SB218 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Vivian Davis FiguresSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

State Port Authority; provide that authority is a body corporate and may employ non-merit system employees

Summary

SB218 would designate the Alabama State Port Authority as a body corporate and allow it to hire non-merit system employees, expanding its staffing, compensation, and benefit options.

What This Bill Does

It explicitly authorizes the port authority to hire up to 11 non-merit system executive-level employees and lets the Director set their salaries, potentially replacing Merit System executives. It authorizes the port to establish and fund retirement plans and life/health insurance for port employees, funded from port revenues, with rules, contracts, and annual cost-benefit reporting. It also enables a port-specific compensation plan that can augment Merit System pay, maintains Merit System protections for most employees, and allows port police officers with state-level powers at the Port of Mobile. The act becomes effective October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects

• Executive-level port authority staff designated as non-merit system employees (up to 11) and the Director, who would have salaries set by the Director and be eligible for port-funded benefits and retirement/insurance provisions.
• Most other port authority employees who are covered by the state Merit System would continue to be governed by Merit System rules, but may be affected by port-funded compensation plans and by the port’s ability to offer additional benefits funded from port revenues.

Key Provisions

• The port authority is affirmed as a body corporate and its reference to the Alabama State Docks Department is changed to Alabama State Port Authority.
• The Director may appoint up to 11 executive-level non-merit system employees, who may replace Merit System executives who retire or leave, with salaries fixed by the Director and eligible for port-funded benefits and State Employees' Insurance Fund contributions.
• The port authority may establish and fund retirement plans for various employees, funded from port revenues, with governance and administration responsibilities assigned to the port authority and required cost-benefit analysis and annual reporting.
• The port authority may establish and fund life and health insurance plans for its full-time salaried employees and their spouses/dependents, with costs paid from port revenues and competitive bidding for insurance contracts.
• A port-specific compensation plan may be adopted to reward certain employees with additional pay funded solely from port revenues, without altering Merit System laws for the standard rules governing Merit System employees.
• Port police officers may be employed at the Port of Mobile, with peace officer status and full police powers on port property, either under Merit System or Section 33-1-3 employment paths.
• The ordinance clarifies that the port shall pay the monthly employer contribution to the State Employees' Insurance Fund for all full-time employees, regardless of merit status.
• Effective date: 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