HB178 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 24, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Mack N. ButlerRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Transportation Department, director authorized to appoint assistant counsel subject to State Merit System, Sec. 23-1-26 am'd.
Summary: The bill would let the Director of Transportation hire up to five assistant counsel to handle the department's legal work, with a requirement to diversify including appointing two African-Americans.
What This Bill Does
If passed, the Director of Transportation, with the Attorney General's approval and under Merit System rules, could appoint up to five assistant counsel to transact the department's legal business. The chief counsel and assistant counsel would be commissioned as assistant attorneys general and, with their staff, would form the legal division of the DOT. The Director must consider the state's diversity in appointments, including racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity, and the bill specifically requires appointing two African-Americans to the position of assistant counsel.

Who It Affects
State Department of Transportation: gains authority to appoint up to five assistant counsel to handle its legal matters and forms a legal division with these lawyers and staff.
Attorney General's Office: appointments must be approved by the Attorney General and the lawyers will be commissioned as assistant attorneys general.
Diversity-focused groups in Alabama (across race, gender, geography, urban/rural status, and economic background): the Director is required to consider these factors in appointing counsel, and two African-Americans must be appointed.
Public/state government operations: potential improvement in the department's legal capacity and administrative efficiency through expanded legal staff.

Key Provisions
Amends Section 23-1-26 to authorize the Director of Transportation, with Attorney General approval and subject to Merit System law, to appoint not more than five assistant counsel as may be necessary to transact the legal business of the Department of Transportation.
The chief counsel and the assistant counsel shall be commissioned as assistant attorneys general and take the oath required of other assistants of the Attorney General; they and their stenographic/clerical staff constitute the legal division of the DOT.
The Director shall consider the racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state when appointing assistant counsel.
The act requires appointing two African-Americans to the position of assistant counsel.
Effective date: becomes law immediately after passage and 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: Transportation Department