HB563 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Barbara Bigsby BoydRepresentative

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

Randy WoodK.L. BrownSteve Hurst

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Anniston, employees of city, police and fire to remain under civil service, new employees and certain other employees made at-will employees, Act 404, 1953 Reg. Sess., Act 592, 1953 Reg. Sess., am'd.; Secs. 45-8A-22.01, 45-8A-22.02, 45-8A-22.03, 45-8A-22.08, 45-8A-22.09, 45-8A-22.10, 45-8A-22.11, 45-8A-22.12, 45-8A-22.13, 45-8A-23.091 am'd.

Summary

HB563 would place Anniston's police and fire departments, and other city employees who do not opt out, under a civil service system, while keeping other city employees under the city's own personnel policies.

What This Bill Does

It amends the city's civil service framework to include police and fire employees, plus other city employees who do not opt out, as civil service employees. Grandfathered employees can remain civil service or choose to opt out with a signed notice, after which they would be subject to the city’s personnel policies. A Civil Service Board would run merit-based hiring, examinations, pay, promotions, removals, and disciplinary actions, with hearings and appeals. Non-civil-service employees would be governed by the city council's personnel policies and not the civil service system, and the city manager's hiring authority would operate under those policies.

Who It Affects

• Police and fire department employees of the City of Anniston, on and after the act's effective date, who remain in their current positions and do not opt out, becoming civil service employees.
• Other City of Anniston employees on the act's effective date who do not opt out, becoming civil service employees; all other city employees not covered by civil service would follow the city's personnel policies.

Key Provisions

• Expands civil service to include Anniston police and fire employees and any other city employees who do not opt out, with grandfathered employees allowed to stay civil service unless they opt out or take a promotion to a non-subject position.
• Allows grandfathered employees to opt out by a signed, voluntary written notice, converting them to comply with city personnel policies.
• Creates a Civil Service Board responsible for merit-based appointments, examinations, eligibility registers, classifications, salary ranges within a board-approved pay plan, promotions, demotions, leaves, dismissals, and disciplinary rules, plus open public hearings for investigations and appeals.
• Establishes hiring and promotion processes through competitive public examinations and eligibility registers, with a probationary period of one year for new civil service appointments; permanent status after probation.
• Provides for suspensions and disciplinary actions with due process, including board hearings and the possibility of reinstatement, demotion, or removal after a hearing.
• Keeps non-civil-service employees under the city’s personnel policies, including classification, salary setting, and disciplinary procedures, as directed by the city council.
• Authorizes the city manager to appoint and remove city officers and employees (subject to the bill's civil service provisions and exemptions) and to ensure administrative supervision as outlined in the act.
• States that the act becomes effective immediately after passage and governor approval, with conflicting laws repealed.

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

Subjects

Calhoun County