HB377 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ron Johnson

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Annexation, police jurisdiction further provided for, taxes collected in police jurisdiction further provided for, Secs. 11-40-10, 11-51-91, 11-51-206, 11-52-30 am'd.

Summary

HB377 tightens how annexation changes a city's police jurisdiction, licensing, taxes, and planning powers, requiring annual cycles, 30-day notices, and annual reporting.

What This Bill Does

It prevents automatic expansion of a municipality's police jurisdiction from annexation unless allowed by law, and sets changes to occur only once per year. It requires municipalities to give a 30-day notice before enforcing ordinances in the police jurisdiction and to post notices when possible. It also requires annual accounting of all revenues in the police jurisdiction and documentation of services provided, with reports made public and sent to a state auditing office. Additionally, it limits tax and license revenues in the police jurisdiction to costs of services and mandates notice for any such levies.

Who It Affects

• Residents and businesses located in a municipality's police jurisdiction, who would face enforcement rules, licensing, and potential taxes only after proper notice and within cost-of-services limits.
• Municipalities and county-related bodies (including planning commissions and county subdivisions authorities), which must follow annual cycles for police-jurisdiction changes, provide notices and reports, coordinate planning/subdivision regulation, and adhere to notice and posting requirements.

Key Provisions

• Annexation may not extend the police jurisdiction unless expressly provided by general or local law; any extension takes effect on the next January 1 after the annexation.
• Alterations to a municipality's police jurisdiction due to annexation or deannexation occur only once per year, effective January 1, with maps submitted to Atlas Alabama.
• A municipality must provide a 30-day notice before enforcing any ordinance in its police jurisdiction; notices may be posted on the Atlas Alabama website if available at no cost.
• Municipalities must annually account for all revenues collected in the police jurisdiction and document the services provided; an annual report is due within 90 days after the close of the fiscal year and must be made available to the public and forwarded to the Office of Examiners of Public Accounts.
• No municipality may levy or assess taxes within a police jurisdiction without notice, and license revenues in the expanded police jurisdiction must not exceed the cost of services provided; notices and Atlas postings are required.
• Alterations to municipal planning commissions due to annexation or deannexation occur only once a year on January 1; the act outlines coordination between county and municipal planning authorities over subdivision regulation, including possible agreements, enforcement roles, and standards for roads and drainage.

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

Subjects

Annexation