FISCAL NOTE

House Bill 272 (Act 2022-133) as enacted revises certain restrictions regarding the carrying or possession of a pistol and eliminates the requirement to obtain a pistol permit to carry a concealed pistol, which could reduce receipts to the several counties, by an undetermined amount, dependent on the number of individuals that would no longer obtain a concealed carry permit to carry a concealed pistol and the cost of the permit.

This act also establishes the Local Government Pistol Permit Revenue Loss Fund in the State Treasury to be funded by legislative appropriations and grants, gifts, or donations from other sources and administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) to provide grants to local sheriffs in amounts dependent upon: (1) the number of sheriffs providing the required reporting to be established by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts pursuant to the provisions of this act; and (2) the revenue received from pistol permit fees for fiscal years 2022 and 2023. This act limits the amount of grants from this fund to no more than the amount of pistol permit fees received by that county in Fiscal Year 2022.

This act also requires an automatic appropriation of either (1) $5 million annually, or (2) an amount necessary to maintain a balance of $2 million in the fund at the beginning of Fiscal Years 2024, 2025, and 2026.

The Fiscal Year 2023 State General Fund Appropriation Act (Act 2022-270) appropriated $5 million to this fund from the State General Fund.

This act further provides that this Fund shall be repealed on January 1, 2027, and any monies remaining in the Fund shall revert to the State General Fund. 

In addition, this act (1) requires the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts to establish the minimum accounting requirements for the Office of Sheriff which could increase the obligations of the Department by an undetermined amount, and (2) authorizes ADECA to recover costs associated with implementation and administration of the grant program from the Fund. 

This act could also increase the administrative obligations of the governing bodies of each two- and four-year institution of higher learning that choose to adopt policies governing the possession of firearms or other weapons on groups owned or controlled by the institution, as provided by this act.

Finally, this act could increase receipts to the State General Fund and municipal general funds from fines; increase receipts to the State General Fund, county general funds, municipal general funds, and other funds to which court costs are deposited; and could increase the obligations of the State General Fund, district attorneys, and local jails by an undetermined amount dependent upon the number of persons charged with and convicted of the offenses provided by this act and the penalties imposed.