HB245ENROLLED Page 0 7G8IV2-2 By Representatives Standridge, Shedd(N & P) RFD: Local Legislation First Read: 04-Apr-23 2023 Regular Session 1 2 3 4 5 6 HB245 EnrolledHB245 Enrolled Page 1 Enrolled, An Act, Relating to Blount County; to provide for a new court cost to fund payments to employees of the sheriff's office who perform hazardous duties; and conditioning operation on voter approval at a referendum. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1. (a) Immediately upon approval by a majority of the voting qualified electors of Blount County, in addition to any other court costs authorized in Blount County, there shall be taxed a fee as follows: (1) Twenty-five dollars ($25) in each civil case filed in any court, except for the small claims division of the district court. (2) Twenty-five dollars ($25) in all misdemeanor and felony criminal cases, including traffic offenses, upon conviction. (3) Ten dollars ($10) for each case filed in the small claims division of the district court. (b) This fee shall not be waived by any court unless all other fees, assessments, costs, fines, and charges associated with the case are waived. (c) The fee collected pursuant to this section by the clerk of each court shall be paid into a special fund designated by the Blount County Commission as the Sheriff's Department Hazardous Duty Fund, and shall be earmarked for hazardous duty payment to the nonclerical employees of the sheriff's office, excluding the sheriff, who perform hazardous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 HB245 EnrolledHB245 Enrolled Page 2 duties. (d)(1) No earlier than October 1, 2024, the sheriff shall certify to the county commission each employee who has engaged in hazardous duty, and an amount sufficient to pay an equal amount to each employee shall be disbursed from the Hazardous Duty Fund. (2) At any time after the first disbursement of hazardous duty pay by the county commission, the commission and the sheriff may make hazardous duty payments annually, or may determine to make such payments at semi-annual, quarterly, or monthly intervals as they agree circumstances warrant. Section 2. Section 1 of this act shall become operative only if approved by a majority of the qualified electors of Blount County who vote in an election to be held on the day designated by the Judge of Probate of Blount County. The notice of the election shall be given by the judge of probate, and the election shall be held, conducted, and the results canvassed in the same manner as other county elections. The election shall be held in conjunction with the next regularly scheduled election to be held in the county. The question shall be, "Do you favor the adoption of Act No.___, of the 2023 Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature, to provide hazardous duty pay to the nonclerical employees of the Blount County Sheriff's Office, excluding the Sheriff, by issuing a new court cost in Blount County of no more than twenty-five dollars ($25)? Yes ( ) No ( )." The county shall pay any costs and expenses not otherwise reimbursed by a governmental agency which are incidental to the election. If a majority of the 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 HB245 EnrolledHB245 Enrolled Page 3 votes cast in the election are "Yes," Section 1 of this act shall become operative immediately. If the majority of the votes are "No," this act shall be repealed and shall have no further effect. The Judge of Probate of Blount County shall certify the results of the election to the Secretary of State. Section 3. This act shall become effective immediately following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law. 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 HB245 EnrolledHB245 Enrolled Page 4 ________________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives ________________________________________________ President and Presiding Officer of the Senate House of Representatives I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and was passed by the House 13-Apr-23. John Treadwell Clerk Senate 27-Apr-23 Passed 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91