SB325 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gerald O. Dial

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Legislative Services Agency established, Legislative Reference Service, Legislative Fiscal Office, Alabama Law Institute,combining offices, Secs. 29-5A-1 to 29-5A-4, 29-5A-20 to 29-5A-27, 29-5A-40 to 29-5A-46, 29-5A-60 to 29-5A-64 added; 29-5-1 to 29-5-10, 29-5-12, 29-5-13, 29-6-2.1, 29-7-1, 29-7-2, 29-7-4 to 29-7-13, 29-8-1 to 29-8-5, repealed

Summary

SB325 creates the Legislative Services Agency to provide staff and support to Alabama's Legislature by turning the Legislative Reference Service, Legislative Fiscal Office, and Alabama Law Institute into its divisions.

What This Bill Does

It establishes the Legislative Services Agency with three divisions (Legal, Fiscal, and Law Revision) that take over the functions of the existing bodies. It transfers all assets, papers, materials, furnishings, funds, personnel, and property to the new agency on October 1, 2016. The agency can draft bills, give legal and fiscal analysis to committees, and codify and revise statutes and the constitution. It also sets confidentiality rules for requests, requires fiscal notes on certain bills, and creates a framework for editorial and codification work.

Who It Affects

• Legislators and legislative staff (including the Legislative Council, Governor, and Lieutenant Governor) who will receive staff support, drafting help, legal research, and budget/fiscal analysis from the new agency.
• State and local government entities (state departments, agencies, and Examiners of Public Accounts) that will provide data to the Fiscal Division and receive guidance, budget, and revenue information as the agency performs its duties.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Legislative Services Agency under a Director appointed by the Legislative Council, with three divisions: Legal, Fiscal, and Law Revision.
• Transfers all functions and assets of the Legislative Reference Service, Legislative Fiscal Office, and the Alabama Law Institute to the Legislative Services Agency on October 1, 2016.
• Legal Division assumes the duties of the Legislative Reference Service, including drafting assistance, legal research, and codification work; Code Commissioner functions are aligned with this division.
• Fiscal Division assumes the duties of the Legislative Fiscal Office, providing budget and revenue information to Ways and Means and Finance & Taxation committees; agencies may provide data, and the Division prepares fiscal notes on bills affecting county or municipal funds.
• Law Revision Division assumes the duties of the Alabama Law Institute, focusing on clarifying and reforming Alabama law, publishing annual reports, and advising on legal modernization and a legislative intern program.
• Code editing and codification powers are centralized under the Code Commissioner, including editorial changes to headings, hierarchy, references, dates, and writing; a recompilation of the Constitution is prepared and published.
• Confidentiality protections for requests for assistance are established, with specific waivers and priority rules for requests from legislators and the governor/lieutenant governor; certain waivers occur when a bill is introduced.
• The Alabama Law Institute Council is continued to advise the Law Revision Division and helps plan cooperation with the legal profession; special funds may be established to support its activities.
• Section 2 repeals conflicting and obsolete laws related to the previous entities; Section 3 sets an effective date of October 1, 2016.

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

Subjects

Legislature