SB379 Summary

• Creates the Alabama State of Emergency Consumer Protection Act, making it a Class C felony for unlicensed persons to provide contracting services (general, residential homebuilding, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, or home repair) costing over $2,500 during a gubernatorial emergency declaration.

• Applies to work on damaged, destroyed, or repair-needed structures following a declared state of emergency; requires cumulative service cost to exceed either $2,500 or the statutory licensing threshold, whichever is greater.

• Courts must order defendants to make restitution to victims as a condition of probation or sentence suspension, with intentional refusal grounds for revocation.

• Excludes charitable cleanup or repair services provided without charge from prosecution.

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