1 SB265
2 217543-1
3 By Senator Smitherman
4 RFD: Finance and Taxation General Fund
5 First Read: 01-MAR-22
Page 0 1 217543-1:n:02/14/2022:HB/ma LSA2022-470
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9 A BILL
10 TO BE ENTITLED
11 AN ACT
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13 Relating to Jefferson County; to amend Section
14 45-37-82.01, Code of Alabama 1975, to provide for the
15 appointment of additional assistant district attorneys in the
16 Tenth Judicial Circuit, Bessemer Division.
17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
18 Section 1. Section 45-37-82.01, Code of Alabama
19 1975, is amended to read as follows:
20 "ยง45-37-82.01.
21 "(a) In the Tenth Judicial Circuit, Bessemer
22 Division, the elected assistant district attorney of the
23 circuit may appoint 15 16 deputy district attorneys. The
24 deputy district attorneys appointed pursuant to this section
25 shall be qualified to practice law in the courts of this
26 state, and shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing
27 elected assistant district attorney. The deputy district
Page 1 1 attorneys shall be state officers and shall perform the duties
2 in the circuit as the elected assistant district attorney may
3 require.
4 "(b) The elected assistant district attorney may
5 designate one deputy district attorney to serve as chief
6 deputy district attorney, four deputy district attorneys to
7 serve as Level I deputy district attorneys, five deputy
8 district attorneys to serve as Level II deputy district
9 attorneys, and five six deputy district attorneys to serve as
10 Level III deputy district attorneys.
11 "(c) The total annual compensation to be received by
12 each deputy district attorney shall be computed by the use of
13 levels and steps. Levels shall refer to the amount of legal
14 experience which each deputy district attorney had at the time
15 of appointment to the office. It is intended to entitle an
16 attorney with applicable legal experience to commence the
17 office at a higher rate of pay than one who has less
18 applicable legal experience. Steps shall refer to the amount
19 of time that the deputy district attorney has served in the
20 office as deputy district attorney or the length of time that
21 the officer shall continue. It is intended by this provision
22 to allow periodic increases in pay as incentive for the
23 officer to continue to serve in the office; however, the
24 elected assistant district attorney shall have the authority
25 to designate the level and step, at the time of appointment,
26 of any appointed deputy district attorneys authorized by this
27 section.
Page 2 1 "(d) The annual compensation to be paid the chief
2 deputy district attorney, one deputy district attorney
3 designated as Level I deputy district attorney, one deputy
4 district attorney designated as Level II deputy district
5 attorney, and one deputy district attorney designated as Level
6 III deputy district attorney shall be as provided in the
7 schedule of salaries set out in subsection (g). Of the total
8 annual compensation to be paid each of the four deputy
9 district attorneys, each shall be paid an annual salary by the
10 State of Alabama of twelve thousand nine hundred dollars
11 ($12,900), payable from the general funds of the state in
12 equal installments as the salaries of other state officers are
13 paid. The remainder of the annual compensation as provided in
14 the schedule of salaries set out in subsection (g), of each of
15 the four deputy district attorneys, shall be paid by the
16 county within the Tenth Judicial Circuit, which sum shall be
17 paid from the general funds of the county, in equal
18 semimonthly installments as the salaries of other county
19 officers are paid.
20 "(e) The annual compensation to be paid to three
21 deputy district attorneys designated as Level I deputy
22 district attorneys, four deputy district attorneys designated
23 as Level II deputy district attorneys, and four five deputy
24 district attorneys designated as Level III deputy district
25 attorneys shall be as provided in the schedule of salaries set
26 out in subsection (g). The compensation shall be paid by the
27 county within the Tenth Judicial Circuit, which sum shall be
Page 3 1 paid from the general funds of the county, in equal
2 semimonthly installments as the salaries of other officers are
3 paid.
4 "(f) The deputy district attorneys appointed by the
5 elected assistant district attorney to serve in the positions
6 identified in subsection (b) shall be compensated at the rate
7 consistent with their appointment in accordance with the
8 schedule of salaries set out by subsection (g). Thereafter,
9 increases in compensation for each deputy district attorney
10 may be made annually within the grade scale set out in the
11 schedule of salaries in subsection (g), provided the
12 performance of the deputy district attorney has been
13 satisfactory to the elected assistant district attorney. The
14 elected assistant district attorney shall also have the
15 authority to assign any of the deputy district attorneys to
16 the Level I, Level II, and Level III positions as the elected
17 assistant district attorney deems appropriate, within the
18 limitations of subsection (b).
19 "(g) The schedule of salaries, referred to below,
20 consisting of levels and steps, shall be as follows:
Attorneys21 Chief Level I Level II Level III
Step 122 103,000 78,000 57,500 38,000
Step 223 105,000 80,000 59,000 39,500
Step 324 107,000 82,000 60,500 41,000
Step 425 109,000 84,000 62,000 42,500
Page 4 Step 51 111,000 86,000 63,500 44,000
Step 62 113,000 88,000 65,000 45,500
Step 73 115,000 90,000 66,500 47,000
Step 84 117,000 92,000 68,000 48,500
Step 95 119,000 94,000 69,500 50,000
Step 106 121,000 96,000 71,000 51,500
Step 117 123,000 98,000 72,500 53,000
Step 128 125,000 100,000 74,000 54,500
"(h) The compensation provided by this section shall9
10 become effective on October 1, 1997. The county governing body
11 of the county or counties within the Tenth Judicial Circuit
12 may increase the compensation payable by the county or
13 counties within the Tenth Judicial Circuit as provided in the
14 schedule of salaries at any time by resolution of the
15 governing body. Upon passage of the resolution, the additional
16 compensation shall be paid from the general funds of the
17 county in semimonthly installments as the salaries of other
18 county officers are paid."
19 Section 2. This act shall become effective on the
20 first day of the third month following its passage and
21 approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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