SB329 Alabama 2020 Session

Relating to Montgomery County; to establish procedures for the duties and responsibilities of the Montgomery County Legislative Delegation; to provide for the election of a chair and vice chair; to provide for notice of meetings; to establish quorum requirements; and to provide for other procedures.

Section 1

This act shall apply only in Montgomery County.

Section 2

(a) For purposes of this section, Montgomery County Legislative Delegation includes each member of the Senate and each member of the House of Representatives representing a portion of Montgomery County. (b) Not later than July 1, 2020, all members of the Montgomery County Legislative Delegation shall convene and elect a chair and a vice chair by a concurrent majority vote of the membership, with the votes of the members of the Senate being weighted so that the votes of the members of the House of Representatives and the members of the Senate are equal as provided in subsection (d). The initial meeting shall be called and presided over by the longest serving member of the delegation until a chair is elected pursuant to this subsection. At the initial meeting, the individual elected chair shall be a senator and the individual elected vice chair shall be a representative. Beginning on January 1, 2021, the individual elected chair shall be a representative and the individual elected vice chair shall be a senator. The chair and vice chair shall alternate annually between representatives and senators thereafter. To qualify as chair or vice chair, the senator or representative must have a majority of his or her legislative district in Montgomery County. (c)(1) Meetings of the delegation may be called at any time by the chair or by a majority of the members of the delegation. Notice of all meetings shall be provided electronically by the chair to each member of the delegation at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. The notice shall provide the time and location of the meeting, as well as a description of all matters to be discussed at the meeting. (2) Four members of the delegation shall constitute a quorum, with at least one senator present for the meeting. (3) Members of the legislative delegation may participate in a meeting of the delegation by telephone conference, video conference, or other similar communications equipment which allows all individuals participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting for all purposes, except for the establishment of a quorum. (d)(1) Unless expressly provided otherwise by law, all official action required by law of the legislative delegation, including the requirement to recommend, nominate, or elect individuals to any public position or office, shall be approved by a majority vote of the delegation membership. (2) The vote of each member of the Senate shall constitute two and one-half votes and the vote of each member of the House of Representatives shall be one vote, so that the votes of the members of the House of Representatives and the votes of the members of the Senate are equal. If reapportionment of legislative districts changes the number of members of the delegation as it exists on June 1, 2020, the vote of the members of the House and Senate shall continue to be weighted so that the votes of the members of the House of Representatives and the votes of the members of the Senate are equal. (e) Any action of the legislative delegation in violation of this section is void.

Section 3

The notice requirements and procedures for meetings and the voting requirements provided for in subsections (c) and (d) shall become operative upon the election of a chair and vice chair at the initial meeting of the delegation as provided in subsection (b).

Section 4

This act shall become effective on June 1, 2020, following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.