SB386 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Paul Sanford

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Transportation Commission, established, members, duties, compensation, appointment of Transportation Department director, department not subject to Budget Management Act, Secs. 23-1-21, 23-1-21.2 am'd.

Summary

SB386 creates a State Transportation Commission to oversee the Department of Transportation, appoint the DOT director, and remove the department from the Budget Management Act.

What This Bill Does

It establishes a nine-member State Transportation Commission appointed by the Governor from the department's nine divisions to coordinate and develop DOT activities. The Commission would appoint the Director of Transportation and define the director's duties, with the director's powers delegated by the Commission. The Department of Transportation would be removed from the Budget Management Act. It includes ethics and conflict-of-interest rules for commissioners and outlines governance provisions, including terms, compensation, and the Commission assuming duties of the director unless delegated.

Who It Affects

• State Transportation Commission members: appointed by the Governor from each DOT division, serve part-time, receive compensation, must meet diversity goals, cannot hold other profit offices or work in roadbuilding/lobbying, are bonded, and face term length and vacancy rules.
• Department of Transportation and its staff/contractors: the Director will be appointed by the Commission and report to it, the DOT would operate under the Commission's authority, planning and funding functions would involve local entities and federal funds, and there would be new post-term restrictions on firms that contract with DOT.

Key Provisions

• Creates the State Transportation Commission with nine members, one from each DOT division, appointed by the Governor.
• Initial term lengths: Divisions 1, 4, 7 receive 2-year terms; Divisions 2, 5, 8 receive 4-year terms; Divisions 3, 6, 9 receive 6-year terms; thereafter, six-year terms with no consecutive terms; inclusive, diverse membership; 5-member quorum; chair elected by the commission.
• Commission members serve part-time, may not hold other profit offices, cannot be employed in roadbuilding or affiliated industries or as lobbyists; compensation is 30% of the Governor's cabinet compensation; members are bonded and must maintain office space in their division.
• The Commission appoints the Director of Transportation, sets the director's duties, and the director operates under commission authority; vacancy procedures require the commission to appoint a replacement within 90 days; the director must meet specified qualifications and serve full-time.
• The Director, alone or with local entities, may enter into agreements for public transportation, administer federal transportation funds, coordinate planning, provide technical assistance, and administer state funds for transportation; the director must prepare annual and other required reports.
• The Department of Transportation is removed from the Budget Management Act; the Governor and Finance Director cannot withhold or redirect funds contrary to the Commission's five-year plan or annual plan.
• Commission members may not have employment or contracting relationships with entities that contract with DOT during service or for two years after; such entities may not contract with DOT for two years after a member's term ends.
• Commission members are subject to the State Ethics Law.

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