HB555 Alabama 2017 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: George “Tootie” Bandy
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2017
Title: Phenix City, board of education, election of members, qualifications, terms, compensation, filling vacancies, referendum, Act 929, 1971 Reg. Sess. repealed
Summary: HB555 would let Phenix City switch from an appointed to an elected Phenix City Board of Education, creating a seven-member board elected from council districts and at-large if a city referendum approves.
What This Bill Does
It authorizes a municipal referendum to decide whether Phenix City Board of Education should be elected rather than appointed. If voters approve, it creates The Phenix City Board of Education with seven members: two elected from each city council district and one from the city at-large, with terms of four years after initial elections in 2018 and 2020. It also sets candidate and board rules, vacancy processes, compensation, audits, and annual operations, and repeals conflicting laws (Act 929).

Who It Affects
Phenix City voters: will decide in the referendum whether to shift to an elected board; if approved, residents in each district and the city at-large will participate in elections for seven board seats.
Prospective candidates and residents: must meet qualifications (21 years old, district residency for 365 consecutive days, cannot be an employee of the board, no crime involving moral turpitude) and may be elected to one of the seven seats; current board operations, compensation, and vacancy processes will change under the new system.

Key Provisions
Section 1: Authorizes a referendum (August 22, 2017) to decide whether Phenix City Board of Education should be elected; if approved, local laws may finalize details on board composition, terms, vacancies, and responsibilities; if rejected, the board remains appointed and other provisions have no effect.
Section 2: If the referendum approves, the Phenix City Board of Education will have seven members: two from each of the three city council districts and one from the city at-large.
Section 3: Board members must reside in the district they represent during their term; redistricting automatically adjusts board districts; incumbents placed outside their district may finish their term.
Section 4: Candidates must be at least 21, residents of the district for 365 consecutive days before qualifying, not an employee of the board, and not convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude.
Section 5: Initial elections are set for August 28, 2018; initial terms end August 25, 2020, after which terms are four years; elections follow same processes as city council elections unless specified otherwise.
Section 7: Vacancies are filled by a majority of the remaining board; if not filled within 30 days, the State Superintendent appoints; appointees must reside in the appropriate district.
Section 8: Board members will receive $500 per month, paid from city school system funds.
Section 9: An annual audit will be conducted by the Examiners of Public Accounts and results publicly reported.
Section 11: The chair has defined duties including presiding over meetings, setting times and agendas, ensuring public notices, maintaining order, seeking public input, voting, and ensuring due process.
Section 12: Repeals conflicting laws, specifically Act 929, 1971 Regular Session; effective immediately after governor’s approval.

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