SB33 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Larry MeansMayor

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Ethics Commission, required to conduct mandatory training program for elected officials

Summary

SB33 would require the Alabama Ethics Commission to run mandatory Ethics Law training for elected officials and certain state and local officials.

What This Bill Does

If passed, it requires mandatory training on the Ethics Law for legislators, state constitutional officers, cabinet officers, executive staff, municipal mayors, council members and commissioners, and county commissioners. It sets specific timing rules for when each group must complete training and makes attendance mandatory. The curriculum must cover current law, relevant cases and advisory opinions, and include a question-and-answer period, with qualified instructors from various sources.

Who It Affects

• Group 1: Legislators, state constitutional officers, cabinet officers, and executive staff must attend mandatory training, with timing tied to quadrennia, changes to the law, and special elections.
• Group 2: Municipal mayors, council members and commissioners, and county commissioners must attend mandatory training within defined windows after the act becomes law and after taking office, with scheduling coordinated by the Ethics Commission and state/local government associations.

Key Provisions

• The State Ethics Commission must provide and administer mandatory training on the Ethics Law for the listed groups.
• For legislators: training at least once at the start of each quadrennium; additional training within 3 months of any changes to Chapter 25, Title 36; mandatory attendance; special-election legislators must train within 3 months of taking office.
• For state constitutional officers, cabinet officers, and executive staff: training within 30 days after the Governor is sworn in; additional training within 3 months of changes; dates set by the Executive Director with advice from the Governor and other officers.
• For local officials: training within 120 days of this act becoming law for those in office; thereafter within 120 days of being sworn in; scheduling by the Executive Director with input from the Alabama League of Municipalities and the Association of County Commissions of Alabama.
• Curriculum includes review of current law, discussion of actual cases and advisory opinions, and a Q&A period; faculty may include Ethics Commission staff, law school faculties, ethics experts, people affected by the ethics law, and press representatives.
• Attendance is mandatory except in cases of catastrophic illness; the act does not preclude penalties or prosecution for violations prior to attending training; the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval (or when otherwise law).

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Ethics