SB276 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg AlbrittonSenator

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Baldwin County, Legislative Office Fund and distributions from county privilege license tax further provided for

Summary

This bill creates a Baldwin County Legislative Office Fund and redirects part of the county's privilege license tax to fund the county legislative delegation's office, staff, and related programs, with reporting and travel rules.

What This Bill Does

It establishes a Baldwin County Legislative Office, with the county providing office space, equipment, and staff for the legislative delegation, funded by a dedicated Baldwin County Legislative Office Fund. It sets how the fund is managed and disbursed, requiring majority direction from the delegation and allowing carryover of unspent funds, with the county able to appropriate money from the county general fund. It restructures privilege license tax distributions to fund the office and several programs (historic sites, economic development, and related commissions) and imposes annual reporting, audits, and travel expense caps for delegation members.

Who It Affects

• Members of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation and their staff, who receive office space, equipment, and compensation paid from the Baldwin County Legislative Office Fund.
• Baldwin County Commission, which administers the Baldwin County Legislative Office Fund, disburses funds, and reports on fund use.
• House and Senate members representing Baldwin County, whose allowable official travel expenses are capped and subject to delegation oversight.
• Historic sites and organizations in Baldwin County, including the Historic Blakeley Authority and Baldwin County Historic Development Commission, which receive specified portions of the privilege license tax distributions.
• Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, which receives a share of the privilege license tax distributions.
• Baldwin County residents and taxpayers, who fund county government through the privilege license tax and may be affected by how funds are allocated and reported.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Baldwin County Legislative Office and a Baldwin County Legislative Office Fund; staff for the legislative delegation may be county employees or contracted; compensation and benefits are set by the delegation and paid from the new fund.
• The Baldwin County Legislative Office Fund is maintained by the county, with disbursements made only upon direction of a majority of the legislative delegation; unexpended balances carry over and can be appropriated from the county general fund to the Baldwin County Legislative Office Fund.
• If year-end balance in the Baldwin County Legislative Office Fund exceeds $300,000, excess up to $100,000 per year is distributed to the Baldwin County Historic Development Commission for capital improvements and repairs to the commission’s properties; annual reporting on fund disbursements is required to the House and Senate members of the delegation.
• Privilege license tax distributions are changed: 75% to the county general fund; $200,000 annually to the Baldwin County Legislative Office Fund; 12% to a separate county fund for historic sites (at least 10% to Historic Blakeley Authority and up to 2% to other sites); 8% to the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance; 1.5% to the Baldwin County Historic Development Commission; the remaining balance goes to the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation Office for expenses as directed by the delegation.
• Expenses for official travel by Baldwin County House members outside their district are capped at $2,000 per member per year; Senate members’ travel outside their district is capped at $7,500 per senator per year; travel expenses are subject to audits by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and require majority vote by the House delegation.
• All privilege or license tax funds under this subpart are subject to audit by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts; penalties for failing to render required reports or for false statements include fines up to $500 per violation.
• The act becomes effective October 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

Baldwin County