As the 2007 regular session of the Legislature nears the halfway point of the allowed time, there are several local bills that have either passed the House, are being advertised for introduction in the House, or are undergoing final changes in order to be advertised or introduced. Following are brief descriptions of bills already passed as well as the numbers assigned to each for easy identification.

HB496 – allows investigators in the District Attorney’s Office to serve warrants and make arrests.

HB513 — allows the sheriff to contract for providing police services in Baldwin municipalities, allows for funding by the municipalities, which may choose to enter into a contract with the sheriff for such services and requires the county governing body to approve all such agreements.

HB632 — allows the Judge of Probate and Revenue Commissioner to operate branch offices in the Central Baldwin Annex in Robertsdale and to provide all services as authorized by law including recording of documents.

HB633 — allows the county governing body to establish compensation for poll workers and to pay such compensation from the county general fund.

HB634 — clarifies the right for a county commissioner to decline to serve all or a portion of the one-year period during which, under current law, each commissioner is authorized to serve as chair on a rotation basis. This was deemed necessary due to the fact that current law provides for each commissioner to serve as chair for 12 months during each four-year term. The existing law was silent as to whether a commissioner could relinquish part or all of the one-year term as chair.

Several annexation bills are in the process of being advertised for introduction or awaiting public hearings prior to introduction.

Two significant bills are in the drafting phase. One of these is the legislation providing for regulation of wastewater collection, treatment and disposal. The delegation was authorized by a countywide referendum to proceed with this endeavor. A second bill will be a proposed constitutional amendment modeled after a Mobile County program for transportation infrastructure and construction of drainage facilities. This program, referred to as a “pay-as-you-go” program, has been successfully implemented in Mobile County for decades. One of the features requires countywide voter approval of projects to be undertaken as well as the revenue to fund the projects. This feature is deemed by the delegation to be attractive and appropriate particularly because the process has worked so well for our neighbors in Mobile County.

We will share details as we finalize the proposal. In the meantime, should you need more information on these issues or others, please contact the Constituent Office at 943-5061 ext. 2240.