HB228 Alabama 2020 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Corley EllisRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2020
Title: Shelby Co., cities, counties, and utilities, mutual aid agreements authorized to restore utility service in emergencies, const. amend.
Summary: HB228 would let Shelby County and its local utilities sign mutual-aid agreements to restore utility services during emergencies through a local constitutional amendment.
What This Bill Does
The amendment would allow Shelby County and any county utilities (cities, water and sewer authorities, boards, districts, governments, or private utilities in the county, or any combination of them) to contract with each other to provide mutual aid to restore electric, water, sewer, or gas services after disasters or emergencies. Contracts could cover sharing personnel, equipment, supplies, and materials, as well as reimbursement or indemnification for losses, and the appointment of a designated official to request aid, among other appropriate provisions. Aid personnel would remain employees of their own organization and keep their rights, privileges, and workers’ compensation status, and they could transfer property needed for restoration without following normal sale procedures; parties could still choose not to send aid without liability.

Who It Affects
Shelby County government and any city, water/sewer authority or board, sewage district or sewer authority, governmental utility service corporation, or private utility company in the county (and any combination of these) — they may enter mutual-aid contracts to restore utilities.
Officials and employees who provide aid under these mutual-aid contracts — they remain employees of their own employer and retain rights and workers’ comp; they may transfer or convey property used for restoration without the usual sale procedures.

Key Provisions
Authorizes mutual aid contracts among Shelby County and its utilities to restore electric, water, sewer, or gas services during emergencies, under agreed terms.
Contracts may include furnishing personnel, equipment, supplies, and materials; reimbursement or indemnification for losses; delegation of authority to send aid; and other purposes consistent with the amendment.
Aid personnel remain officials or employees of their own party and retain rights, privileges, immunities, and workers’ compensation coverage while providing aid.
Parties may sell, convey, or deliver property to another party to be used in restoration without following normal sale/disposition procedures in general law or local acts.
Parties retain discretion to send or decline to send aid, and cannot be held civilly or criminally liable for declining to send aid.
An election would be held in Shelby County to approve the amendment, with the described ballot language.

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