SB234 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Dan RobertsSenator

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Donnie ChesteenSteve LivingstonDel Marsh

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Community College System, tenure and discipline of faculty and staff hired on or after August 1, 2021, pursuant to policy adopted by Board of Trustees of Alabama Community College System in lieu of Students First Act of 2011, Secs. 16-60-111.4, 16-60-111.7 am'd.

Summary

SB234 would place new Alabama Community College System hires (on or after August 1, 2021) under board-adopted policies for tenure and discipline, while existing hires remain under the Students First Act of 2011.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the bill would shift governance of tenure, discipline, and termination for new hires to policies set by the ACCS Board of Trustees. It would grant due process rights to new hires with tenure or nonprobationary status (except for presidents, vice presidents, and chief financial officers) and require an appeal to a neutral decision maker. The act also requires the board to establish qualifications, tenure rules, and a salary schedule, and it clarifies retirement and health insurance participation for ACCS employees.

Who It Affects

• Faculty and staff hired on or after August 1, 2021 — subject to ACCS Board policies (in lieu of the Students First Act) and eligible for due process rights related to tenure and termination (with an appellate process), except for presidents, vice presidents, and chief financial officers.
• Faculty and staff hired before August 1, 2021 — remain subject to the Students First Act of 2011.
• Presidents, vice presidents, and chief financial officers — not provided with due process rights under the bill, even if hired after August 1, 2021.
• All Alabama Community College System employees — required to participate in the Teachers' Retirement System and the health insurance programs described (retirement and health plan participation).

Key Provisions

• Any faculty or staff hired before August 1, 2021 shall remain under the Students First Act of 2011.
• Any faculty or staff hired on or after August 1, 2021 shall be subject to ACCS Board policies on tenure, discipline, termination, transfer, reassignment, reductions-in-force, and other personnel actions, in lieu of the Students First Act.
• Board policies for new hires must provide due process rights for tenure or nonprobationary status and include an appellate procedure before a neutral decision maker appointed by the Chancellor; presidents, vice presidents, and chief financial officers are not entitled to these due process rights.
• The ACCS Board is authorized to establish qualifications for faculty and to publish and maintain an annual salary schedule and tenure requirements.
• The act requires participation of ACCS employees in the Teachers' Retirement System and appropriate health insurance plans.
• The act amends Sections 16-60-111.4 and 16-60-111.7 and becomes effective immediately after passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Community College System