HB189 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris PringleRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Department of Transportation; Governor to authorized to create State Transportation Commission; Commission authorized to appoint Director of Transportation

Summary

HB189 would create a five-member State Transportation Commission to oversee the Department of Transportation, appoint the DOT Director, and remove the department from the Budget Management Act.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a Governor-appointed, five-region commission to coordinate DOT activities and define the director's duties. The commission would appoint the Director of Transportation and oversee DOT operations, with the Director carrying out DOT work under the commission's direction. The Department would be exempt from the Budget Management Act, and the bill sets planning and reporting requirements, along with ethics and conflict-of-interest rules for commissioners.

Who It Affects

• DOT leadership and staff: The Commission would oversee DOT operations, appoint and direct the Director, set term limits, and enforce ethics and cooling-off rules for commissioners as well as restrictions on their ability to work for or contract with DOT-related entities during and after service.
• Alabama residents and taxpayers: Regional representation and public reporting would influence how transportation planning and funding are developed and executed, with requirements for diversity, annual reporting to the Legislature, and alignment with approved five-year and annual plans.

Key Provisions

• Creates a State Transportation Commission of five members appointed by the Governor from five DOT regions to coordinate and develop department activities and set membership and duties.
• The Commission may appoint the Director of the Department of Transportation and define the director's duties; the director would lead DOT under the Commission's direction.
• The Department of Transportation would not be subject to the Budget Management Act; funding and planning would be governed by the Commission with protections for approved plans.
• Defines five regions for appointments and specifies initial and subsequent term lengths (2, 4, and 6 years) with non-consecutive term limits and a requirement to report on diversity to the Legislature.
• Commission members must meet ethical standards, hold part-time public office only, and face conflicts of interest prohibiting employment with or contracting for entities that do business with DOT during and for two years after service; cooling-off restrictions apply.
• The Commission will elect a chair; three members constitute a quorum; compensation is 25% of the governor's cabinet level pay; members are bonded and must file performance bonds.
• The Commission can fill vacancies within 30 days; the director’s vacancy triggers acting leadership from the department's chief engineer and a 90-day timeline to appoint a new director.
• The five regions are specifically defined for regional appointments, aligning with the North, East Central, West Central, Southeast, and Southwest DOT regions.
• The Director of Transportation is appointed by the Governor, serves at the Governor's pleasure, and the Commission may delegate duties to the director; the director must devote full time to the office and meet minimum qualifications.
• The Director can enter into federal and local agreements for public transportation, administer federal funds, provide technical assistance, and sign contracts in the state's name; local planning and federal-funded projects require local agreements and adherence to federal planning processes.
• The act includes provisions for reporting to the Legislature and for the director to administer state funds and report expenditures, construction updates, and transportation status; it becomes effective October 1, 2024.

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

Subjects

Authorities, Boards, & Commissions; Government Administration; Transportation