HB528 Summary

• Requires products containing 30 mg or more of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine per tablet to be sold only in blister packages and stored behind counters, in locked display cases, or under video surveillance with 30-day data retention.

• Limits over-the-counter sales to no more than 3.6 grams per calendar day or 9 grams per 30 days of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine products, with purchases tracked through an electronic sales tracking system operated by the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center at no cost to the state or retailers.

• Requires purchasers to be at least 18 years old and provide government-issued photographic identification; retailers must maintain transaction records for 180 days including purchaser name, address, date, time, product name, and quantity in grams.

• Establishes penalties ranging from Class C misdemeanor on first offense to Class C felony on third or subsequent offense for violations of packaging, storage, and quantity restrictions.

• Revises the Methamphetamine Abuse Task Force membership to remove Senate and House representatives and remove the task force from Governor oversight, with authority to develop education programs, maintain training standards, and direct the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center to create a drug abuse information system.