SB270 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Andrew JonesSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Etowah Co., sheriff, feeding of prisoners further provided for, and for exoense allowance for sheriff, Prisoner Food Fund established, const. amend.

Summary

SB 270 would amend the Alabama Constitution to create a Sheriff’s Discretionary Fund in Etowah County for prisoner-feeding allowances, allowing any excess to be used for law enforcement and sheriff’s office needs after feeding prisoners, with a 2020 voter-approved amendment.

What This Bill Does

If passed, it would create the Sheriff’s Discretionary Fund in the county treasury and require that all prisoner-feeding allowances received by the Etowah County Sheriff be deposited there to pay for feeding prisoners. Any funds left after feeding prisoners could be used for law enforcement purposes, school resource officers, and operating the sheriff’s office, and would carry over from year to year. If more money is needed for feeding prisoners, the sheriff could use other funds available to the sheriff’s office that are not restricted by law, and purchases for feeding would be exempt from the competitive bid law. The amendment would be voted on in the 2020 primary and would take effect on the first day of the month after ratification.

Who It Affects

• Etowah County Sheriff and the Sheriff's Office — gains control over a new dedicated fund and authority to use funds for prisoner meals and other sheriff operations.
• Prisoners in the Etowah County jail — their meals would be funded from the new Sheriff’s Discretionary Fund.

Key Provisions

• Establishes a Sheriff’s Discretionary Fund in the county treasury to receive prisoner-feeding allowances.
• Requires allowances for feeding prisoners to be deposited into the fund and used to feed prisoners in the county jail.
• Allows any excess funds to be used for law enforcement purposes, school resource officers, and operation of the sheriff’s office, with year-to-year carryover.
• If more funds are needed for feeding prisoners, the sheriff may use other funds allocated to the sheriff’s office that are not restricted by law.
• Exempts the purchase of food or supplies for feeding prisoners from the competitive bid law.
• Provides for a 2020 election to approve the amendment and sets the effective date as the first day of the month after ratification.

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

Subjects

Constitutional Amendments