HB150 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Alan BakerRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Board of Registrars, guidelines revised, diverse appointments required, ineligibility for service, compensation revised, hours of operation, Sec. 17-3-2, 17-3-3, 17-3-4, 17-3-5, 17-3-8 am'd.

Summary

HB150 would reform Alabama's Board of Registrars by requiring diverse appointments, clarifying terms and vacancies, updating pay and hours rules, and aligning registrar operations with county courthouses.

What This Bill Does

The bill changes how the Board of Registrars is run by requiring appointments to be at the pleasure of the appointing authorities and to pursue diversity; the Secretary of State would set registrar guidelines with detailed job descriptions. It adds removal-for-cause rules and enables vacancy filling by the Secretary of State or appointing authorities under specific conditions. It clarifies pay, holidays, mileage, and travel expenses, and requires tracking of hours worked. It also sets courthouse-aligned hours, minimum daily hours, and county-specific limits on registrar meeting days, with provisions for special sessions and potential additional hours around elections.

Who It Affects

• Registrars and their counties would face clearer appointment rules, diversity requirements, pay and hour-tracking obligations, and stricter removal/reappointment rules.
• State and county election officials (Secretary of State and the appointed state/local authorities) would gain new powers to set guidelines, fill vacancies, oversee compensation and hour tracking, and enforce the new scheduling and reporting requirements.

Key Provisions

• Appointees to the Board of Registrars serve at the pleasure of the appointing authorities and appointments must be coordinated to enhance diversity (racial, gender, urban/rural, economic).
• The Secretary of State will prescribe registrar guidelines, including a detailed job description and minimum qualifications.
• A registrar removed for cause is ineligible for reappointment for the duration of the term; vacancies may be filled by the Secretary of State or the appointing authorities under specified conditions.
• Compensation is clarified: registrars are paid $80 per working day, with payments routed through county commissions; mileage, holiday pay, and travel expenses are defined and reimbursed.
• The board must be open during the same hours as the county courthouse; registrars must track and report hours worked, with possible extra hours before/after elections.
• There is a methodology for tracking hours and determining additional hours around elections; travel and other expenses are subject to county and state reimbursement rules.
• Counties have specific maximum working days per fiscal year for registrar meetings, with allowances for special sessions and notice requirements.
• Long-serving registrars may participate in county health insurance under certain terms, and registrars in some counties are treated as state employees for Social Security and related benefits.

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

Subjects

Elections