SB231 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ben H. Brooks

Republican

Co-Sponsor

Rusty Glover

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Counties and municipalities authorized to establish public authority for promoting tourism, members, duties, powers

Summary

SB231 lets Alabama counties or municipalities form a public authority to promote tourism and create a dedicated tourism district within their borders.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes one or more local governments to form a public authority for promoting and developing tourism in a defined district. The authority can set the district's boundaries, run programs and events to attract tourists, enter contracts, receive gifts, borrow money, and manage funds, all to support tourism (without eminent domain). The board of directors is drawn from participating municipalities and unincorporated areas, with seats allocated based on lodging tax revenue and county population, and may be limited or expanded by rules in the act. Board members have terms, residency requirements, and restrictions on conflicts of interest, and they serve without pay but may be reimbursed for expenses.

Who It Affects

• Participating municipalities and counties and their residents, who may form and govern the tourism authority and district.
• Lodging businesses and other tourism-related businesses within the district, as they influence board composition and the authority's programs and funding.

Key Provisions

• A public authority can be formed by resolution of one or more participating municipalities or counties to promote and develop tourism in the designated area, with powers given by the act.
• The authority must designate a tourism promotion and development district within the participating areas; district boundaries are defined by each participating government.
• The authority has broad powers, including suing or being sued, owning and disposing of property, contracting, receiving gifts, borrowing money, and funding or conducting tourism programs and events (in Alabama and elsewhere). It cannot exercise eminent domain.
• The board of directors is composed of seats allocated to each municipality (one seat per 70,000 dollars in annual lodging tax collections, minimum 1, maximum 5) and seats from unincorporated areas (initially two seats, up to four by two-thirds vote), with appointments by respective governing bodies and residency requirements.
• Initial and subsequent board terms are specified (1- or 2-year initial terms, then three-year terms); no member may serve beyond the term limits; at least some members must have tourism or related industry experience, and there are limits on lodging and tourist-related business representation per municipality.
• Board members serve without pay but may be reimbursed for expenses; the board elects officers (chair, treasurer, secretary) and sets their terms; the treasurer handles funds and must post a fidelity bond; contracts must be approved or ratified by the board.

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

Subjects

Counties