Employees' Retirement System of Alabama, State Police Tier II Plan members paid for up to 80 hours unused annual leave over 480 hours per year
Summary
HB255 amends Section 36-26-35 of the Code of Alabama to create a new leave-payout rule for certain state law enforcement personnel. The bill specifically allows State Police Tier II Plan members to be paid for up to 80 hours per year of accrued annual leave that exceeds 480 hours, using the employee’s regular rate of pay. It also retains existing annual leave accumulation and carryover rules for state merit system employees and legislative personnel, and it preserves the current payout provisions for Department of Public Safety law enforcement officers and qualifying Department of Corrections employees.
In practical terms, the bill expands a limited cash-out option for unused leave to a defined group of state police retirement plan members, while leaving the broader leave structure unchanged. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, and it would affect state payroll and retirement-administration practices for covered employees, especially those in law enforcement classifications who accrue large leave balances.
Impact
HB255 would amend Alabama’s annual leave statute governing state employees by adding a specific payment authorization for State Police Tier II Plan members and by cross-referencing existing payout rules for other law enforcement and corrections personnel. It would not broadly change leave accrual rates or carryover limits, but it would create a new statutory entitlement for a narrow class of employees to monetize excess leave above 480 hours, up to 80 hours annually. The bill would primarily affect the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama, state payroll administration, and covered public safety employees.
Sentiment
The available voting record shows strong support and no recorded opposition in the House, with the bill passing as amended by unanimous or near-unanimous margins and no nays on the final readings. There is no committee transcript indicating controversy, and the bill appears to have been treated as a targeted personnel/payroll adjustment rather than a broader policy dispute. Overall, the sentiment reflected in the vote history is favorable and noncontentious.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. The only notable policy issue implicit in the bill is the cost and administrative impact of allowing additional leave payouts for State Police Tier II Plan members, which would be relevant to the General Fund and payroll systems. Because the bill passed the House overwhelmingly and without recorded opposition, any disagreement appears to have been minimal or absent in the available record.