HB481 - Alabama Informed Voter Act

• Creates a 15-member Fair Ballot Commission consisting of attorneys and private citizens appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Speaker of the House, and Secretary of State to approve fair ballot language statements for statewide measures.

• Requires the Secretary of State to prepare and submit fair ballot language statements within 5 days of a statewide ballot measure's introduction, and the Commission must approve statements within 5 days explaining what votes for and against the measure represent in plain, nontechnical language.

• Mandates posting of approved ballot statements in each polling place next to sample ballots and requires fair ballot language to include whether the measure will increase, decrease, or have no tax impact with specific tax categories identified.

• Requires the Secretary of State to maintain an "Official Voter Information Guide" on its website within 20 days of receiving a passed measure, including ballot questions, summaries, legal authority, analysis of effects, legislative arguments and rebuttals, full measure text, and a public section for citizen comments posted within 24 hours.

• Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and approval by the Governor.