HB343 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

David FaulknerRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Municipalities, council-manager form of government, procedures and timing further provided for, petition and election required, ballot, Secs. 11-43A-1.1, 11-43A-7, 11-43A-8 am'd.

Summary

This bill would require a petition and election to switch a municipality from mayor-council to council-manager government and would require the ballot to show whether the new council would have five or seven members.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the bill clarifies that changing from mayor-council to council-manager must follow a petition and election process. The ballot used in that election would specify whether the council-manager form would have five or seven members. It also updates how the new council would be composed (mayor at large plus four or six additional members, elected either at large or from districts) and when the change would take effect, with specific timing rules and exceptions for certain city sizes.

Who It Affects

• Municipalities in Alabama currently operating under the mayor-council form of government, which would be eligible to change to the council-manager form after meeting the petition and election requirements.
• Voters in those municipalities who would vote on the petition to change the form of government and on the ballot question about whether the council-manager council should have five or seven members.

Key Provisions

• Requires petition and an election for a municipality to switch from mayor-council to council-manager government, with a ballot question indicating whether the council-manager council would have five or seven members.
• Amends Section 11-43A-1.1 to allow adoption of the council-manager form with a council size of five or seven, detailing that the mayor is elected at large and that four or six other council members may be elected at large or from single-member districts as determined by the governing resolution.
• If districts exist, the governing plan must continue with four or six council members elected from districts and the mayor elected at large.
• Amends Section 11-43A-7 to set when the change in form of government would take place (first Monday in October/November following the next municipal election), with exceptions for Class 6 cities and specific historical dates.
• Amends Section 11-43A-8 to describe the default five-member council structure (one mayor at large, one at-large council member, and three district-elected members) and the allowance for a nine-member alternate form in Class 6 cities, including timing for qualification and taking office.

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

Subjects

Municipalities