SB347 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Linda Coleman-MadisonSenator

Democrat

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Class 1 municipality mayor; salary provided for

Summary

SB347 sets Class 1 municipality mayors' salaries at 10% above the highest-paid county employee at term start, fixes it for the four-year term, adds the option for mayors to serve as utility superintendents with extra pay, and repeals older mayor compensation rules, effective November 11, 2025.

What This Bill Does

It creates a new pay rule for Class 1 mayors: their annual salary will be 10% higher than the highest-paid employee under the county personnel board at the start of the mayor’s four-year term and will not change during the term. It also allows municipalities that own utilities to have the mayor serve as superintendent of those systems with additional pay and defined duties such as purchasing, meter checks, and financial reporting. The bill repeals existing separate expense allowances and compensation rules for mayors and validates prior mayor supervision arrangements; all changes become effective November 11, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Class 1 municipalities' mayors: their base salary will be determined by the new 10%-over-top-employee rule, fixed for their four-year term, and paid biweekly, superseding other pay or allowances.
• Municipal governing bodies and county personnel boards (and municipalities with utility systems): they implement the new salary framework, determine if the mayor serves as utility superintendent, set any additional compensation for that service, and oversee related duties and records; they also repeal prior compensation provisions and validate past superintendent arrangements.

Key Provisions

• In Class 1 municipalities, the mayor's annual salary equals 10% more than the salary of the highest-paid employee under the county personnel board, calculated as of the day the mayor's four-year term begins, and this amount cannot change during the term.
• The mayor's salary is paid biweekly and supersedes any other salary or compensation provided by law.
• The amendment to Section 11-43-80 clarifies that the six-month prior-for-salary rule applies to non-Class 1 municipalities; a waiver can occur to comply with the Voting Rights Act or court orders; and for Class 1 municipalities with utilities, the mayor may be designated as superintendent of those systems with specified duties.
• Municipalities that own/operate utility systems may appoint the mayor as superintendent via board resolution, who then acts as purchasing agent, monitors meters and bids, ensures collections, maintains records and inventories, and provides monthly financial statements to the governing body; the mayor may receive additional compensation for this service, and the governing body may dispense with the service at any time.
• The provisions related to mayoral expense allowances and specific Birmingham-related salaries are repealed (Act 84-618, and Sections 11-43-86, 11-43-86.1, and 45-37A-52.93).
• The act includes a curative and retroactive provision, validating prior mayor employment as superintendent of utilities and any related salaries.
• The act becomes effective November 11, 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

Jefferson County