HB324 Alabama 2025 Session

Updated Feb 22, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Chris SellsRepresentative
Republican
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Title: Sheriffs, start of term of office further provided for
Summary: HB324 sets the sheriff’s four-year term to begin at noon on the first Monday after the second Tuesday in January following an election, and makes related timing changes for county officials.
What This Bill Does
It specifies that the sheriff’s term starts at 12:00 p.m. on the first Monday after the second Tuesday in January after the election, and lasts four years until the successor is elected and qualified. It keeps the general four-year term rule for other offices but notes changes described in the bill's subsection (b). It creates a timing change for county commissioners: their terms would begin at 12:01 a.m. on the seventh day after the election and would end six days after the general election when the successor is elected and qualified, continuing as provided by law. The act becomes effective June 1, 2025.

Who It Affects
Sheriffs — their term start time is explicitly set to noon on the first Monday after the second Tuesday in January following an election, with the standard four-year duration until a successor is qualified.
County commissioners — their terms would start at 12:01 a.m. on the seventh day after an election and expire six days after the general election when their successor is elected, continuing until the successor is qualified.

Key Provisions
Amends Section 36-3-4(a) to restate the four-year term rule for most county offices starting on the traditional date after an election, with exceptions noted in subsection (b).
Adds subsection (b) to change the timing for county commissioners: expiration six days after the general election when the successor is elected, and start of the term at 12:01 a.m. on the seventh day after the election, continuing until the successor is elected and qualified (per Section 11-3-1(d)).
Specifies in subsection (c) that a sheriff’s term starts at 12:00 p.m. on the first Monday after the second Tuesday of January after the election and ends when the successor is elected and qualified.
Effective date: June 1, 2025.

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