SB203 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

J.T. WaggonerSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

To authorize any county, municipality, or governmental entity subject to a countywide civil service system to elect by a majority vote of the county or municipal governing body to opt out of the countywide civil service system; to require the county, municipality, or governmental entity to adopt a human resources policy and procedures manual; and to require the county, municipality, or governmental entity to notify the director of the countywide civil service system of its decision to withdraw from the system.

Summary

SB203 lets a county, city, or other government entity under a countywide civil service system opt out by a majority vote and requires them to adopt a detailed HR policy manual and notify the civil service director.

What This Bill Does

It allows withdrawal from the countywide civil service system by majority vote of the local governing body. Before withdrawal, the entity must hold a public hearing and, on withdrawal, adopt a comprehensive human resources policy and procedures manual and notify the director of the civil service system. The HR manual would cover personnel policies, standards, employee management, recruitment, due process, equal employment opportunity, grievance procedures, and workplace harassment, with an independent appeal process and possible merit system; current employees keep their pension rights as of withdrawal, and future employees would be eligible for retirement plans as they would have been otherwise, with service credits preserved and no break in service for pension purposes. After withdrawal, the countywide system loses authority over the entity, and pension board appointments revert to the withdrawing entity (with an exception if the retirement system is state-administered), with immediate effect upon passage.

Who It Affects

• Current and future employees of counties, municipalities, or governmental entities that withdraw from the countywide civil service system; their existing pension rights are preserved and HR policies will govern future employment.
• Pension plans and retirement systems linked to the countywide civil service system and the related pension boards; after withdrawal, governance and administration duties revert to the withdrawing entity or sponsoring entity, with certain exceptions, and the system no longer has authority over the entity.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes withdrawal from a countywide civil service system by majority vote of the county or municipal governing body.
• Requires the withdrawing entity to hold a public hearing before withdrawal and to adopt a human resources policy and procedures manual, including specific policy areas and an independent appeal/review process; may include a merit system.
• Requires written notice to the director of the countywide civil service system of the withdrawal decision, effective immediately after passage.
• Manages pension/benefit rights: current employees retain eligibility and service credit as of withdrawal; future employees remain eligible for pension benefits as if withdrawal had not occurred; no break in service for pension purposes.
• After withdrawal, the countywide system loses authority over the withdrawing entity; pension board appointing authority duties revert to the sponsoring county/municipality (except when the retirement system is administered by the State of Alabama).

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