The Governor may appoint commissioners in other states and territories of the United States to take and certify depositions, to receive the acknowledgment and take the proof of conveyances of property within this state and the proof of wills, executed by persons without the state, devising or bequeathing property within this state. Commissioners appointed under this section shall hold office for four years.

The official acts of any person in possession of a public office and exercising the functions thereof shall be valid and binding as official acts in regard to all persons interested or affected thereby, whether such person is lawfully entitled to hold office or not and whether such person is lawfully qualified or not, but such person shall be liable to all penalties imposed by law for usurping or unlawfully holding office or for exercising the functions thereof without lawful right or without being qualified according to law.

Any state official who by law is required to publish an annual, biennial or quadrennial report is authorized to reduce the actual number of printed copies now required by law if, in the opinion of said officer, a decreased number of copies will adequately supply the needs of his department and the public demand; provided, that where more than 500 copies are required by law, the number of printed copies may not be reduced to less than 500 copies.

(a) Any officer or employee of the State of Alabama, any political subdivision or school district thereof, of any institution supported in whole or in part by the state, a county or a municipality who desires to make a contribution to a community chest or other combination of nonprofit health or welfare agencies shall be permitted to have such contribution deducted from the salary or wage due such officer or employee by filing a written request therefor with the fiscal officer of the state, political subdivision, school district or institution by which such officer or employee is employed.

(b) Upon receipt of such request by the fiscal officer of the state, political subdivision, school district or institution from such officer or employee, such fiscal officer is authorized to issue a warrant or warrants in favor of the designated community chest or other combination of nonprofit health or welfare agencies in such amount as may be designated in such request.

Rrepealed by Acts 1991, No. 91-561, p. 1037, § 8, effective July 1, 1992.

All laws to the contrary notwithstanding, every political subdivision of this state which employs full-time firefighters shall adopt policies or regulations which will provide for deductions from the salaries of its firefighters or groups of firefighters whenever a written request for such deductions is submitted to the governing body of the (employer) political subdivision. Such deductions shall be made on a monthly basis and shall be remitted to the appropriate company, association or organization as specified by the employees within 10 days following each deduction. Such deductions may be made for, but not limited to, tax sheltered annuities, membership dues, the Public Employees* Individual Retirement Account Fund, voluntary contributions and group insurance premiums. Deductions for membership dues shall be made based upon membership lists and forms provided by the employees* organization. Such lists are to be corrected, updated and returned to the employees* designated organization(s) not later than April 15 of each year. The 1984 dues and voluntary contribution authorized, with appropriate yearly adjustments, shall be deducted for each succeeding year unless the employee revokes the deductions in writing on or before January 2 of that year. Voluntary contributions may be revoked by giving a 30-days notice in writing. New authorization shall be permitted to be added during the months of April, August and December of each year. Upon termination, amounts owed under the authorization of the employee shall be deducted from the employee*s final pay due.

(a) The state Comptroller shall adopt statewide policies which provide for deductions from the salaries of state employees or groups of state employees whenever a request is presented to the state Comptroller by a group of participating state employees equal in number to at least 200 provided, however, that deductions being made as of April 23, 1985, shall continue to be made. The deductions shall be made at least monthly and shall be remitted to the appropriate company, association, or organization as specified by the employees. The deductions may be made for membership dues, and voluntary contributions, and insurance premiums. Any deduction provided under the provisions of this section may be terminated upon two months* notice in writing by a state employee to the appropriate company, association, or organization and to the appropriate payroll clerk or other appropriate officials as specified by the state Comptroller.

(b) The state Comptroller may, at his discretion, collect from the deductions withheld a cost of administration fee not to exceed one percent of the total deduction collected.

The policies adopted by the state Comptroller for deductions from the salaries of state employees or groups of state employees for employee organizations shall provide that the deductions for membership dues and voluntary contributions shall be made based on membership lists and forms provided by the employees* organization. Such lists are to be corrected and revised annually according to procedures to be established by the state Comptroller. Membership dues and voluntary contributions currently authorized shall continue on an annual basis for the current yearly period and for each succeeding yearly period unless the employee revokes the deduction in writing within 10 days of the next succeeding yearly period. Voluntary contributions may be revoked by giving a 30-day notice in writing. New authorizations shall be permitted on a monthly basis according to procedures to be established by the state Comptroller. Upon leaving state service whether by death, retirement, termination, resignation, leave of absence or other means, payroll deduction of dues and authorized voluntary deductions shall cease. When an employee returns to state service from an approved leave of absence or other temporary leave, payroll deductions and voluntary contributions shall resume unless the employee revokes the deductions in writing. When amounts have been correctly deducted and remitted by the state Comptroller, the state Comptroller shall bear no further responsibility or liability for subsequent transactions.

(a) The payroll clerk or other responsible person in charge of the payroll system, may deduct from the salary or wages of any state officer or employee, an amount specified by the officer or employee for payment to the Foster Care Trust Fund established by Sections 38-10-50 and 38-10-51. The payroll deduction shall be made if the request for the deduction is made in writing, the deduction shall continue in effect unless a new written request is filed according to the requirement of this section, and the pay period during which the deduction is made, the frequency, and the amount of the deduction are compatible with the payroll system.

(b) Moneys deducted pursuant to this section shall be paid monthly to the Alabama Department of Human Resources to be deposited in a separate account specifically for donations for the Foster Care Trust Fund. The deduction may be made notwithstanding that the compensation actually paid to the officer or employee is reduced to an amount below the minimum prescribed by law. Payment to an officer or employee of compensation, less the deduction, shall constitute a full and complete discharge of claims and demands for services rendered by the employee during the period covered by the payment. The request for the deduction may be withdrawn at any time by filing a written notification of withdrawal with the payroll clerk or other responsible official in charge of the payroll system.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow deductions for any fund other than the Foster Care Trust Fund.

(a) The state Comptroller shall adopt statewide policies which provide for the deductions from the salaries of state employees whenever a request is presented to the state Comptroller by the participating state employee to purchase a computer or computer software. The deductions shall be made at least monthly and shall be remitted to the appropriate company or other legal entity as specified by the participating state employee. The deductions may be made for the purchase of computer software and computer hardware by the state employee under an agreement with the state Comptroller. Any deduction provided under this section may be terminated upon two months* notice in writing by the participating state employee to the appropriate company or other legal entity and to the appropriate payroll clerk or other appropriate official as specified by the state Comptroller.

(b) Upon leaving state service whether by death, retirement, termination, resignation, leave of absence, or other means, payroll deductions made pursuant to this section shall terminate and any amounts owed under the authorization of the participating state employee shall be deducted from the state employee*s final pay due.

(c) This section is supplemental and shall not be construed to repeal or supersede any law not in direct conflict herewith, including this chapter.

Any person who is entitled to receive any retirement pay or allowance, pension, survivor*s benefit, disability benefit or other benefit under any retirement system or pension and relief system established for the benefit of employees either of the State of Alabama or any department, agency or institution thereof or of any municipality, county or other subdivision of the state may, at such person*s discretion, decline to accept any portion of the retirement pay or allowance, pension, survivor*s benefit, disability benefit or other benefit which such person is entitled to receive. Each person wishing to exercise the right granted in this section to decline any portion of any such payment, allowance, pension or benefit shall file written notice thereof with the governing authority of the retirement system or pension and relief system in such manner as such authority may prescribe, showing in such notice the amount of such payment, allowance, pension or benefit which such person declines. Upon receipt of such notice, the governing authority of the retirement system or pension and relief system shall cause the payment, allowance, pension or benefit receivable by such person to be reduced in an amount equal to the amount shown in the notice.

All amounts declined and disclaimed in accordance with this section shall accrue to the benefit of the retirement system or pension and relief system and may not, after the disclaimer of any such amount, be reclaimed by the beneficiary thereof; provided, however, that upon receipt of written notice given by any person who has declined any amount of such payment, allowance, pension or benefit, the governing authority of the retirement system or pension and relief system shall cause to be resumed payment of the full amount of such payment, allowance, pension or benefit due such person under the laws, rules and regulations governing the administration of such system.

The board of directors or other like governing authority of each retirement system or pension and relief system established for the benefit of the employees of the State of Alabama, or any department, agency or institution thereof or of any municipality, county or other subdivision of the state shall have authority to make such reasonable rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(a) Any director or head of a state department, agency, bureau, or division shall allow any state employee under his or her supervision, who operates a motor vehicle in the performance of his or her duties, whether such employee is in travel status or otherwise, and whether the vehicle is state owned or leased or otherwise, to acquire insurance, in the manner provided in subsection (b) of this section, insuring such employee against personal liability arising out of and a proximate consequence of the operation of a motor vehicle by such employee in the performance of his or her duties. Such coverage shall be issued by an insurance company licensed and qualified to do business in this state.

(b) The insurance provided under the provisions of this section shall be acquired by the employee by virtue of an additional condition or rider to a policy of insurance under which the state employee is otherwise insured, provided however, the deductible on said insurance shall not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

(c) The department, agency, bureau, or division shall reimburse the employee for the actual cost of the required coverage in the form of a rider to the employee*s personal policy. The director or head of the state department, agency, bureau, or division shall have sufficient proof that the employee*s coverage meets the provisions of this section, if current and has been paid before he or she approves any reimbursement to the employee. Such reimbursement shall not exceed the cost of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) combined single limit liability insurance nor shall the coverage authorized herein exceed that which is provided to the employee in the personal liability policy of the employee. Such reimbursement, properly documented, may be made by warrant issued by the Comptroller, and such reimbursement may be claimed as a travel expense item, charged against the department or agency, when approved by the director or head thereof. Such required insurance may be purchased without regard to the competitive bid laws of this state.

(d) The term @state employee@ as used in this section shall not include any teacher or any employee of any institution of higher learning.

(e) In addition to, and in the same manner as reimbursement for insurance coverage, a state employee shall be reimbursed for insurance deductible and out-of-pocket expenses that result from damages sustained in an accident that occurs in a personal vehicle while that personal vehicle is being used for official state business. The reimbursement shall be made to the state employee within 90 days after the state receives proper documentation demonstrating payment by the employee for damages sustained or associated with the accident.

(a) The various state agencies, departments, boards or commissions shall determine and report their needs for liability coverage to the Finance Director, the Insurance Commissioner, and the Attorney General. The Finance Director, with the advice of the Insurance Commissioner and Attorney General, shall then determine the type of blanket policy needed to provide basic coverage for deaths, injuries, or damages arising out of the negligent or wrongful acts or omissions committed by state employees or agents of the state, including individuals serving as foster parents licensed or approved by the Department of Human Resources to maintain homes for a child or children under the supervision of said department or serving as adult foster care providers approved by the Department of Human Resources to provide foster care for adults under the supervision of the Department of Human Resources, while in the performance of their official duties in the line and scope of their employment or duties as foster parents or foster care providers. Any policy of insurance or reinsurance shall be selected by the Finance Director on a competitive bid basis for an initial period of three years with a provision for annual review beginning October 1, 1987.

(b) The Finance Director, with the advice of the Insurance Commissioner and the Attorney General, may provide for self-insurance of the entire state or any part of the state under such terms and conditions as the Finance Director shall determine. Any funds appropriated for the purpose of self-insurance and paid into a special trust account under the provisions of this section shall not revert to the State Treasury at the end of a fiscal year, but may be carried over from year to year provided such funds are not used for any other purpose.

(c) In any action brought in the courts of the State of Alabama or United States wherein a plaintiff seeks damages arising out of the negligent or wrongful acts or omissions committed by state employees or agents of the state, including those foster parents and foster care providers specified in subsection (a) herein, while in the performance of their official duties in the line and scope of their employment or duties as foster parents or foster care providers, the plaintiff shall cause the Attorney General of the State of Alabama to be served with a copy of the suit against the employee, agent or servant of the board, agency, commission or department.

(d) The charges or costs of the liability insurance or self-insurance provided under the provision of this section shall be paid from the funds appropriated for the operation of the several state departments, agencies, boards, or commissions. The Finance Director may apportion the costs or charges to the several state departments, agencies, boards or commissions in order to cover the risk involved.

(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any educational institution or board in this state.

(a) Any instrumentality or agency of the State of Alabama, whose principal activity consists of distributing goods or services by contract with the United States, or any federal governmental corporation, and which are not covered by the provisions of Chapter 29 of this title, shall be subject to all the provisions of this section. Such instrumentality or agency is hereby empowered to purchase and pay for group health, accident or hospitalization insurance coverage for its officers and employees. Such instrumentality or agency is hereby further authorized to contract with the State Employees* Insurance Board for group health, accident or hospitalization insurance coverage, and under such terms, conditions, and costs as the State Employees* Insurance Board and the instrumentality or agency shall mutually determine. The cost or premium for such group health, accident or hospitalization insurance shall not be deemed to be compensation to the covered party.

(b) All contracts and policies of group life, health, accident and hospitalization insurance which have been issued prior to July 1, 1991, to any instrumentality or agency defined in subsection (a) for the benefit of its officers and employees are hereby ratified, confirmed, approved and validated. All acts done and all premiums paid by said instrumentality or agency of any such contract or policy are hereby ratified, confirmed, approved and validated.

Repealed by Act 2000-767, §2, 2000 Regular Session, effective August 1, 2000.

(a) There is established the Alabama Employees* Suggestion Incentive Program for merit and non-merit employees of state government. The program will make financial incentive awards to state employees whose adopted suggestions result in substantial financial savings or improvement in the efficiency of state operations.

(b) There is established the Alabama Employees* Suggestion Incentive Board, which shall be composed of the Director of Finance, the Governor or his or her designee, and the Executive Director of the Alabama State Employees* Association.

(c) The board shall adopt rules to govern its proceedings and may adopt any other rules and regulations necessary to implement this section, including specifying classifications of employees for award purposes and excluding any employee classifications from this section.

(d) The board shall elect a chair and secretary, shall maintain a permanent and accurate record of its proceedings, and shall establish criteria for making and approving awards. The board shall meet at least quarterly to evaluate suggestions forwarded to it by state departments and agencies. Departments or agencies shall forward to the board a suggestion submitted by an employee together with the department*s recommendation regarding the suggestion and a calculation of one-time savings, and when possible, the on-going savings that would result from implementation of the suggestion. The department or agency shall not implement an employee suggestion forwarded pursuant to this section until the board approves and authorizes implementation.

(e) Upon approval and implementation of an employee suggestion that is meritorious, the board shall award the employee submitting the suggestion a one-time cash award of one thousand dollars ($1,000). In an exceptional situation, the board may award up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) to an employee for a suggestion or suggestions that result in extraordinary savings or improvement for the state.

(f) No elected official or department head shall be eligible to be a recipient of an incentive award pursuant to this section.

(g) A state department or agency shall implement the employee suggestion within 180 days of the approval notice from the board or provide a written report to the board at that time with specific reasons why the department has not implemented the suggestion.

(h) Beginning with the budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2000, the Legislature shall make an annual appropriation to the board for implementing this section.

(a) No person may require or demand as a condition of continued employment with the State of Alabama that an individual submit to or take a polygraph or similar test.

(b) Any person found guilty of violating subsection (a) shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the @Disaster Services Volunteer Leave Act of 1995.@

(b) As used in this section, the following words have the following meanings:

(1) DISASTER. Any disaster designated at level IV and above in the American National Red Cross Regulations and Procedures.

(2) STATE AGENCY. Any department, office, commission, board, institution, or other entity of the state, including but not limited to, the offices of the Clerk of the Supreme Court and clerks of the appellate courts, the several courts of the state, and the Legislature, its committees or commissions.

(c) An employee of a state agency who is a certified Disaster Services Volunteer of the American Red Cross may be granted leave from work with pay not to exceed 15 work days in any 12-month period to participate in specialized disaster relief services for the American Red Cross, upon the request of the American Red Cross for the services of that employee and upon the recommendation of the employee*s agency head and with the approval of the Governor, without loss of seniority, pay, vacation time, sick time, or earned overtime accumulation. The employee*s agency shall compensate an employee granted leave under this section at his or her regular rate of pay for those regular work hours during which the employee is absent from work while participating in disaster relief services pursuant to this section. The employee*s agency head shall assure that no loss of agency productivity shall result from such recommended and approved leave.

A state official authorized by federal law or regulation may issue and execute passports in accordance with federal law. A fee prescribed by federal law or regulation shall be paid for each passport issued and the proceeds shall be collected and retained by the state official before whom an application is executed.

All persons who are regularly employed by the state and whose pay is seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) or less exclusive of benefits shall be permitted to also engage in employment in the private sector if the employment is not specifically prohibited by statute, and if there is no conflict with the state job of the state employee. However, no employee shall engage in employment in the private sector during their scheduled working hours. The entity that employed the state employee shall not do business with or be employed by the department that employs the state employee.