HB794 Summary

• Creates the Alabama Waterfront Access Study Task Force as a permanent advisory committee to the Legislature to study loss of diversity and use along Alabama's coastal shoreline.

• Establishes task force composition of 20 member categories including representatives from state agencies, commercial and recreational fishing industries, port authority, home builders, realtors, tourism bureau, local governments from each congressional district, and legislative members from designated districts.

• Requires appointing authorities to ensure task force composition reflects racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state, with annual reporting to the Legislature on compliance.

• Task force duties include gathering land-use and zoning information, collecting research on waterfront preservation techniques, assessing applicability to Alabama coastlines, preparing draft reports with recommendations, and holding at least three public meetings.

• Limits total expenditure to $10,000 per fiscal year; allows acceptance of private funding without conditions; provides compensation for citizen members and legislators at standard rates with restrictions on double compensation for legislative meeting days.