HB277 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Phillip PettusRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Lauderdale Co., sheriff, authorize fees for certain administrative services, distrib. of revenues

Summary

HB277 allows the Lauderdale County sheriff to charge fees for certain administrative services and directs how the money collected is used, with retroactive effect.

What This Bill Does

The sheriff may charge reasonable fees for services like fingerprinting, reports, copies of records, and photo ID cards. Fees cannot be charged to law enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes or to individuals applying for pistol permits. The collected fees must go into the sheriff's law enforcement fund to cover sheriff's office operating expenses, and any fee increases require a majority vote by the county commission. The act applies retroactively to January 2015 and becomes effective after the governor signs it (or when it becomes law).

Who It Affects

• Residents and other individuals who request administrative services from the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office and would be charged fees (fingerprinting, reports, copies, photo IDs).
• Law enforcement agencies requesting services for law enforcement purposes or individuals applying for pistol permits are exempt from these fees.
• Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office, which will collect the fees and deposit them into the sheriff's law enforcement fund to cover operating expenses.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes the Sheriff of Lauderdale County to charge and collect reasonable fees for administrative services (fingerprinting, reports, copies of records, photo identification cards).
• Exempts fees for law enforcement agencies requesting services for law enforcement purposes and for individuals applying for pistol permits.
• Requires that the fee amount, once set, may not be increased without a majority vote of the county commission.
• Requires collected fees to be deposited into the sheriff's law enforcement fund and used strictly for expenses related to operating the sheriff's office.
• Retroactive to January 2015 and effective immediately after the governor signs the act or it becomes law.

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

Subjects

Lauderdale County