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HB416 • 2026

Cleburne County; Cleburne County Economic Development Authority, established

Cleburne County; Cleburne County Economic Development Authority, established

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Robertson (C)
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the authority's powers regarding project specifics such as building factories or attracting businesses.

Establishing the Cleburne County Economic Development Authority

This law creates an authority to negotiate on behalf of Cleburne County for industrial and economic development matters.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new organization called the Cleburne County Economic Development Authority.
  • Sets up a board of directors with members appointed by county commissioners from different districts.
  • Gives the board power to make decisions about economic development projects, like building factories or attracting businesses.
  • Allows the authority to hire staff and use money from various sources to support its work.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Cleburne County residents
  • Businesses in Cleburne County

Terms To Know

Economic Development Authority
A group set up by the government to help businesses grow and create jobs.
Board of Directors
The team that makes decisions for an organization, like choosing projects or hiring staff.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how much money will be given to the authority.
  • Does not explain what happens if a board member leaves before their term ends.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-03 House

    Enacted

  2. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 536 (Yeas 31, Nays 0)

  3. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 31, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-02-24 House

    Delivered to Governor

  5. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Signature Requested

  6. 2026-02-24 House

    Enrolled

  7. 2026-02-24 House

    Ready to Enroll

  8. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  9. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  10. 2026-02-17 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 429 (Yeas 13, Nays 0)

  11. 2026-02-17 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 53, Nays 0)

  12. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  13. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Local Legislation

  14. 2026-02-12 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  15. 2026-02-12 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  16. 2026-02-10 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  17. 2026-02-10 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Local Legislation

Official Summary Text

Cleburne County; Cleburne County Economic Development Authority, established

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB416 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB416
V7I1EVL-2
By Representative Robertson (N & P)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 10-Feb-26
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HB416 Enrolled
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First Read: 10-Feb-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to Cleburne County; to establish the Cleburne
County Economic Development Authority; to provide for the
membership of a board of directors; and to provide for the
powers and duties of the authority.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) The Cleburne County Economic Development
Authority is established to negotiate for the county on all
industrial and economic development matters in the county. The
board of directors of the authority shall consist of the
following members, all of whom must be residents and qualified
electors of the county:
(1) Two members serving an initial term of two years,
one of whom is appointed by the county commissioner
representing District 4 and one of whom is appointed by the
county commissioner representing District 2.
(2) Two members serving an initial term of four years,
one of whom is appointed by the county commissioner
representing District 1 and one of whom is appointed by the
county commissioner representing District 3.
(3) One member serving an initial term of six years
appointed by the chair of the county commission.
(b) Following initial terms, all members shall serve
four-year terms that shall commence on January 1. Any vacancy
on the board shall be filled by the respective appointing
authority for the remainder of the member's term.
(c) Members of the board shall serve without
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(c) Members of the board shall serve without
compensation but are entitled to reimbursement from funds of
the authority for their actual and necessary expenses incurred
in the performance of their actual duties.
(d) No later than November 1, 2026, the board shall
hold an organizational meeting at which time the board shall
elect a chair and vice chair by majority vote of the members
present and voting at the meeting. Thereafter, the board of
directors shall meet at least quarterly and at any other time
if two-thirds of the members of the board submit a request to
the chair of the board stating a need for a special meeting.
(e) At the first board meeting in January of each year,
the board of directors, by a majority vote, shall elect a
chair, vice chair, secretary, and treasurer who shall hold
office until their successors have been elected.
Section 2. (a) The board may adopt bylaws to regulate
and administer the business of the Cleburne County Economic
Development Authority.
(b) Members of the board shall appoint a director to
serve at the pleasure of the board to carry out the day-to-day
operations of the authority. The director shall be subject to
the filing requirements under Section 36-25-14, Code of
Alabama 1975.
Section 3. The authority may employ such personnel as
the director, in consultation with the members of the board,
deems necessary to carry out the duties and purposes of the
authority. Personnel employed by the authority may participate
in the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama like other
employees of the county and may purchase prior service credit
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employees of the county and may purchase prior service credit
in the Employees' Retirement System for services rendered to
Cleburne County under the applicable laws and rules of the
Employees' Retirement System of Alabama.
Section 4. Members of the board of directors and the
director of the authority shall be considered public officials
for purposes of Chapter 25 of Title 36, Code of Alabama 1975.
Section 5. (a) The authority shall formulate and
implement plans to promote and foster the industrial
development and economic growth of all areas of Cleburne
County and any incorporated municipalities located within the
county. To this end, the authority shall be entitled to all of
the powers, rights, privileges, exemptions, and immunities
provided by the general laws of Alabama to local industrial
development authorities, including, but not limited to,
abatement or exemption of local taxes, issuance of bonds, and
the acquisition, enlargement, improvement, replacement,
ownership, leasing, selling, or disposing of properties as the
authority deems necessary to promote the creation of jobs and
develop commerce and trade within the county and the state.
(b)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the authority
may not abate or exempt any local tax to any person or other
entity unless the governing body of the local entity in which
the tax is levied affirmatively approves the granting of the
economic incentive.
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1), the authority may
not abate or exempt any local taxes to a board member, the
director, or any employee of the authority; to his or her
spouse or dependent child; or to any business with which the
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spouse or dependent child; or to any business with which the
person is associated, as that term is defined in Section
36-25-1, Code of Alabama 1975.
Section 6. The headquarters office of the authority
shall be located in Cleburne County.
Section 7. The operations of the authority may be
funded from any of the following sources:
(1) Funds appropriated or allocated by the Cleburne
County Commission.
(2) Revenue from taxes on the sale of tobacco collected
by the county.
(3) Grants from other governmental authorities or
public organizations.
(4) Grants or donations from private individuals or
organizations.
Section 8. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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1, 2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 17-Feb-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 24-Feb-26 Passed
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