House Bill 493 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Leigh HulseyRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Shelby County; City of Helena, civil service system established, board, director, policies, and appeals created

Summary

HB493 would establish a City of Helena civil service system with a new personnel board, a director, formal policies, and an appeals process, replacing the old Helena civil service framework.

What This Bill Does

It creates a two-part city employment system (regular classified and exempt) and a formal classification plan for city jobs. It establishes a three-person Personnel Board and a Personnel Director to administer policies, handle appeals, maintain rosters and records, and coordinate with the city on civil service matters. It sets up a city pay plan with salary grades and rules for hiring, promotions, transfers, demotions, and probation, plus an appeals process for disciplinary actions that can lead to a board hearing and circuit court review. It repeals the previous 1992 Helena civil service law and becomes effective June 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Regular full-time City of Helena employees: will be governed by a new classified service with probation, pay grades, and rights to appeal disciplinary actions.
• Exempt service employees (as listed in the act): may remain exempt or be affected by classification planning and potential future reallocation or reclassification.
• Applicants and job candidates for city positions: will be hired through open-competitive or promotional processes and placed on eligible registers.
• City officials (mayor and city council): must appoint the personnel director, adopt the classification and pay plans, and oversee policy implementation.
• The Personnel Board and the Director: gain new authority to adopt policies, hear appeals, issue records, and manage personnel functions.
• Residents eligible to serve on the Personnel Board: must meet voter qualifications and board eligibility rules (elector status, no recent political office, etc.).
• Employees facing discipline: have rights to written notice, appeals, hearings, and potential review by the board or circuit court.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the City of Helena Civil Service System Act, creating the City of Helena Personnel Board and a Personnel Director, and repealing Act 92-201 (1992).
• Defines terms used in the act, including appointing authority, classified service, eligible lists/registers, and exempt service.
• Creates a three-member Personnel Board with specific selection/term rules and eligibility criteria for board members, including residency and non-conflict requirements.
• Board duties include adopting policies, hearing disciplinary appeals, and meeting at least semiannually; the director serves as board secretary and administers board policies.
• Divides city employment into Regular (classified) and Exempt service, listing categories of exempt positions and noting that exempt service is governed differently from classified service.
• Requires a comprehensive classification plan with job descriptions, class specifications, allocation lists, standardized titles, and periodic reviews of duties.
• Requires an employee handbook outlining policies on sick leave, vacation, overtime, holidays, leave, conflicts of interest, discipline, and related topics, consistent with the act and laws.
• Implements a pay plan with salary grades, minimum/maximum/average pay, and rules for pay adjustments, promotions, demotions, transfers, and open vs. promotional appointments.
• Hiring and advancement rules specify open-competitive and promotional processes, probationary periods, provisional appointments when no eligible list exists, and appeal rights for probationary hires.
• Disciplinary procedures provide for suspension, demotion, or dismissal with written notice, a board hearing, and potential circuit court review; probationary employees have limited appeal rights.
• Prohibits discrimination in appointments, restricts political activity by city employees, and includes provisions related to candidacy and resignation to run for public office.
• Effective date set for June 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Shelby County