Compare versions

--- version:Introduced
+++ version:(document, no version)
@@ -1,281 +1,23 @@
-SB298 INTRODUCED
-Page 0
-SB298
-2JN1VIS-1
-By Senator Barfoot
-RFD: County and Municipal Government
-First Read: 12-Feb-26
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-2JN1VIS-1 01/13/2026 CMH (L)CMH 2025-3566
+FN-FKNXYDD-1
 Page 1
-First Read: 12-Feb-26
-SYNOPSIS:
-This bill would provide minimum staffing
-requirements for Class 3 municipal law enforcement
-agencies. The requirements would include a minimum
-ratio of two full-time law enforcement officers for
-every 1,000 residents of the municipality.
-This bill would establish a five-year compliance
-period for municipalities not in compliance on the
-effective date of this act. During this compliance
-period, the municipality would be required to meet
-certain goals and increases in staffing.
-This bill would provide that if a municipality
-fails to satisfy certain requirements for staffing, the
-Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency would be
-authorized to assume oversight of the municipal law
-enforcement agency.
-This bill would authorize the Attorney General
-to seek to recoup any costs incurred by the state in
-the oversight of a municipal law enforcement agency.
-This bill would also authorize the Alabama State
-Law Enforcement Agency to adopt rules.
-A BILL
-TO BE ENTITLED
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
-10
-11
-12
-13
-14
-15
-16
-17
-18
-19
-20
-21
-22
-23
-24
-25
-26
-27
-28
-SB298 INTRODUCED
-Page 2
-TO BE ENTITLED
-AN ACT
-Relating to Class 3 municipalities; to mandate minimum
-staffing requirements for municipal law enforcement agencies;
-to authorize the State of Alabama to assume operational
-oversight of a municipal police department under certain
-conditions; to authorize the Alabama State Law Enforcement
-Agency to establish a corrective action plan and take other
-remedial measures for municipalities in default; and to
-authorize the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to adopt
-rules.
-BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
-Section 1.  (a) Each Class 3 municipality shall maintain
-a minimum ratio of two full-time law enforcement officers for
-every 1,000 residents of the municipality, as determined by
-the 2020 federal decennial census.
-(b) A Class 3 municipality that does not meet the
-requirements of subsection (a) on October 1, 2026, shall be
-granted an initial grace period of five years to achieve full
-compliance. The municipality shall be exempt from satisfying
-the requirements of subsection (a) during the grace period,
-provided the municipality complies with the requirements of
-subsection (c) and the other applicable provisions of this
-act.
-(c) During the grace period under subsection (b), the
-municipality shall make annual improvements of not less than
-10 percent of the deficit between the current officer ratio
-and the required ratio provided under subsection (a). Annually
-29
-30
-31
-32
-33
-34
-35
-36
-37
-38
-39
-40
-41
-42
-43
-44
-45
-46
-47
-48
-49
-50
-51
-52
-53
-54
-55
-56
-SB298 INTRODUCED
-Page 3
-and the required ratio provided under subsection (a). Annually
-during the grace period, the governing body of the
-municipality and the chief of police shall submit a report to
-the Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency
-demonstrating that the municipality is making the required
-annual improvements.
-Section 2.  On an annual basis by December 1, the
-governing body of each Class 3 municipality shall submit all
-of the following to the Secretary of the Alabama State Law
-Enforcement Agency:
-(1) The number of sworn officers as of October 31 of
-the current year.
-(2) The population used for compliance calculation.
-(3) Steps taken to recruit, hire, or train additional
-officers.
-Section 3.  (a) If a Class 3 municipality is in
-violation of Section 1, the State of Alabama, through the
-Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA),
-may assume operational oversight of the police department of
-the municipality and may execute one or more of the following
-actions:
-(1) Establish a corrective action plan for the
-municipality to regain compliance.
-(2) Deploy supplemental law enforcement personnel or
-resources.
-(3) Appoint a Chief Administrative Law Enforcement
-Officer who shall have the authority to act in all matters and
-for all purposes regarding the police department of the
-municipality, including, but not limited to, personnel
-57
-58
-59
-60
-61
-62
-63
-64
-65
-66
-67
-68
-69
-70
-71
-72
-73
-74
-75
-76
-77
-78
-79
-80
-81
-82
-83
-84
-SB298 INTRODUCED
-Page 4
-municipality, including, but not limited to, personnel
-actions, administrative procedures, enforcement strategies,
-and recruitment and retention methods.
-(4) Enter into cooperative enforcement agreements with
-the county sheriff, adjacent jurisdictions, or state agencies.
-(b) The operational oversight of the Class 3 municipal
-police department pursuant to subsection (a) shall continue
-until the passage of 365 calendar days following the
-municipality's compliance with the requirements of this act.
-Section 4.  (a) The State of Alabama and its affected
-agencies and any supporting political subdivision of the state
-shall be entitled to full restitution for the cost to deploy
-supplemental law enforcement officers during any period of
-operational oversight of a Class 3 municipal police department
-pursuant to Section 3. Restitution shall include payment,
-payable to the state and its affected agencies, for costs
-incurred implementing and administering a period of
-operational oversight, including the deployment of
-supplemental law enforcement officers.
-(b) On behalf of the State of Alabama and its affected
-agencies and any supporting political subdivision of the
-state, the Attorney General shall submit a petition for
-restitution that shall include all of the following:
-(1) The name of the agency requesting restitution.
-(2) The name and rank of each supplemental law
-enforcement officer deployed for operational oversight of the
-Class 3 municipality.
-(3) The number of hours each supplemental law
-enforcement officer was deployed.
-85
-86
-87
-88
-89
-90
-91
-92
-93
-94
-95
-96
-97
-98
-99
-100
-101
-102
-103
-104
-105
-106
-107
-108
-109
-110
-111
-112
-SB298 INTRODUCED
-Page 5
-enforcement officer was deployed.
-(4) The hourly rate at which each supplemental law
-enforcement officer was paid, including fringe benefits,
-mileage, and per diem.
-(5) The total amount of non-personnel operational costs
-incurred, including costs for equipment, vehicles, and fuel.
-(6) The total amount of money requested as restitution
-by the agency.
-(7) Any supporting documentation necessary to establish
-any expenditure under this subsection.
-(c) The court shall hold a hearing on the petition and
-shall grant the petition if the court is reasonably satisfied
-from the evidence that the petitioner has satisfied the
-requirements of this section.
-Section 5.  The Secretary of the Alabama State Law
-Enforcement Agency may adopt rules to implement and administer
-this section.
-Section 6.  This act shall become effective on October
-1, 2026.
-113
-114
-115
-116
-117
-118
-119
-120
-121
-122
-123
-124
-125
-126
-127
-128
-129
-130
+FISCAL NOTE
+Senate Bill 298
+Committee: County and Municipal Government Sponsor: Senator Will Barfoot
+Analyst: Peter Grogan Date: 02/17/2026
+REVISED
+Senate Bill 298 as introduced would establish minimum law enforcement staffinglevels for
+Class 3 municipalities which would increase the annual obligations of Class 3 municipalities, by
+an undetermined amount, beginning October 1, 2026 to: (1) meet the annual staffing
+requirements provided by this bill, until meeting full compliance by October 1, 2031; (2)
+reimburse the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and any other state or local law
+enforcement agencies for costs incurred to provide supplemental law enforcement officers to
+Class 3 municipalities that fail to make the required improvements by October 1, 2031; and (3)
+report annually to ALEA on the annual improvements made and other data required by this bill.
+In addition, this bill could increase the administrative obligations of: (1) the Office of Attorney
+General, to petition the courts for restitution; and (2) ALEA, to adopt rules implementing and
+administering the provisions of this bill.
+The Governor's introduced Budget for FY27 includes $3.0 million for the Alabama Metro
+Crime Suppression Unit.
+Finally, this bill would have an estimated aggregate fiscal impact of greater than $50,000
+annually on affected local government entities and is subject to the provisions of Section 111.05
+of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022.