When the Alabama Legislature adjourned sine die on April 17 it not only ended the 2002 regular session but also closed out a legislative quadrennium. The end of a legislative quadrennium is traditionally a time when we pause to review the association's accomplishments during the period. By any measure the ACCA members should be proud of what was accomplished during these past four years.

Each December the association membership adopts a legislative agenda to be taken to the legislature. The typical agenda consist of about 10 bills. This means that considering duplicate bills that may be introduced in more than one session, the association ask the legislature to pass somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 different bills over a four-year span.

A review of our records reveals that the association was successful in influencing the passage of 28 new laws which originated as items on its legislative agendas. While it nice to point to the number of new laws inacted, it is especially gratifying to recognize that many of them will have a long lasting and significantly beneficial impact on county government. Listed below by year are brief descriptions of the new laws supported by the ACCA as components of its legislative agenda during this legislative quadrennium.

1999

Act 99-388 - Amended the On-Site Absentee Voting Statute to make the administration thereof easier and less costly.

Act 99-393 - Proposed an amendment to the Alabama Constitution to ensure that the distribution to counties and municipalities from earnings of the Alabama Trust Fund cannot be taken away by the legislature.

Act 99-597 - Established a new system for controlling the disposal of scrap tires in Alabama.

Act 99-194 - Proposed an amendment to the Alabama Constitution to phase out and eventually abolish all supernumerary positions.

Act 99-371- Provided limited liability protection for governmental entities and their officials and employees against problems that may occur as a result of computer malfunctions associated with Y2K noncompliance.

Act 99-663 - Broadened the definition of electronic vote counting equipment to include the "mark-sense" voting equipment already in use in several counties.

Act 99-703 - Amended an existing statute to make it clear that county commission members may serve on boards, commissions and authorities.

2000

Act 00-108 - Established a new method of adjusting and determining the compensation of certain county officials.

Act 00-154 - Authorized certain county offices to allow citizens to make payments to the government through the use of credit cards.

Act 00-152 - Authorized county commissions to develop regulations governing the use of public rights-of-way by water, sewer and fire protection authorities.

Act 00-153 - Authorized two or more contiguous or noncontiguous counties to enter into joint purchasing agreements.

Act 00-554 - Amended the mandatory Vehicle Liability Insurance Act to make its provision easier to administer.

Act 00-491 - Proposed an amendment to the Alabama Constitution that, among other things, provided $50 million to match proceeds of a bond issue to fund county bridge projects.

Act 00-727 - Authorized the Alabama Federal Highway Finance Authority to issue bonds in anticipation of the receipt of future federal funds, the proceeds from which to be used to fund county bridge and road projects.

2001

Act 01-1095 - Amended the Alabama statute relating to the appointment of temporary replacements for public officials who are called to active military duty.

Act 01-1097 - Abolished on-site absentee voting in Alabama.

Act 01-1131 - Lightened the state's "sore loser" statute to ensure that someone who seeks the nomination of one political party cannot later become the nominee of another political during the same election cycle.

Act 01-1130 - Amended the existing statute to further provide for the granting of leave to persons who serve as poll workers.

Act 01-727 - Established proper venue for law suits brought against counties where there is a dispute relating to redistricting of county commissions.

Act 01- 697 -- Amended the "Omnibus Salary Act" for county officials to clarify several provisions thereof.

Act 01-976 - Made several improvements in the scrap tire management statute.

Act 01-977 - Amended the state's habitual offender act to make some of its provisions retroactive.

2002

Act 02-424 - Amended the existing state statute concerning the reimbursement of training costs when one public entity hires the employees of another public entity.

Act 02-265 - Amended the state statute relating to the abatement of taxes and fees for the purpose of attracting industrial development so to further define circumstances under which the abatements can be granted.

Act 02-497 - Provided additional liability protection for counties when inmates are involved in work release programs.

Act 02-415 - Reduced the amount of time a person can be held in a county jail for failure to pay court costs.

Act 02-072 - Clarified and further defined county authority to abate public nuisances caused by abandoned buildings and other structures.

Act 02-418 - Allowed Alabama to participate in national discussions aimed at developing a method to collect sales taxes on internet transactions.

A new Alabama Legislature will be elected this November. If the ACCA is as successful working with the new legislative as it was the last, county government will enjoy another four years of significant progress.