§ 31-14-3 — Creation; Composition; Meetings; Compensation; Powers and Duties

Alabama § 31-14-3

• Jurisdiction: Alabama
• Title 31: Military Affairs and Civil Defense
• Ch. 14: Alabama Job Creation and Military Stability Commission

Text

(a) The Alabama Job Creation and Military Stability Commission is created. Members of the commission shall include a chair and two vice chairs. The chair shall be the Lieutenant Governor, or in the absence of a Lieutenant Governor, the chair shall be the Governor, or his or her designee. The vice chairs shall be the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, or his or her designee, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or his or her designee.
(b) The commission shall also consist of the following members:
(1) Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(2) Two members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
(3) The Adjutant General of the Alabama National Guard.
(4) The Secretary of the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency.
(5) The Secretary of the Department of Commerce.
(6) The Director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
(7) The Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs.
(8) One senator from the minority caucus appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.
(9) One representative from the minority caucus appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(10) The chair of the Alabama House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
(11) The chair of the Alabama Senate Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Safety Committee.
(12) One retired senior member of the Armed Forces for each of the five major military facilities in Alabama, Redstone Arsenal, Anniston Army Depot, Maxwell Air Force Base including the Gunter Annex, Fort Moore, and Fort Novosel who shall be appointed by the Governor, after consultation with the individual designated in subdivision (13) as the civic leader from the community which the senior member of the military shall represent.
(13) One civic leader with significant experience in military relocations from each of the five communities currently impacted most significantly by the presence of military facilities and assigned personnel who shall be appointed by the chair after consultation with the existing organizations described in subsection (g).
(c) Members of the commission shall serve for a term of four years with each appointment, may be reappointed for an unlimited number of terms, and shall serve on the commission until a replacement is appointed.
(d) The commission shall meet at the call of the chair; provided, that the commission shall meet at least once annually.
(e) The commission shall adopt rules for its governance, including, but not limited to, the filling of vacancies, the election of officers, the creation of committees, including an executive committee, and the execution of documents. Members of the commission, the executive committee of the commission, or any other committee established by the commission may participate in a meeting of the commission or committee by means of telephone conference, video conference, or using similar communications methods by means of which all individuals participating in the meeting may hear one another. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting for all purposes, including for purposes of establishing a quorum. Notice of meetings shall be provided in accordance with the Alabama Open Meetings Act and similar means of communication be allowed to provide for members of the public to listen and observe meetings.
(f) The Secretary of the Senate, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Legislative Services Agency, Legal Division, the Legislative Services Agency, Fiscal Division, and the Examiners of Public Accounts shall provide assistance as requested by the commission. Each legislative member of the commission and supporting staff shall be entitled to his or her regular legislative compensation and his or her per diem and travel expenses for each day he or she attends a meeting of the commission which shall be paid out of any funds appropriated for the use of the Legislature, upon warrants drawn on the Comptroller upon requisition signed by the commission’s chair. Members shall not receive additional legislative compensation or per diem when the Legislature is in session but shall receive his or her travel expenses for all meetings attended.
(g) The commission shall make proactive attempts to ensure the stability of Alabama-assigned Department of Defense resources by the study and evaluation of military organizations, personnel, civilian support personnel, equipment, and infrastructure currently located in the state, and the re-stationing or reorganization of military resources located in, relocating to, or outside of the state using the following items of evaluation:
(1) All Department of Defense personnel, assets, and equipment, including that belonging to the Alabama National Guard and Reserve units or forces.
(2) The economic impact of these resources on surrounding communities.
(3) Current policies, programs, and services that impact Department of Defense resources located in the state.
(4) The impact these Department of Defense assets and resources have on state and local job creation.
(5) The impact of Department of Defense assets and resources on local businesses and industry.
(6) Funding available or required to promote the sustained presence of Department of Defense assets and resources appropriated to the state.
(h) The commission shall not alter the purpose, replace, or change the role of any existing organization, task force, or committee within a military community with the purpose of promoting military growth, including Base Closure and Realignment Commission associated actions.
(i) The appointing authorities of the commission shall coordinate their appointments to assure the membership of the Alabama Job Creation and Military Stability Commission is inclusive and reflects the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity of the state.
(j) The commission shall make an annual report to members of the Legislature no later than the seventh legislative day of each regular session detailing all commission activities and recommendations.
(k) The commission may accept gifts, contributions, bequests, grants, and other donations, whether public or private, of money, real property, or personal property and shall expend the same in furtherance of the work of the commission.
(l) The work of the commission shall be supported by the Military Stability Foundation, an Alabama nonprofit corporation incorporated on September 8, 2011, which shall not be considered a government body. Documents produced by or for the foundation shall not be considered public writings, even if viewed by or delivered to the commission, as the disclosure of the documents would be detrimental to the best interest of the public.

Legislative History

(Act 2017-277, p. 456, §1; Act 2019-380, §1; Act 2021-82, §1; Act 2023-291, §1; Act 2025-121, §1.)