(a) The Department of Public Safety shall protect, from the date of his or her election, throughout his or her term and for a period of five years after the expiration of his or her term of office, the person of the Governor of the State of Alabama and the members of the immediate family and the Governor-elect; and from the date of their respective elections and throughout their respective terms of office the Department of Public Safety is required to protect the person of the Lieutenant Governor, the next two officers in order of succession to the Office of Governor, the President Pro Tem of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, each until their successors are elected, and the Lieutenant Governor-elect and the Attorney General and the Attorney General-elect; and, at the direction of the Governor or Director of Public Safety, other officials of the state and distinguished visitors to the state. The Department of Public Safety may call on other departments of state government to assist in this protective function. Provided, however, the protection of such state officers shall be at each officer's discretion.
(b)(1) Persons serving as executive security officers on July 1, 1998, shall be entitled to continue under their employment status as of that date, including, but not limited to, the provision of all employee benefits, compensation, and job protection benefits held on that date.
(2) After July 1, 1998, the Director of Public Safety shall employ all executive security officers. These officers shall serve at the discretion of the director. These officers shall:
a. Be nonmerit-system employees of the department, but shall be appointed in accordance with the spirit of all applicable federal court orders, including U.S. v. Ballard, pertaining to the employment practices of the State of Alabama.
b. Receive the compensation determined by the director but not less than that of a state trooper of an equivalent rank.
c. Work in uniforms as prescribed by the director.
(3) The director may limit the duties of executive security officers to providing protection at the Governor's Mansion in Montgomery, Alabama, and at the primary residence of any former governor who is physically disabled.
(4) All executive security officers shall be clothed with the powers and authority of peace officers and shall have the power of arrest. The provisions of the Minimum Standards and Training Act shall not be mandatory on such executive security officers and they shall be exempt from compliance therewith. The salary of any Department of Public Safety personnel, currently classified in the state Merit System, shall not exceed three steps above his earned permanent rank; provided, however, this provision shall not be construed to prohibit any earned promotion.
(5) The salary of the executive security officers shall be paid from any funds appropriated for the Department of Public Safety.
(c) The provisions of Section 36-21-50 shall have no application to any person acting pursuant to this section.
(d) Any other provision of law or judicial or administrative rule or ruling to the contrary notwithstanding, the director may use any personnel or equipment of the department for the protection or security, or both, of any protectee designated in this chapter, at any personal, political, official, campaign-related, or recreational event.
(e) If a protectee is provided protection or security on a personal or recreational trip outside the State of Alabama, the protectee shall reimburse the state for vehicle usage at a rate equal to the mileage reimbursement for state employees. Protectees shall be provided protection and security without cost or reimbursement for personal or recreational trips within the state, and for trips held outside of Alabama which entail official business.
(f) Protection for protectees attending political or campaign events shall be subject to the following provisions:
(1) If a protectee attends a campaign event related to another person's political campaign, an official political party function, or a political fundraiser, the sponsor or sponsors of the event who extended the invitation shall reimburse the state for vehicle usage at a rate equal to the mileage reimbursement for state employees.
(2) If the protectee was not extended an invitation to those events specified in subdivision (1), and attended on his or her own volition, the protectee or the protectee's campaign shall reimburse the State of Alabama for vehicle usage at a rate equal to the mileage reimbursement for state employees.
(3) If a protectee is provided protection to attend a campaign function aimed exclusively at election of the protectee, the protectee or the protectee's campaign shall reimburse the State of Alabama for vehicle usage at a rate equal to the mileage reimbursement for state employees.
(4) All reimbursements shall be made within 45 days of an event and shall be paid to the state Comptroller for deposit into the State General Fund.
(5) A violation of this subsection by an event sponsor or by a protectee is punishable as a Class C misdemeanor.
(g) No reimbursement made by the protectee or a sponsor or sponsors of an event as provided in this section shall be construed as an in-kind contribution to the protectee's political campaign if such reimbursement was made during the period of time in which campaign contributions are prohibited.
Last modified: May 3, 2021