HB17 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Jones

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Sovereign immunity, immunity for officers, employees, agents of the state, including certain employees of local school boards and State Board of Education, codified

Summary

HB17 would codify immunity for state officials and school-board employees, shielding them from liability for official acts unless they act Willfully or beyond their authority.

What This Bill Does

The bill would establish in statute that state officers, employees, and agents acting in their official capacity are immune from liability in suits under the Alabama Constitution. It would also say that these individuals are not personally liable for acts within the scope of their duties involving judgment or discretion, unless they act willfully, maliciously, fraudulent or in bad faith, or beyond their authority. The protection would extend to employees of the State Board of Education and to local boards of education (certified or noncertified). The act would take effect immediately after passage and the governor's approval.

Who It Affects

• State officials, employees, and agents acting in official capacity would be immune from liability in suits under the Alabama Constitution.
• Employees of the State Board of Education or local boards of education (certified or noncertified) acting in official capacity would be immune from liability and not personally liable for acts within the scope of their duties, with exceptions for willful, malicious, fraudulent, bad faith, or beyond-authority conduct.

Key Provisions

• Specifies that officers, employees, or agents of the state (including SBOE employees and local board employees) are immune from liability in suits under the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.
• States that these individuals are not personally liable for acts within the scope of their employment involving judgment or discretion, unless they act willfully, maliciously, fraudulently, in bad faith, or beyond their authority.
• Applies to state officials and employees as well as employees of the State Board of Education and local boards of education (certified or noncertified).
• Effective immediately following passage and the governor's approval.

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

Subjects

Civil Procedure