This bill amends Section 45-27-234 of the Code of Alabama 1975, specifically regarding the qualifications required for an individual to be elected or appointed as Sheriff of Escambia County. The bill establishes that beginning June 1, 2025, an individual must meet several minimum qualifications, including being a U.S. citizen, a resident of the county for at least one year prior to qualification, and having been registered to vote in the county for at least one year. Additionally, the individual must possess a high school diploma or GED, be at least 25 years old, and have three or more years of full-time service as a law enforcement officer, with specific conditions regarding retirement and recertification. Notably, the bill also introduces a requirement for individuals who have retired from law enforcement to have three or more years of post-retirement service.

The bill removes previous language that set the qualification date to May 18, 2020, and replaces it with the new effective date of June 1, 2025. It also changes the terminology from "person" to "individual" throughout the qualifications section. Furthermore, it modifies the stipulation regarding the separation from active law enforcement, reducing the time frame from two consecutive years to one year, and adds a new requirement for individuals who have retired from law enforcement to have additional post-retirement service. The bill concludes by mandating that the elected sheriff must complete a minimum of 12 hours of executive-level continuing education annually from recognized programs.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 45-27-234