Alabama State Administrative Law

In 1981, the Alabama Legislature enacted the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act, which established the "minimum procedural code" by which an agency, board, or commission of the Alabama state government may adopt administrative rules. Prior to its enactment, there was no uniform procedure, which led to procedure and timelines varying from agency to agency. The Act was established with the intent of providing notice to the public, promoting fairness in access to rulemaking, and encouraging increased public participation in the process. 

The Legislative Services Agency compiles and maintains the official Alabama Administrative Code, a comprehensive publication that contains the administrative rules of all of the state's agencies, arranged by agency. It is no longer widely published in physical form but can be found up-to-date online. The Legislative Services Agency is also responsible for publishing the Alabama Administrative Monthly, a monthly publication that lists notices of new, amended, or repealed rules, and any necessary emergency rules.  

Note that the Act does not grant an agency power to adopt rules; the Agency must have express statutory authority outside of the Act to adopt rules for a specific purpose.