HB245 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

David StandridgeRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to Blount County; to provide for a new court cost to fund payments to employees of the sheriff's office who perform hazardous duties; and conditioning operation on voter approval at a referendum.

Summary

HB245 would create a new Blount County court fee to fund hazardous-duty pay for nonclerical sheriff’s office employees, and its operation would require voter approval in a referendum.

What This Bill Does

It adds new court costs in Blount County: $25 in each civil case (excluding small claims), $25 in all misdemeanor and felony criminal cases upon conviction, and $10 for each small claims case. The collected money goes into the Sheriff’s Department Hazardous Duty Fund to pay eligible nonclerical sheriff’s office employees who perform hazardous duties (excluding the sheriff). Starting October 1, 2024, the sheriff must certify eligible employees and funds are disbursed in equal amounts, with annual, semi-annual, quarterly, or monthly payment options as agreed. The act only takes effect if a majority of voters approves in a county referendum; if approved, it becomes operative immediately; if not, it is repealed.

Who It Affects

• Nonclerical employees of the Blount County Sheriff's Office who perform hazardous duties will receive hazardous-duty pay funded by the new court costs.
• Blount County voters will decide via referendum whether to authorize the new court cost and the hazardous-duty pay program.

Key Provisions

• Establish a new court cost in Blount County: $25 in civil cases (except small claims), $25 in misdemeanor and felony criminal cases upon conviction, and $10 in small claims cases.
• Fees go into the Sheriff's Department Hazardous Duty Fund and are earmarked only for hazardous-duty payments to eligible nonclerical sheriff’s office employees (excluding the sheriff).
• The fee cannot be waived unless all other case-related fees, assessments, costs, fines, and charges are waived.
• Starting October 1, 2024, the sheriff certifies eligible hazardous-duty employees and the fund disburses an equal payment amount to each eligible employee.
• Payments may be made annually, semi-annually, quarterly, or monthly as agreed by the county commission and the sheriff.
• Section 1 operative only if a majority of Blount County voters approve the referendum; the election is held with the next regularly scheduled county election and specifies the purpose of the cost.
• If the referendum passes, the act becomes operative immediately; if not, the act is repealed and has no effect.
• The act becomes effective immediately following governor’s approval or when it otherwise 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

Blount County, impose new court costs for Hazardous Duty pay for deputies, conditioned on voter approval