HB19 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris PringleRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Transportation Commission, established, five members appt from five regions of dept, duties, compensation, appointment of Transportation Department director, department not subject to Budget Management Act, Secs. 23-1-21, 23-1-21.2 am'd.

Summary

HB 19 would create a State Transportation Commission to oversee Alabama's Department of Transportation, appoint the DOT Director, and exempt the department from the Budget Management Act.

What This Bill Does

It establishes a five-member State Transportation Commission appointed by the Governor from five DOT regions to coordinate and develop the department's activities. The Commission would appoint the Director of Transportation and would assume the director's duties unless the commission delegates them. The department would be exempt from the Budget Management Act. The bill also sets ethics, diversity, term length, and compensation rules for commissioners, and introduces a two-year post-service contracting prohibition for former commissioners.

Who It Affects

• State Transportation Commission members: appointed from five regions, serve part-time, receive set compensation, must meet diversity requirements, are subject to ethics rules, and face a two-year post-service contracting prohibition with DOT-related entities.
• Alabama Department of Transportation and the Director: governance shifts to Commission oversight, the Commission appoints the Director, and the department would operate under new authority, planning, and funding provisions, including delegation of certain duties and exemptions from the Budget Management Act.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the State Transportation Commission with five members appointed by the Governor, one from each DOT region.
• Initial term lengths: Regions 1 & 4 serve 2 years; Regions 2 & 5 serve 4 years; Region 3 serves 6 years; thereafter terms are six years with no consecutive terms; Commission must reflect statewide diversity and report on it.
• Commission members serve part-time, may not hold other paid office or work in roadbuilding/lobbying, are subject to Ethics Law, and receive compensation equal to 25% of the Governor's cabinet members.
• Commission elects a chair; three members constitute a quorum; members must post bonds for faithful performance.
• The Commission would assume all duties of the DOT Director unless delegated; the Director is appointed by the Commission and must meet specified qualifications; a Commission member within two years before service cannot be chosen as Director; bond is required for the Director.
• Amendments to 23-1-21 and 23-1-21.2: the Director is responsible for administering and directing the department, with duties including supervision, organization, coordination, reporting, and contract signing; the Director must be bonded and meet qualifications.
• Director duties also include entering into agreements with local entities for public transportation, managing federal funds, coordinating with local planning processes, and administering state funds for transportation.
• Budget Management Act exception: the Governor and Finance Director cannot withhold funds or redirect projects contrary to the commission's five-year plan or annual expenditure plan.
• Effective date: the act becomes effective on the first day of the next Governor's term after passage; operative only after an Attorney General opinion regarding a specified prior case.
• Operative provisions also authorize the Director to engage in local planning and federal funding activities, subject to established planning processes and local agreements.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Transportation Department