Alabama Legislature Approves Tornado Shelter Bill

The Alabama Legislature has approved a bill to assign oversight of prefabricated storm shelters to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

A compromise version of the bill cleared the House and Senate on unanimous votes and now goes to the governor. A spokeswoman for Gov. Robert Bentley said he’s reviewing the bill.

The bill requires manufacturers to post a $20,000 bond with EMA, and it requires random inspections of manufacturers and installers of residential storm shelters for fewer than 17 people.

The bill allows the Alabama EMA to adopt rules to ensure that all prefabricated storm shelters funded by state or federal funds or eligible for state and federal reimbursement meet federal EMA standards.

The bill received final passage a year after deadly tornadoes hit the state in April 2011.