SB184 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris ElliottSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Baldwin County, County Commission, chair elected countywide, salary, remaining commissioner, districts, referendum

Summary

SB184 would switch Baldwin County to a countywide elected chair with four district-based commissioners, set new salaries and staffing rules, and require a referendum to adopt these changes.

What This Bill Does

If passed, the bill changes the Baldwin County Commission to five members: a chair elected countywide and four members elected from single-member districts starting with the 2026 election. It establishes the chair as a full-time presiding officer with a salary tied to the circuit court judge’s schedule and allows the chair to appoint certain contract staff. It changes commissioner pay to be based on county median income, adds a $5,000 annual chair supplement, and includes rules if the number of commissioners or at-large elections change. It repeals a current appointment method for the chair and sets up a district-based election system with boundaries to be defined by local law or a judge if not enacted. A referendum in the 2024 election would decide whether these changes take effect, and the act would become operative if voters say yes.

Who It Affects

• Voters and residents of Baldwin County, as their representation would shift from at-large to district-based four-member commission elections and they would vote in a countywide referendum to approve these changes.
• County government and officials (including the chair, four commissioners, and contract staff) who would see new appointment powers, salary structures, district-based elections, and contract governance rules, including reporting to the chair and potential staffing changes.

Key Provisions

• Chair elected countywide starting with the 2026 General Election; chair serves as presiding officer and is full-time; chair may vote on commission matters; term four years and aligns with other commissioners.
• Chair salary set on the same schedule as Baldwin County circuit court judges; chair salary adjustments follow the same rules as the judge schedule, including service-based adjustments.
• Chair may appoint contract employees (County Administrator, County Engineer, Clerk/Treasurer, Budget Director, Emergency Management Director, Personnel Director) with approval of the county commission; these employees report to the chair and are not considered unclassified civil service.
• Commissioners’ pay changed: non-chair members’ base compensation becomes the average of Baldwin County’s four-year median household income; chair receives an additional $5,000 per year; if the number of commissioners increases or elections stop being at-large, salaries revert to the 2004 level; waivers are required to receive any pay increases.
• Four other commissioners to be elected from single-member districts starting in 2026; district boundaries defined by local law by July 1, 2025, or drawn by the Presiding Circuit Judge if not enacted; each member elected only by voters in their district.
• Section 4 repeals the current method of appointing the chair (45-2-72.01) effective November 13, 2026.
• A referendum is required in the 2024 General Election to decide whether Baldwin County will adopt a five-member commission; costs of the election are paid by the county; if majority votes Yes, the act becomes operative immediately; if No, it has no effect.
• Effective date of the act is June 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

Baldwin County