Alabama House Bill HB376

Alabama 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/25/23
• Refer: 4/25/23
• Report Pass: 5/17/23

Caption

Relating to the Secretary of State; to amend Section 36-14-6, Code of Alabama 1975, to provide for a reduction of the number of bound sets of legislative acts and codes required to be retained by the Secretary of State.

Impact

The impact of HB376 on state laws is relatively straightforward; by lessening the number of copies of legislative documents that must be kept, it potentially allows for a more efficient allocation of resources within the Secretary of State's office. This change aims to be a cost-saving measure, aligning operational practices with the digital age where access to information is often facilitated online rather than through physical copies.

Summary

House Bill 376 is a legislative proposal aimed at modifying the retention requirements for the Secretary of State in Alabama. Specifically, it seeks to amend Section 36-14-6 of the Code of Alabama 1975, which currently mandates that the Secretary of State retain ten copies of each series of legislative acts, session journals, and pre-1975 codes. The proposed bill reduces this requirement to five copies, which proponents claim will streamline processes and reduce unnecessary government overhead.

Contention

While the text of the bill does not seem to indicate significant controversy, any reduction in record retention may raise concerns regarding transparency and access to legislative history. Opponents might argue that reducing the number of retained copies could hinder public access to state documents, which is essential for accountability in government. Advocates for open government may seek to ensure that sufficient resources are still maintained for public inquiries into legislative affairs, thus bringing up a potential point of tension between efficiency and accessibility.