HB451 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

John W. Rogers

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Birmingham, City of, mayor-council form of government, mayor and council duties, further provided for, Secs. 45-37A-52.55, 45-37A-52.56, 45-37A-52.59, 45-37A-52.95, 45-37A-52.128, 45-37A-52.134, 45-37A-52.198, 45-37A-52.200, 45-37A-52.270 am'd.

Summary

HB 451 would revise Birmingham's mayor-council government rules, clarifying leadership roles and powers for the mayor and council, especially around budgeting and appointments.

What This Bill Does

It changes how the city council selects its leaders by requiring the council to elect a president of the council and a president pro tempore from among its members, with two-year terms. It confirms that most governmental powers sit with the council (budgeting, bonds, investigations, and board appointments), while the mayor remains the head of the administrative branch and is responsible for enforcing laws and running city operations. It sets the mayor’s duties to administer city affairs, appoint and remove most officers and employees (with specific exceptions), supervise departments, keep the council informed on finances, and prepare the annual budget and related reports. It creates rules for budget changes, requiring mayoral approval for certain actions and requiring public hearings for increases, while allowing additional appropriations under five votes with detailed certification requirements.

Who It Affects

• City government leadership (the mayor, the council, and city boards/authorities): defines who leads the council, how power is distributed between the mayor and council, and who can appoint or remove board and staff positions.
• City employees and residents: affects hiring, salaries, pension eligibility for staff (including mayoral staff), and how budgets and appropriations are enacted, with public oversight through hearings and certification requirements.

Key Provisions

• Council elects president and president pro tem from its members; two-year terms and vacancy replacement rules.
• Council holds most powers (departments, budget, bonds, investigations, and board appointments); mayor heads the administrative branch and enforces laws.
• Mayor appoints/removes most city officers and employees, with exceptions for libraries, certain boards, utilities, and nonelected school boards; mayor supervises most departments.
• Council can create/alter offices and departments with mayoral approval and can assign additional functions, but cannot discontinue functions assigned by law in this part.
• Budget amendments require five affirmative votes and mayoral written approval; debt service items cannot be reduced; public hearings are required for certain increases.
• Additional appropriations require five votes and must be based on available, unencumbered funds, with written mayoral recommendation and finance director certification.
• Certain preexisting authorities and ordinances continue unless inconsistent with this part; broader protections for consistency with the mayor-council framework.

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

Subjects

Birmingham