SB139 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Trip Pittman

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Elections, expenses reimbursable by state, Election Expense Reimbursement Committee, established, Sec. 17-16-2.1 added; Secs. 17-16-2, 17-16-4 am'd.

Summary

SB139 creates a state-funded system to reimburse counties for election expenses and establishes a committee to identify and approve additional reimbursable costs.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends existing law to define reimbursable election expenses and adds a new section that allows the Election Expense Reimbursement Committee to identify other eligible costs. It creates the Election Expense Reimbursement Committee, with specified state legislative leaders and state officials as members, to develop and approve a list of reimbursable expenses for the upcoming election cycle. The approved list is then distributed to counties and applies to all elections until amended. The state would reimburse counties for approved expenses in elections involving only federal or state offices. The process includes specific timing: the committee must meet at least 90 days before the 2012 state primary to prepare the list, the Comptroller distributes the list 60 days before the primary, and amendments must be made at least 90 days before the next primary.

Who It Affects

• County governments and probate judges, who would receive state reimbursement for the election expenses listed and approved by the committee.
• State and local election administration bodies (Secretary of State, Director of Finance, Comptroller, and legislative leadership) who implement, oversee, and update the reimbursable expense list.

Key Provisions

• Adds new Section 17-16-2.1 establishing an Election Expense Reimbursement Committee with eight members (President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House, Secretary of State or designee, Director of Finance or designee, and chairs of the Senate and House election/ethics committees and related fiscal committees).
• Enumerates six reimbursable expenses in Section 17-16-2 (equipment and supplies for election officials, election administration staff compensation, ballots and materials, absentee ballots and postage, lists of qualified electors, and publication costs) and allows the committee to approve additional expenses.
• Requires the committee to develop and approve a list of reimbursable expenses at least 90 days before the 2012 state primary; the Comptroller then distributes the list to county chairs and probate judges at least 60 days before the primary; the list applies to all elections until amended at least 90 days before the next primary.
• States that the State of Alabama shall reimburse counties for all approved expenses incurred in holding elections that include only federal or state offices on the ballot.

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

Subjects

Elections