HB82INTRODUCED
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HB82
7M1A2V2-1
By Representatives Wood (D), Shirey, Butler, Gidley,
Holk-Jones, Hulsey, Moore (P), Kirkland, Lomax, Brown, Oliver,
Shedd
RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
First Read: 04-Feb-25
PFD: 06-Jan-25
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8 7M1A2V2-1 12/20/2024 PMG (L)bm 2024-2866
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PFD: 06-Jan-25
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, the Governor, Auditor, and
Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries appoint
members of boards of registrars. These registrars must
meet certain qualifications.
This bill would further provide for the
qualifications of members of the boards of registrars
and establish hours of operation.
Existing law provides that registrars are paid
$80 per day.
This bill would increase the salary of
registrars to $150 per day.
This bill would also make nonsubstantive,
technical revisions to update the existing code
language to current style.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to boards of registrars; to amend Sections
17-3-2, 17-3-5, and 17-3-8, Code of Alabama 1975; to further
provide for the membership of the boards of registrars; to
further provide for the qualifications of registrars and
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further provide for the qualifications of registrars and
establish hours of operation; to increase the salary of each
registrar; and to make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to
update the existing code language to current
style.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 17-3-2, 17-3-5, and 17-3-8, Code of
Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
"§17-3-2
(a)(1) Registration shall be conducted in each county
by a board of three reputable and suitable persons individuals
to be appointed, unless otherwise provided by law, by the
Governor, Auditor, and Commissioner of Agriculture and
Industries, or by a majority of them acting as a state board
of appointment. In making appointments on or after October 1,
2025, the state board of appointment shall consider the
racial, gender, urban, rural, and economic diversity of the
that county.
(2) The registrars shall :
a. be Be qualified electors , and be residents of the
county;, shall have
b. Have a high school diploma or equivalent ;, and
possess the minimum computer and map reading skills necessary
to function in the office
c. Possess excellent communication skills evident by
reportable experience in areas such as electronic mail, online
communications, and use of multi-line telephones;
d. Demonstrate intermediate level experience and
proficiency in data processing and use of computer programs
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proficiency in data processing and use of computer programs
used in the current day-to-day workplace, including, but not
limited to, web-based operating systems;
e. Demonstrate the ability to download and upload
reports and files and conduct spreadsheet manipulation; and
f. Demonstrate the ability to operate office equipment,
including printers, copiers, scanners, and cameras .
(3) The Secretary of State shall prescribe guidelines
to assist the state board of appointment in determining the
qualifications of registrars. The registrars shall not hold an
elective office during their term. One of the members shall be
designated by the state board of appointment as chair of the
board of registrars for each county.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a),
the Legislature may provide by local law for the appointment
of additional members to the board of registrars for a county
that has two courthouses.
(c) The provisions of this This section shall not apply
in any county having a population of not less than 600,000
inhabitants according to the 1970 or any succeeding federal
decennial census, and any currently effective local law or
general law of local application providing for the appointment
of any member of the board of registrars in the county shall
remain in full force and effect and shall not be repealed by
operation of this chapter."
"§17-3-5
(a) Each registrar shall receive a salary in the amount
of eighty dollars ($80) one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per
day for each day's attendance upon business of the board, to
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day for each day's attendance upon business of the board, to
be paid by the state and disbursed to the county commissions
and disbursed by the county commissions to each registrar on
order of a quorum of the board of registrars of the county.
The state Comptroller shall issue to each county commission on
a monthly basis an amount sufficient to fund these payments
plus the employer share of the Social Security or Federal
Insurance Corporation Act tax. The county commission will
provide to the state Comptroller an invoice itemized to
reflect payments made. If a legal holiday falls on a day the
board is to be in session, and the courthouse of the county is
closed for the holiday, the board of registrars shall be
compensated for the holiday. Each registrar shall receive a
mileage allowance equal to the amount allowed state employees
or employees of the county, whichever is greater, for official
travel in the course of attending the business of the board,
including attending continuing education programs. Travel and
other expenses shall be paid by the county commissions to the
boards of registrars and the state shall reimburse the county
commissions based on a written request submitted by the county
commissions to the state Comptroller.
(b) The provisions of this section regarding travel
mileage shall not apply in any county having a population of
600,000 or more inhabitants according to the 1970 or any
succeeding most current federal decennial census, and any
currently effective local law or general law of local
application regarding travel mileage for registrars in the
county shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be
repealed by operation of this chapter.
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repealed by operation of this chapter.
(c) Members of the boards of registrars of this state
are hereby declared to be state employees for the purposes of
Chapter 28 of Title 36.
(d) Members of the boards of registrars of this state
shall be treated as equals with other state and county
employees in regard to Social Security protection and
benefits.
(e) All payments by a county to any member of a county
board of registrars ,(except for mileage or reimbursement for
expenses,) shall be treated for Social Security purposes
equally with payments by that county to other county employees
of the county.
(f) The state office for Social Security and the state
Comptroller and each county commission are directed to shall
take all necessary action to insure ensure that members of the
boards of registrars of this state are treated as other state
and county employees in regard to Social Security protection
and benefits as provided in Chapter 28 of Title 36, including,
if necessary, amending the federal-state agreement referred to
in Chapter 28 of Title 36, to implement the intent of the
Legislature as expressed herein.
(g) No county commission may reduce the current county
supplement upon the effect of this section by implementation
of Act 94-693.
(h)(1) A county commission may allow the chair or any
member of the county board of registrars who has served at
least 16 years in that position to participate in any health
insurance program provided by the county upon the same terms,
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insurance program provided by the county upon the same terms,
conditions, and employee contributions as required for county
employees.
(2) This subsection shall not apply to any health
insurance plans administered by the State of Alabama as
described in Title 36, Chapter 29 and Title 11, Chapter 91A."
"§17-3-8
(a) Each member of the board of registrars in the
Counties of Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Dallas, Escambia, Geneva,
Lowndes, Perry, Sumter, and Wilcox may meet a maximum of 120
working days each fiscal year; each member of the board of
registrars in the Counties of Barbour, Butler, Fayette,
Greene, Marengo, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, and Winston may meet
a maximum of 168 working days each fiscal year, except in Pike
County each board of registrars may meet up to an additional
30 session days each fiscal year, at the discretion of the
chair of the county commission, and such days shall be paid
from the respective county funds; each member of the board of
registrars in the Counties of Coffee, Shelby, Talladega, and
Tallapoosa may meet a maximum of 220 working days each fiscal
year, except that in Talladega County the board of registrars
may meet up to an additional 30 session days each fiscal year,
at the discretion of the chair of the county commission; each
member of the board of registrars in the Counties of Dale,
Franklin, Houston, Marion, Marshall, Bullock, Macon, and
Tuscaloosa may meet a maximum of 216 working days each fiscal
year; and each member of the board of registrars in Russell
County may meet a maximum of 177 working days each fiscal
year.
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year.
(b) In the Counties of Choctaw, Colbert, Cullman,
Lauderdale, and Monroe, each member of the board of registrars
may meet a maximum of 199 working days each fiscal year.
(c)(1) Each member of the Board of Registrars of
Autauga, Elmore, and Bibb Counties may meet a maximum of 187
working days each fiscal year. Each member of the Board of
Registrars of Walker County may meet a maximum of 200 days
each fiscal year, and each member of the Board of Registrars
of Lamar, Cherokee, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Hale, and
Washington Counties may meet a maximum of 140 days each fiscal
year. Each member of the board of registrars in the following
counties may meet the following maximum number of working days
each fiscal year: Henry - 140 working days; Covington - 188
working days; DeKalb, Jackson, and Blount - 207 working days;
Chambers - 180 working days; and Lawrence - 200 working days.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 17-3-5, the 60 additional
working days for registrars in Lawrence County added by Act
2023-456 shall be paid by the county commission and shall not
be reimbursed by the state.
(d) Each member of the board of registrars in the
Counties of Baldwin, Calhoun, Chilton, Etowah, Limestone, Lee,
Madison, Mobile, Montgomery, St. Clair, and Morgan are
authorized to meet not more than five days each week for the
purpose of carrying out their official duties. Jefferson
County, which is now operating under the provisions of local
laws, shall be exempted from this section. Provided, however,
that where the term each year is used in the local laws the
term means each fiscal year.
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term means each fiscal year.
(e) The actual number of working days to be used as
session days shall be determined by a quorum of the board of
registrars according to the needs of the county.
(f) As many as 25 of the allotted working days may be
used for special registration sessions (i.e., those sessions
held away from the courthouse in the several precincts of the
county or sessions held on Saturday or between the hours of
5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.). Notice of any special session
scheduled by the board shall be given at least 10 days prior
to the special session by: (1) Bills posted at three or more
public places in each election precinct affected, if the
session involves precinct visits; and (2) advertisement once a
week for two successive weeks in a newspaper published in the
county or by radio or television announcements on a local
station, or both by newspaper or announcement.
(g) Notwithstanding Section 17-3-5, the 60 additional
working days for registrars in Lawrence County added by Act
2023-456 shall be paid by the county commission and shall not
be reimbursed by the state On any day designated as a working
day for a board of registrars, the board of registrars shall
do both of the following:
(1) Be open the same hours as the courthouse of the
county, or alternatively, establish regular hours and make
those hours available to the public.
(2) Have a registrar or staff member present during
those hours of operation ."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2025.
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