SB 334

Relating to Etowah County; to provide for the expense allowance and salary of the coroner; to provide for the appointment of a deputy coroner and for the salary of the deputy coroner; and to repeal certain prior acts.

Section 1

This act shall apply only in Etowah County.

Section 2

(a) The coroner of the county shall be entitled to an additional expense allowance so that the total compensation of the coroner including expense allowances and salary equals twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per year payable from the general fund of the county. (b) Effective beginning the next term of office of the coroner, subject to subsection (c), the annual salary of the coroner shall be twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per year payable from the general fund of the county and subsection (a) shall be repealed. (c) Effective beginning one year after the beginning of the next term of office of the coroner and thereafter, the county commission may increase the expense allowance and salary of the coroner provided that any salary increase shall become effective beginning the next term of office of the coroner thereafter.

Section 3

The coroner may appoint a qualified person to serve as deputy coroner to perform the duties of the coroner when the coroner is unavailable or absent or when the coroner is incapacitated. When called upon to serve, the deputy coroner shall have the same legal authority and responsibility as the coroner. The annual salary of the deputy coroner shall be six thousand dollars ($6,000) per year payable from the general fund of the county. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the county commission, after the effective date of this act, may adjust and increase the salary of the deputy coroner as it determines necessary.

Section 4

Effective beginning the next term of office of the coroner, Act 2000-651 of the 2000 Regular Session (Acts 2000, p. 1305), now appearing as Section 45-28-60, Code of Alabama 1975, is repealed. This act shall not affect the coroner's use of a county vehicle as provided for in Act 2016-235 of the 2016 Regular Session.

Section 5

This act shall become effective immediately following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.