SB22 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Andrew JonesSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to Emergency Management; to amend Section 31-9-10, Code of Alabama 1975, to provide contract letting requirements for local emergency management organizations; to amend Section 31-9-60, Code of Alabama 1975, to increase supplemental funding for assistance to local emergency management organizations; to amend 31-9-61, Code of Alabama 1975, to establish standards for course work for local emergency management director certification; to amend Section 31-9-62, Code of Alabama 1975, to change salary supplements for local emergency management directors and revise local emergency management organization eligibility for federal funds; and to make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing code language to current style.

Summary

SB22 updates local emergency management funding, certification standards, and contract rules for disaster response in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

It increases the annual funding per local emergency management agency from $12,000 to $17,000, with CPI adjustments every five years. It changes how the director’s salary supplement is calculated to be 35% of the director’s total salary, with a cap of $17,000, and removes the previous fixed $40,000 target. It establishes new certification standards for local emergency management directors (college education, work experience in emergency management or qualified military service, and 200 hours of course work) and adds a grandfather clause for longtime directors. It allows local agencies to let disaster-related contracts outside the normal competitive bid process under specified safeguards, and it provides federal funding options if the local supplement is insufficient. It also sets aside and distributes federal funds for agencies with certified directors and clarifies funding administration by the state agencies.

Who It Affects

• Local emergency management agencies in counties and municipalities and their directors, who receive higher annual supplements, must meet certification standards, and may gain contract flexibility for disaster-related purchases.
• The Alabama Emergency Management Agency and state budgeting/ Comptroller processes, which will administer the new funding levels, certification requirements, CPI adjustments, and federal funds allocations.

Key Provisions

• Amends 31-9-10 to allow local EM organizations to let disaster-relief contracts outside the competitive bid law if specific conditions are met (e.g., price quotes, documented rationale).
• Amends 31-9-60 to increase the Local Emergency Management Agency Assistance Fund allocation from $12,000 to $17,000 per agency, with CPI-based adjustments every five years, and to specify disbursement by the Comptroller.
• Amends 31-9-61 to establish certification standards for local emergency management directors: (a) two years of college-level education; (b) at least three years in emergency management or qualified military service; (c) 200 hours of course work approved by the Director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, with a grandfather clause for directors as of 6/14/2007.
• Amends 31-9-62 to replace the fixed $40,000 target with a formula: the salary supplement shall be 35% of the director’s total salary, capped at $17,000, and to address how federal funds interact with the supplement; agencies with certified directors may receive additional federal funds for mitigation/planning/program purposes, with a 25% set-aside of federal increases beginning 10/1/2007; overall limits apply to supplement plus federal funds.
• Provides that if a director’s total salary is $40,000 or more, the agency is not eligible for the standard supplement but may receive the federal funds allocation instead, and requires annual appropriation of necessary funds.

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