HB189 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Low Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Mac McCutcheon
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Senior Services Department, commissioner, administer ratio of dept., Board of Directors to serve as advisory board, Secs. 38-3-1, 38-3-2, 38-3-3, 38-3-4, 38-3-5, 38-3-6, 38-3-7 am'd.
Summary: HB189 creates the Department of Senior Services, puts a commissioner in charge, and turns the former Commission on the Aging into a 16-member advisory Board of Directors that only advises the commissioner.
What This Bill Does
The bill designates a single commissioner to administer the Department of Senior Services and establishes a 16-member advisory board to guide the commissioner. It specifies the board’s composition, duties, and the advisory nature of its relationship to the department, and it sets rules for compensation and subcommittees. It also allows the department to accept gifts and manage funds for senior services, provides meal-program contracting flexibility, and transitions the name from the Commission on the Aging to the Department of Senior Services.

Who It Affects
Senior citizens in Alabama — the changes aim to improve coordination and guidance for aging-related services, potentially affecting program planning, resources, and service delivery.
State agencies, meal-program providers, and organizations serving older adults — impacted by the new governance structure, contract flexibility for meals programs, reporting requirements, and increased coordination across agencies.

Key Provisions
Establishes the Department of Senior Services and designates the Commissioner as its administrator.
Creates a 16-member Advisory Board of Directors to advise the commissioner, with specific appointments: two Senate members, two House members, three ex officio members (Labor Commissioner, State Health Officer, Commissioner of Human Resources), and nine governor-appointed members representing business, labor, medical professionals, three senior citizen organizations, and three responsible citizens; membership reflects statewide diversity.
Board duties include collecting facts and statistics on aging, staying informed on developments, coordinating services across state agencies, reporting to the Legislature, and advising on new aging-related legislation; the board may form advisory subcommittees.
Board members receive no compensation, only reimbursement for travel and other approved expenses.
The commissioner may hire staff and contract for meals programs for up to five years with five one-year extensions; renegotiation may be used to lower costs.
The department may receive gifts and bequests to support its work, with money deposited into the Alabama Senior Services Trust Fund.
All rights and duties of the Commission on the Aging transfer to the Department of Senior Services; the Commission on the Aging continues as the Department’s advisory board; a transition period is allowed for the name change and related branding.

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