February 25, 2026
It's been another productive week in Montgomery, and I'm pleased to report that several of my priority bills continue to advance through the legislative process. I'm grateful for the bipartisan support we've seen on bill after bill.
The biggest news heading into next week is that the Speaker of the House has picked the Sarah Marsh Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act as the number one bill on Tuesday's calendar. That means it will be the very first bill voted on when we convene.
This is a bill that means a great deal to me personally and to the Marsh family of Mountain Brook. Sarah Marsh was among the 27 young women who lost their lives in the devastating flood at a camp in Texas, and her family has been the driving force behind this legislation. Their goal - and mine - is to make sure Alabama's kids are as safe as they possibly can be when they go to summer camp.
Dr. Jill Marsh accompanied me on Wednesday at out committee hearing on the bill, and gave a speech that I won’t ever forget. She and her family continue to be in my prayers, and her strength and dedication through all this is beyond inspirational.
Even with the success we’ve had so far with the bill, I want to be clear about something: no law can guarantee that an emergency will never happen. We can't prevent severe weather or every possible danger. But what we can do is make sure our camps are prepared. Before this bill, Alabama had virtually no statewide requirements for the safety of campers at overnight camps. That put us behind most other states in the country.
I do need to say that most of Alabama's great camps were already doing many of the things this bill requires - emergency preparedness plans, safety protocols, background checks - whether for their own liability insurance or simply because it was the right thing to do. But here's the key: there was no standard, no review process, and no requirement. A camp had no way of knowing whether what they were doing was sufficient, and there was no professional oversight to confirm it.
This bill changes that. It creates a licensing process through the Emergency Management Agency, so camps will have their emergency plans reviewed by EMA professionals who can say, "Yes, this is right" - or help them improve. It's common sense, and it's going to make kids safer.
Sarah's legacy and the legacy of the Heaven's 27 are going to save young people's lives going forward. That's what this is about, and I'm honored to carry this bill to the House floor.
Trey's Law has now passed both the House and the Senate and is on the governor's desk. I fully expect Governor Ivey to sign it into law in the coming weeks, and we'll likely have a formal bill signing ceremony. This has been an incredible journey, and I'm grateful to Elizabeth Phillips, whose tireless advocacy on behalf of her brother Trey made this possible. Once signed, Alabama will join a growing number of states ensuring that survivors of abuse can never be silenced by a non-disclosure agreement.
HB 192, my self-defense accountability bill, has passed the House and is now in the Senate. I've already reached out to the Senate committee chairman to get the bill scheduled for a hearing, and I'm hopeful it will be up in committee this coming week. This bill passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, and I'm confident it will receive the same consideration in the Senate. If you're claiming self-defense, you need to keep the weapon. That's a principle that district attorneys across the state support, and it's one that just makes sense.
I'm excited to share that my computer science graduation requirement bill passed the House floor this week. This is a bill I've been working on for more than a year. Last session, I got it through the House but ran out of time before it could pass the Senate. This year, I'm determined to see it across the finish line.
Making computer science a graduation requirement ensures that every Alabama student has exposure to the skills that are shaping our economy and our future. It's now in the Senate and ready for committee consideration.
A new bill I'm bringing forward addresses a troubling trend we've seen in our communities. In Homewood and elsewhere, criminals have been setting fires inside retail stores as a diversion to commit theft. They create chaos, put shoppers and employees in danger, and cause tremendous damage to the store - all to steal merchandise.
My bill amends Alabama's arson in the first degree law to cover these situations. If someone sets a fire or explosion to commit theft, and the combined damage and stolen goods exceed $25,000, they can be charged with arson in the first degree. This bill passed out of the Judiciary Committee this week and will be on the House floor Thursday. Our store employees and customers deserve to feel safe, and the people who put them at risk need to face serious consequences.
Also heading to the House floor Tuesday alongside the Camp Safety Act is my Alabama Law Institute bill updating our state's guardianship and conservatorship laws. This legislation has been vetted by a team of ALI lawyers since 2019, and it makes important revisions to how we protect some of Alabama's most vulnerable citizens. It passed out of Judiciary Committee this week and is ready for a floor vote.
Two additional bills are moving through the process. I passed a bill out of the Budget Committee that renews the sales and use tax exemption for community foundations across Alabama. These foundations do vital work in our communities, and this renewal ensures they can continue to operate effectively.
I've also just introduced a bill to add a voluntary donation checkbox on Alabama income tax returns for the Victims' Assistance Fund. This won't cost taxpayers anything - it simply gives people the option to donate to support victims of crime when they file their taxes. It's a small thing, but it puts the opportunity in front of every Alabamian who files a return.
One thing I'm particularly proud of this session is the bipartisan support these bills have received. Camp safety, Trey's Law, the self-defense bill, the computer science requirement - these have all passed with overwhelming, often unanimous votes. I believe that when you bring good legislation to the floor, you get good results.
I don't take credit for most of the ideas behind these bills. Elizabeth Phillips brought me the idea for Trey's Law. The Marsh family brought my attention to develop the camp safety bill. The district attorneys brought me the self-defense accountability bill. People across Alabama bring me ideas for legislation, and my job is to evaluate them and ask: Is this a good idea? Does it make sense? Does it make our state better? Is this good for the people of Alabama?
When the answer is yes, I carry the bill. And when the bill is good, we get the kind of results we've seen this session - broad, bipartisan support from colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I'm grateful for that support, and I thank my colleagues in the House for standing behind these measures.
Next week will be a full one. The Camp Safety Act and the guardianship bill are up Tuesday. The arson reform bill is scheduled for Thursday. And I'll continue pushing the Senate to move on HB 192 and the computer science bill. With about three or four bills already in the Senate and several more heading there soon, we're right on track for a productive session.
As always, I appreciate the opportunity to serve the people of District 46. If you have questions or concerns about any of these bills or anything happening in Montgomery, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Until next week,
David Faulkner
Alabama House District 46
The Camp Safety Act passed the House unanimously, key bills on computer science and arson reform advance, and Trey's Law awaits the Governor’s signature as the session reaches its midpoint.
HB 192 passed the House 104–0, Trey's Law heads to the Governor’s desk, the Sarah Marsh Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act advances in committee, and a computer science graduation requirement moves toward a full House vote.
Trey’s Law moves toward final passage, the Sarah Marsh Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act will be filed next week, and key legislation continues advancing as the 2026 Session stays on track.
The 2026 legislative session begins with work on Trey's Law, camp safety legislation, and budget discussions.
For 4 weeks now, the Legislature has had a weekly conference call with the Governor and some of the State’s top Department and Agency heads.
It was such an honor to be among those involved with the groundbreaking ceremony for the EXPLORE Playground & Splash Pad
State Rep. David Faulkner (R - Mountain Brook) on Tuesday announced he will direct a $15,000 community grant to the Hollywood Boulevard pedestrian bridge project
With the new school year finally set into a groove, it has been PTO meeting season.
Organizing for Action: We’re the people who don’t just support
Organizing for Action: We’re the people who don’t just support
Organizing for Action: We’re the people who don’t just support
