HB 54 Summary

• Amends Alabama Code Sections 17-16-2 and 17-16-4 to expand state reimbursement of county election expenses to include publication costs and postage for absentee ballots and election notices.

• Adds absentee ballot postage and election publication costs to the list of reimbursable expenses for elections involving only federal or state office candidates.

• Creates an Election Expense Reimbursement Committee composed of eight members including the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House, Secretary of State, Director of Finance, and four committee chairs from the legislature.

• Requires the Committee to meet at least 90 days before the June 2012 primary to develop and approve a list of reimbursable election expenses, which must be distributed to county commissions and probate judges 60 days prior to elections.

• Approved expense lists remain in effect for all elections until amended by the Committee at least 90 days before a subsequent primary election.