SB253 Alabama 2014 Session

Updated Feb 24, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Del Marsh
Republican
Co-Sponsor: Dick Brewbaker
Session: Regular Session 2014
Title: Impeachment, Article 7, Constitution of Alabama of 1901, repealed and readopted, const. amend.
Summary: SB253 repeals and rewrites Alabama’s Article VII on impeachments to update who can be impeached, how impeachment works, and when it takes effect.
What This Bill Does
It replaces the current impeachment article with a new version. It expands the list of impeachable officials to include certain state officers and members of the State Board of Education, and adds district and circuit court judges, probate judges, district attorneys, sheriffs, and county or municipal officers as subject to impeachment or removal. It requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate to convict, with specific rules on who presides over impeachment trials and procedures when the legislature is out of session. Penalties are limited to removal and disqualification from office, though the accused can still face indictment and punishment under other laws, and the changes take effect January 1, 2017.

Who It Affects
State-level officials (e.g., Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Auditor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and members of the State Board of Education) who could be impeached and removed for specified offenses.
Judicial and local/officer groups (district and circuit court judges, probate judges, other courts with direct appeal to the Supreme Court, district attorneys, sheriffs, and county or municipal officers) who would be subject to impeachment or removal under the new rules.

Key Provisions
Repeals existing Article VII and adds a new Article VII to govern impeachments, with substantive changes and non-substantive technical updates.
Section 173 expands impeachable officials to include state officers listed and state board members, and sets two-thirds Senate conviction; changes presiding officers for impeachment trials.
Section 174 includes district and circuit court judges, probate judges, other eligible judges, district attorneys, and sheriffs as removeable by impeachment or related processes; Legislature may extend impeachment to other officers.
Section 175 allows county and municipal officers to be tried for impeachment for the same causes and outlines the process and rights (including jury trial) for those cases.
Section 176 limits penalties to removal and disqualification from future office, with ongoing liability to indictment/punishment under other laws; operative date is January 1, 2017.

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