HB151 Alabama 2012 Session

Updated Feb 24, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Alan BakerRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2012
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: HB151 renames the Alabama Development Office as the Department of Commerce and its leader as the Secretary of Commerce, consolidates economic development duties, and allows some staff to be hired outside the Merit System.
What This Bill Does
It transfers and consolidates the functions of several prior agencies and boards into the new Department of Commerce. It creates a staffing framework that includes assistant directors who are not subject to the Merit System, with salary rules set by the Secretary. It establishes confidentiality protections for incentive-related project information, requires advance project notifications to the Secretary for certain incentives, and sets processing timelines. It also allows the Governor to form advisory committees and moves all related appropriations to the new department, effective immediately upon passage.

Who It Affects
State government and its employees, by transferring duties from the Alabama Development Office and related boards to the Department of Commerce and by defining Merit System versus non-Merit System staffing and compensation.
Businesses and developers considering incentives or state aid, by imposing notification requirements, confidentiality protections, and defined timelines for processing incentive-related applications.

Key Provisions
Rename and restructure: Alabama Development Office becomes Department of Commerce; Director of Development becomes Secretary of Commerce; some staff are designated as assistant directors/secretaries not subject to the Merit System, with capped salaries.
Transfer of powers: Powers, duties, and records of the former Planning and Industrial Development Board, community planning boards, and the Alabama Program Development Office are consolidated into the Department of Commerce.
Planning and coordination duties: The Department of Commerce is tasked with long-range state planning, coordinated growth policies, reviews, and coordination with other state and local entities.
Incentive project oversight: The Secretary must be notified about potential incentive projects, information may be confidential, and certain incentives require the notification acknowledgment letter; the Secretary reviews and processes applications within 30 days.
Advisory committees: The Governor may establish advisory committees or councils related to development, meeting as directed and chaired by the Secretary or designated officers.
Funding consolidation: All related appropriations to the former boards/offices are consolidated into the Alabama Development Office Department of Commerce.
Effective date: The act becomes effective immediately after approval by the Governor.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Alabama Development Office