SJR53 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Legislative Orientation, Joint Committee, created to hold orientation after 2014 general election, provide training, membership, duties

Summary

SJR53 creates a Joint Legislative Orientation Committee to organize a post-election orientation for Alabama lawmakers and provide training on how the Legislature works and state issues.

What This Bill Does

It establishes a committee with specified members and staff to plan and run a legislative orientation in Montgomery after the 2014 election and before January 2015. It defines goals like training in the legislative process, bill drafting, parliamentary procedure, budgeting, the Constitution and Code, and information on Alabama’s economy and key issues. It also sets compensation rules for legislators attending committee activities and specifies that payments come from state funds.

Who It Affects

• Members of the Alabama Legislature (senators and representatives): will participate in the Orientation and receive compensation and travel reimbursements, with a change to compensation rules starting after the 2014 election.
• Alabama Law Institute: serves as chair (and overall sponsor) of the Orientation and provides staff support.
• Staffing entities (Legislative Reference Service, Legislative Fiscal Office, Examiners of Public Accounts): tasked with assisting in implementing the Orientation.
• State government/Comptroller and the State Treasury: fund and process the compensation and reimbursements for participating legislators.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Joint Legislative Orientation Committee.
• Committee composition: Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, President of the Alabama Law Institute (chair), Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of the House.
• Staff support: Legislative Reference Service, Legislative Fiscal Office, Examiners of Public Accounts, and the Alabama Law Institute.
• Timing: Orientation to be held after the 2014 general election and before the second Tuesday in January 2015, in the State House, Montgomery.
• Goals: training in legislative process, bill drafting, parliamentary procedure, current Alabama economic information, budgeting, Constitution and Code, and other significant issues identified by the committee.
• Duties: set the orientation date, plan the agenda, select speakers, and develop/oversee the orientation budget.
• Compensation: legislators receive regular compensation and per diem; starting after the 2014 election, compensation and reimbursement follow Amendment 871 of the Alabama Constitution and are paid from funds appropriated to the Legislature.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Resolutions, Legislative