Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has signed Senate Bill 130 into law, reaffirming gold and silver as legal tender. This symbolic victory marks Alabama’s latest step toward promoting constitutional sound money in the state.
Sponsored by State Sen. Tim Melson and State Rep. Jamie Kiel, the Alabama Legal Tender Act recognizes “any refined gold or silver bullion, specie, or coin that has been stamped, marked, or imprinted with its weight and purity” as legal tender in the Yellowhammer State.
The law ensures that no one is obligated to accept gold and silver for transactions unless specified by contracts or required by law.
The measure sailed through the Alabama Legislature with unanimous support, receiving no negative votes in committee or floor votes in either chamber.
Article 1 Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution reads: “No state shall … coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; [or] make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts….” Senate Bill 130 aligns with this constitutional mandate.
“I’m proud to sponsor this legislation reaffirming gold and silver as legal tender in Alabama,” said Melson in an exclusive interview with the Sound Money Defense League.
“While inflation continues to erode the purchasing power of the U.S. Dollar, encouraging stable, time-tested, and constitutional alternatives like gold and silver is a commonsense step. This bill upholds their constitutional status and supports sound money for our citizens across the state,” he concluded.
This marks the fifth pro-sound money law enacted in 2025, a national trend driven by the Sound Money Defense League and Money Metals Exchange for over a decade. Alabama joins Kentucky, Wyoming and Idaho in passing related laws this year.
Executive director of the Sound Money Defense League, Jp Cortez, said, "Alabama has passed three sound money bills since 2018, making it a bona fide leader in this burgeoning nationwide movement to remonetize constitutional sound money."
So far this year, Wyoming has established a $10 million physical gold reserve, Idaho passed legislation eliminating capital gains taxes on gold and silver and reaffirming the metals as legal tender, and Kentucky became one of the dozens of states to end sales taxes on purchases of precious metals last week.
America’s 54-year experiment in a purely fiat currency system has fueled inflation, ballooning deficits, and unchecked government spending.
When savers, wage earners, and investors seek ways to protect their savings from the ravages of inflation, they often choose precious metals over fiat currency because precious metals have preserved purchasing power over time.
Since 2018, Melson has partnered with the Sound Money Defense League to expand tax exemptions and remove barriers to using gold and silver in Alabama. Senate Bill 130 offers symbolic support to Alabama citizens making this choice, and it is a modest next step toward continuing to promote sound money policies in the state.
This year’s success builds on seven successful sound money projects spearheaded by the League in 2024.
With SB 130 passed, Alabama, currently ranked ninth on the Sound Money Index, is expected to rise in the 2026 edition.
The Sound Money Defense League is the nation’s leading public policy group working to restore sound money at the state and federal level since 2014 and publisher of the Sound Money Index.
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