SB180 Alabama 2011 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Del Marsh
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2011
Title: Alabama Development Office and Director of Development changed to Commerce Department and Secretary of Commerce, assistant secretaries of commerce, employment of certain persons outside of Merit System, authorized, Secs. 41-9-201, 41-9-202, 41-9-202.1, 41-9-203, 41-9-204 am'd.
Summary: The bill renames and reorganizes Alabama's economic development agency, changes leadership titles, expands hiring outside the Merit System, and updates related duties and authority.
What This Bill Does
It renames the Alabama Development Office to the Alabama Department of Commerce and designates the head as Secretary of Commerce, with five assistant directors renamed Assistant Secretaries of Commerce. It allows the Secretary to hire additional staff outside the State Merit System and sets salary rules, including a potential above‑top Merit System pay for the Secretary. It consolidates the powers and duties of several prior boards and offices into the new Department of Commerce, making it the main agency for planning, development, and related grants and programs. It adds confidentiality protections for incentive project information and requires advance project notifications and certain letters in incentive applications, with 30‑day processing timelines, and it becomes effective a few months after passage.

Who It Affects
State government employees within the Department of Commerce (including the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries) who may be hired as unclassified staff and whose salaries may be set differently from the Merit System.
Businesses, developers, and local governments seeking state incentives or grants, who would need to notify the department about projects, may have confidential information protected, and must follow new application and notification requirements.

Key Provisions
Renames the Alabama Development Office to the Alabama Department of Commerce and updates the head to Secretary of Commerce; assistant directors become Assistant Secretaries of Commerce.
Authorizes hiring of additional staff outside the State Merit System (unclassified) and sets salary parameters for the Secretary, including an amount not to exceed $40,000 above the highest Merit System salary, with consideration of comparable salaries.
Consolidates the powers and duties of the Alabama Planning and Industrial Development Board, the Alabama Program Development Office, and related entities into the Alabama Department of Commerce, giving it broad planning, development, and funding responsibilities, and transfers all associated books, records, funds, and personnel.
Gives the Department authority to plan long-range state development, coordinate with other agencies, apply for federal and other funds, and provide grants to regional planning and development commissions.
Imposes confidentiality for information about projects seeking state incentives, requires advance notification to the Director Secretary for certain incentive programs, and requires specific notification letters and 30‑day processing timelines for related applications.
Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage.

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