HB584 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rod Scott

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Jefferson Co., transit authority board, limitation of compensation of chairman of, eligibility for service on the board, ad valorem tax increased, Act 2013-380, 2013 Reg. Sess., am'd.

Summary

HB584 amends Act 2013-380 to tighten governance, funding, and liability rules for Jefferson County's transit authority by capping chairman pay, restricting board eligibility, creating a citizen advisory board, imposing damages limits, changing tax funding, repealing a provision about another authority, and updating term limits.

What This Bill Does

If passed, it caps compensation for the transit authority chair and other directors, requires directors to be non-officers of profit and reimburses their expenses, and introduces CPI-based adjustments. It creates a separate Transit Citizens Advisory Board (TCAB) within 60 days to advise the authority and requires diverse representation; the board and TCAB must meet together at least semiannually and can be disbanded by a supermajority vote. It imposes liability limits on damage judgments against the authority and its staff. It changes how the county funds the authority through ad valorem taxes, with a base percentage on the first $18,181,819 and additional percentages on the excess, plus a $1 per capita payment to residents in unincorporated areas served. It repeals a provision about the possible later creation of another transit authority and sets term limits for directors.

Who It Affects

• Transit authority board members and the chair (compensation limits, eligibility rules, term limits, and accountability structures).
• Residents of Jefferson County served by the transit authority (including city residents and those in unincorporated areas) (funding via ad valorem taxes, per-capita payments, and liability protections).

Key Provisions

• Chair compensation limited to $20 per meeting (plus up to $500 per year); other directors capped at $10 per meeting (not to exceed $250 per year); directors reimbursed for actual expenses; CPI adjustments applied annually.
• No person may serve as a director who holds an office for profit; directors must be qualified electors; diversity goals to reflect racial, gender, and economic makeup; term limits set for new terms after Jan 1, 2014.
• Establishment of a separate Transit Citizens Advisory Board (TCAB) within 60 days, with geographic and demographic representation; TCAB advises the authority and meets with the board at least every six months; may be disbanded by a three-fourths board vote.
• Damage recovery limits: bodily injury, emotional distress, or death limited to $100,000 per person; aggregate limit $300,000 if more than three claimants; property damage limited to $100,000 per occurrence; limits apply to settlements.
• Funding changes: county must pay to the authority 5.5% of the first $18,181,819 of ad valorem taxes within municipality city limits served by the authority, plus additional percentages (2.5% and 4.0%) of taxes above that amount; $1 per capita per year for unincorporated residents deemed served by the authority.
• Repeals Section 15 of Act 2013-380 related to the future incorporation of another authority; act becomes effective immediately upon 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

Jefferson County