HB477 Alabama 2020 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Bill Poole
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2020
Title: Tuscaloosa Co., retirement system for police officers and firefighters, pension benefits, member contribution, Act 99-568, 1999 Reg. Sess., am'd.
Summary: This bill updates Tuscaloosa's police and fire pension system by changing contributions, reorganizing the pension board, and creating a temporary task force to study long-term funding and governance.
What This Bill Does
It phases in increased member contributions funded by the city (the city will cover the 'picked up' contributions, with annual increases through 2022) while continuing deductions from members' salaries; it also increases the city's non-picked contributions to the fund each year through 2022. It reorganizes the pension board from 11 to 13 members by removing the police and fire chiefs as members and adding a chief financial officer, a mayoral appointee, and two additional active members (one more from each department), with the chair chosen from among elected members; it extends terms for active and retired members from 3 to 4 years and raises the board quorum from 7 to 9. It strengthens board responsibilities on investments, audits, and actuarial studies, and clarifies secretary/treasurer duties. Finally, it adds a temporary 7-member task force (plus ex officio members) to review funding, governance, and options, with a report due by June 1, 2021, after which the task force will be dissolved.

Who It Affects
Active Tuscaloosa police officers and firefighters: their required contributions will be phased in with city-paid 'picked up' amounts, and their salaries will be adjusted with deductions; city contributions to their retirement fund will also change.
City government, the pension board, and retirees: board composition and governance change (including new appointments and longer terms), investment and administrative duties are updated, and a temporary task force will analyze funding and provide recommendations that could affect future budgets and policy.

Key Provisions
§6.03: Introduces phased-in city-paid 'picked up' member contributions starting Oct 1, 2015, at 11.50% of salary, increasing by 0.50% annually through Oct 1, 2022; deductions to be made from members' salaries and treated as city contributions for tax purposes.
§6.05: City contributions (non-picked-up) required to be 13.50% of salary for eligible members, increasing by 1% annually from Oct 1, 2020 through Oct 1, 2022.
§7.01: Board size increases from 11 to 13 and reconfigures membership by removing chiefs, adding the city’s Chief Financial Officer, a mayor-appointed member, and two additional active members (one from each department); chair to be elected from among board members.
§7.02–§7.03: Length of terms for active and retired police and firefighter members increased from 3 to 4 years; specifics for elections and term start dates are revised accordingly.
§7.04: Board duties expanded to include formal oversight of investments, audits (annual independent audit), actuarial studies (at least every other year), and hiring/contracting authorities for staff and services.
§7.06: Quorum required for board actions increased from 7 to 9 members.
Article 11 (new): Establishes a temporary 7-member task force (plus 3 ex officio members) to study the fund’s sustainability, governance, and potential funding options; reports due by June 1, 2021 and then the task force is dissolved.

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