HB127 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris PringleRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

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

HB127 creates a State Transportation Commission to oversee the Department of Transportation, appoints the DOT Director by the Commission, and exempts 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 DOT activities. The Commission would appoint the Director of Transportation and define the director’s duties, with the Commission able to delegate duties as needed. The Department would be exempt from the Budget Management Act, and the act adds ethics rules, diversity reporting requirements, term limits, and post-service contracting restrictions for commissioners. The measure would take effect only after the Attorney General issues a relevant opinion.

Who It Affects

• Residents of Alabama, as the governance and direction of transportation projects across all five regions may change under a region-based commission structure.
• Businesses and individuals that contract with or bid for DOT projects, due to new ethics and conflict-of-interest rules for commissioners and a two-year post-term ban on contracting with the DOT for former commissioners.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the State Transportation Commission with five members, one from each DOT region, appointed by the Governor, with terms, diversity reporting, and quorum rules.
• The Commission appoints the Director of Transportation and defines the director’s duties and authority; the Commission may delegate duties to the director.
• Imposes ethics/conflict-of-interest restrictions on commissioners, including prohibitions on employment or contracting with companies that do business with the DOT during service and for two years after; such restrictions also prohibit contracting with DOT by those companies for two years after a commissioner’s term.
• Exempts the Department from the Budget Management Act; requires funding actions to align with the commission’s five-year and annual plans, and states that funds cannot be withheld or redirected contrary to those plans; operative only after AG opinion and upon the governor's term.

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