Alabama House Bill HB314

Alabama 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/7/24
• Report Pass: 3/20/24
• Refer: 3/7/24
• Refer: 4/4/24
• Report Pass: 4/11/24

Caption

Distinctive license plate to include fire chaplains

Impact

The passage of HB314 will allow fire chaplains to have a distinctive license plate that denotes their affiliation with the firefighting community. This change will not only foster a sense of unity among firefighters and chaplains but also enhance public recognition of chaplains who provide essential support to firefighters and their families. Moreover, the bill introduces an annual additional fee of one dollar for the distinctive license plate, which will be allocated for various purposes, including support for the Alabama Firefighter Memorial and the Firefighter Peer Support Program.

Summary

House Bill 314 seeks to amend Section 32-6-271 of the Code of Alabama to expand the eligibility for a firefighter distinctive license plate to include fire chaplains. Previously, only volunteer firefighters were able to receive this unique license plate, which serves as an identifier for their service. The bill proposes that fire chaplains, as members of the Alabama Fellowship of Fire Chaplains, can also apply for this plate, thus recognizing their role within the fire service community.

Contention

One of the notable aspects of HB314 is that it includes provisions concerning the financial implications for local governments. While the bill outlines that it may require new or increased expenditures of local funds, it exempts itself from certain requirements under Section 111.05 of the Alabama Constitution by falling under specified exceptions. This may raise discussions regarding local budget allocations and the impact of additional fees on local governments and residents seeking these plates.