill that we’ve passed through committee the last couple of years,” Bolton said, noting the proposal stalled late in the Senate last session.
House Bill 107, sponsored by Rep. Donna Givens, R-Loxley, would create a military combat action license plate and impose penalties on non-combat veterans who apply for the tag. Violations would be classified as a Class C misdemeanor.
The committee also approved House Bill 10, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Killen, allowing 14- to 16-year-old drivers to receive standard traffic citations rather than mandatory juvenile court hearings.
House Bill 42, sponsored by Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, would allow individuals who tow unclaimed vehicles to report them immediately, rather than waiting for a declaration from the Department of Revenue.
Two additional bills were delayed, including legislation addressing driver’s license requirements and disabled veteran license plates for surviving spouses.
All approved bills now advance to the Alabama House.