SB265 By Senators Holtzclaw and Brewbaker RFD County and Municipal Government Rd 1 18-MAR-15

SYNOPSIS: Under existing law, the office of coroner is an elected office.

This bill would require each county commission, at the expiration of the term of office of its coroner or at the time of any vacancy in the office, to respectively appoint a person to the office.

This bill would provide for the terms of office of the person appointed to serve as a coroner.

This bill would repeal the provisions of law relating to the election, terms of office, and filling of vacancies of the office of coroner.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT

To amend Section 17-14-1 of the Code of Alabama 1975, relating to elected state and county officers; to require each county commission, at the expiration of the term of office of its coroner or at the time of any vacancy in the office, to respectively appoint a person to the office; to provide for the terms of office of the person appointed to serve as a coroner; and to repeal Sections 11-51-1 and 11-51-2, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to the election, terms of office, and filling of vacancies of the office of coroner.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:Section 1. Section 17-14-1 of the Code of Alabama 1975, is amended to read as follows:

§17-14-1.

"(a) The following officers in this state shall be elected by the qualified electors thereof: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Auditor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, public service commissioners, senators and representatives in the Legislature, Chief Justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court, judges of the courts of appeals, circuit courts, and district courts, district attorneys, judges of the probate court, sheriffs, coroners, clerks of the circuit courts, tax assessors, tax collectors, county treasurers in counties of more than 56,000 population, as provided by law, members of county commissions, constables, representatives in Congress, United States senators, electors for President and Vice President of the United States, and such other officers as may be required by law to be elected by the people, when not otherwise specially provided for.

"(b) At the expiration of the current term of office of any coroner or at the time of any vacancy in the office of coroner which occurs on or after the effective date of the act adding this amendatory language, the office of coroner shall cease to be an elected office, ad the county commission shall thereafter appoint a person to the office of coroner for a term of office no more than four years from the date of the appointment. Any coroner appointed by the county commission may be reappointed to successive terms."

Section 2. Sections 11-51-1 and 11-51-2, Code of Alabama 1975, are repealed.

Section 3. This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.

County Commissions

Counties

County Officers and Employees

Appointments

Coroners

Tax Assessor

Tax Collector

Revenue Commissioner

Code Repealed

Code Amended