SB577 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rodger SmithermanSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Office of Administrative Hearings, established, State Advisory Council on Administrative Hearings, established, consolidation of administrative law judges and hearing officers, appointment of chief administrative law judge and administrative law judges, duties, appropriation

Summary

SB577 creates the Office of Administrative Hearings as an independent unit in Alabama’s judicial branch, consolidating administrative law judges and hearing officers and establishing a State Advisory Council.

What This Bill Does

It would move all employees from the Attorney General’s Administrative Law Judge Division and related HR staff to the new Office of Administrative Hearings on October 1, 2010, with duties remaining the same. It would establish the State Advisory Council on Administrative Hearings, which, together with a chief administrative law judge, would promulgate rules governing hearings. It would set up a Merit System-based process for appointing administrative law judges, define their qualifications, compensation, powers, and duties, and allow for outside contracting and specialized training. It would require all hearings to follow due process and Alabama open meetings laws and apply Canons of Judicial Ethics to administrative law judges.

Who It Affects

• Employees of the current Administrative Law Judge Division in the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Human Resources staff assigned to the division (to be transferred to the new Office of Administrative Hearings and placed in Merit System positions).
• State agencies that use hearing officers or administrative law judges (their contested cases would be heard by the new Office, under new rules and a dedicated funding structure).

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Office of Administrative Hearings as an independent unit in the judicial branch to conduct administrative hearings.
• Creates the State Advisory Council on Administrative Hearings and authorizes rulemaking for hearings; appoints a chief administrative law judge within 90 days; rules require majority vote of a quorum.
• Transfers staff from the AG’s Administrative Law Judge Division and related HR staff to the new Office on Oct 1, 2010; places them in Merit System positions; chief ALJ may be appointed for a six-year term and reappointed by the Council.
• Charges the chief ALJ with supervising the office, appointing and removing ALJs and staff, assigning hearings, contracting with outside attorneys, establishing training and standards, and promoting diversity.
• Gives ALJs and hearing officers subpoena, discovery, stay, and other procedural powers; hearings must follow due process and open meetings; ethics rules apply to all ALJs.
• Creates the Office of Administrative Hearings Fund to handle appropriations and expenditures; funding from General Fund and Education Trust Fund with pro rata allocations in future years; the office begins operating when funds are appropriated.

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

Subjects

Administrative Hearings Office