SB166 Alabama 2024 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Linda Coleman-MadisonSenator
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2024
Title: Jefferson County, General Retirement System for Employees of Jefferson County, amended to identify the Personnel Board of Jefferson County as the civil service system of the county
Summary: SB166 updates Jefferson County's General Retirement System by designating the Jefferson County Personnel Board as the county's civil service system and overhauling membership, vesting, funding, and benefit rules for retirement, disability, and death benefits.
What This Bill Does
It identifies the Personnel Board as the county's civil service system and clarifies who is a participant and who is a beneficiary. It establishes vesting rules so benefits become nonforfeitable after 10 years for partial vesting and 15 years for full vesting. It creates a new governance framework with a five-member Pension Board, an Election Board for two members, and at least three affirmative votes required for decisions, along with broad authority to set rules, manage funds, and defend the board. It updates membership and funding rules, benefit formulas, and distribution/timing rules for retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, while clarifying records privacy and handling of missing participants.

Who It Affects
County employees who are eligible for membership (including hospital employees and those in positions subject to the county's civil service system) who may have mandatory or optional membership and will contribute to the system.
Beneficiaries, missing participants/beneficiaries, and current and future retirees who are affected by new designation rules, benefit formulas, distributions, and death/survivorship options.

Key Provisions
Designates the Jefferson County Personnel Board as the county's civil service system and clarifies terminology for participants, beneficiaries, and missing individuals.
Imposes a vesting structure where 10 years of paid service gives partial vesting and 15 years gives full vesting, with benefits becoming nonforfeitable.
Creates a five-member Pension Board with specified appointment rules, plus an Election Board to oversee members four and five, requiring three affirmative votes for decisions and granting broad administration authority, including immunity and interpleader powers.
Sets employee and employer contribution rates at six percent each, with county funding for actuarial soundness and administrative funding from the pension board, while allowing for system-wide investment and administration.
Expands retirement, disability, and survivor benefit rules (superannuation, early retirement, disability, postretirement/preretirement joint survivorship), establishes distribution/rollover rules, cost-of-living adjustments, and beneficiary designations.
Authorizes the pension board to adopt regulations, operate with non-public records, defend and indemnify board members, and manage missing participant provisions and forfeiture/restoration processes.

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