Read the full stored bill text
SB320 INTRODUCED
Page 0
SB320
4UV59IR-1
By Senators Coleman-Madison, Coleman, Stewart, Smitherman,
Sessions
RFD: Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development
First Read: 24-Feb-26
1
2
3
4
5
6
4UV59IR-1 02/23/2026 PMG (L)cr 2026-931
Page 1
First Read: 24-Feb-26
SYNOPSIS:
The Public Service Commission regulates certain
utilities in the state. The commission is comprised of
three members who are elected at-large.
This bill would increase the number of public
service commissioners so that a commissioner is elected
from each congressional district, starting in the
November 2030 general election and every four years
thereafter.
This bill would require the newly constituted
commission to elect a president from among the
commissioners.
This bill would require the commission to hold
informational public meetings at least annually.
This bill would also make nonsubstantive,
technical revisions to update the existing code
language to current style.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to the Public Service Commission; to amend
Sections 37-1-3 and 37-1-8, Code of Alabama 1975; to revise
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
SB320 INTRODUCED
Page 2
Sections 37-1-3 and 37-1-8, Code of Alabama 1975; to revise
the number of public service commissioners and to provide that
each commissioner is elected from a respective congressional
district; to require the commission to hold certain periodic
public informational meetings with utility representatives; to
amend Sections 17-14-2, 17-14-3, and 36-3-1, Code of Alabama
1975, to make conforming changes; and to make nonsubstantive,
technical revisions to update the existing code language to
current style.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 37-1-3 and 37-1-8, Code of Alabama
1975, are amended to read as follows:
"§37-1-3
(a) (1) The terms of office of the commissioners shall
be for four years .; at At the election to be held in the state
on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 1940,
and every four years thereafter until the general election
held in November 2028 , a president of the commission shall be
elected by the qualified electors of this state . At the
general election held in November 2028, the president of the
commission shall be elected to serve a two-year term until
November 2030. ; and at At the election to be held in the state
on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 1942,
and every four years thereafter , until the general election
held in November 2030, two associates, who, with the
president, shall constitute the commission, shall be elected
by the qualified electors of the state.
(2) Effective for the general election held in November
2030, there shall be seven public service commissioners. Each
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
SB320 INTRODUCED
Page 3
2030, there shall be seven public service commissioners. Each
commissioner shall serve a geographical district that shall be
identical with a corresponding congressional district as fixed
and established by Section 17-14-70, as may be amended. Each
candidate must reside in that district and must remain a
resident of his or her district for the full term.
(3) The result of such election shall be ascertained
and declared by the same authority and in the same manner as
are the results of election for Chief Justice and associate
justices of the Supreme Court.
(b)(1) The persons elected to fill the offices shall
enter upon the discharge of their respective duties on the day
after the general election at which they are elected and
expire on the day after the general election held in the
fourth year after their election The term of office of
commissioners shall be for four years in accordance with
Section 36-3-1. A commissioner may not serve more than two
full terms .
(2) At the beginning of each term, starting with the
term elected in November 2030, the commissioners shall elect a
president from among the membership of commissioners.
(c) If any vacancy should occur occurs in any one of the
offices, caused by death, resignation , relocating outside of
his or her congressional district, or otherwise, the same
office shall be filled by appointment by the Governor, the
appointee holding for the balance to serve for the remainder
of the unexpired term. If any person individual elected to the
office of public service commissioner shall fail or refuse
fails or refuses for 30 days to qualify, such the failure or
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
SB320 INTRODUCED
Page 4
fails or refuses for 30 days to qualify, such the failure or
refusal shall be held to create deemed a vacancy in the
office , which vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the
Governor, the appointee to hold for the term for which the
person so failing or refusing to qualify was elected .
(d) The provisions of this section shall not diminish
the current term of any member elected to the Public Service
Commission before the effective date of this act ."
"§37-1-8
(a) The commissioners shall have an office at
Montgomery, Alabama, and shall meet there a minimum of once a
month, with the public information officer giving notice of
the monthly meeting at least one week prior to the meeting,
and shall remain in session until all business before them is
disposed of; and they shall hold other meetings at such times
and places as may be necessary for the proper discharge of
their duty, or as the convenience of parties in the judgment
of the commission may require. They shall keep a record of all
their proceedings, which shall be open at all times to the
inspection of the public.
(b) The commissioners and staff of the commission shall
convene at least one public meeting per calendar year with
utility representatives to provide information to the public
on cost trends, reliability, resilience, general
infrastructure investment plans, competitiveness with peer
states, economic development impacts, national trends in
energy production, and other regulatory issues the commission
deems relevant. The public meetings shall be conducted in a
manner that facilitates public participation, addresses
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
SB320 INTRODUCED
Page 5
manner that facilitates public participation, addresses
concerns voiced by the public, and provides a review of key
issues that the commission believes will be helpful to the
public in understanding issues that impact services under its
jurisdiction. "
Section 2. Sections 17-4-2, 17-4-3, and 36-1-1, Code of
Alabama 1975, are amended to make conforming changes to read
as follows:
"§17-14-2
General elections throughout the state shall be held
for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Auditor,
Secretary of State, Treasurer, Commissioner of Agriculture and
Industries, three public service commissioners from each
congressional district , no two of whom shall be elected from
the same congressional district, Chief Justice and associate
justices of the Supreme Court, judges of the courts of
appeals, electors for President and Vice President of the
United States, United States senators, and such other officers
as may be required by law to be elected by the voters of the
entire state; for a member of Congress in each congressional
district; judges of the circuit court in each judicial
circuit; judges of the district courts in each district;
district attorneys in each judicial circuit; a senator in each
senatorial district; a representative in the Legislature in
each house district; a judge of the probate court, sheriff,
clerks of the circuit courts, tax assessor, tax collector, a
county treasurer in counties of more than 56,000 population,
as provided by law, coroner, and members of the county
commission in each county, and constables in each precinct of
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
SB320 INTRODUCED
Page 6
commission in each county, and constables in each precinct of
the county."
"§17-14-3
The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General,
Auditor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Commissioner of
Agriculture and Industries, senators and representatives in
the Legislature, a sheriff in each county, one coroner in all
counties having a coroner, and other officers not otherwise
provided for, shall be elected on the first Tuesday after the
first Monday in November 2006, and every fourth year
thereafter. A president of the Public Service Commission shall
be elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
November 2008, and every fourth year thereafter. Two associate
public service commissioners shall be elected on the first
Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2006, and every
fourth year thereafter. All public service commissioners shall
be elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
2030, and every fourth year thereafter. "
"§36-3-1
The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General,
Auditor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Commissioner of
Agriculture and Industries, the President of the Public
Service Commission and two associate and public service
commissioners shall hold their respective offices for the term
of four years from the time of their installation in office
and until their successors shall be elected and qualified,
such installation to take place on the first Monday after the
second Tuesday in January next after their election."
Section 3. Section 1 of this act shall become effective
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
SB320 INTRODUCED
Page 7
Section 3. Section 1 of this act shall become effective
on October 1, 2026, and Section 2 of this act shall become
effective October 1, 2029.
169
170