§36-32-13. Joint Legislative Oversight Committee; transfer of certain employees to State Merit System; membership of commission.

(a) There is created the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee of the Alabama Firefighters' Personnel Standards and Education Commission. The committee shall be composed of three members of each house. The senator and the representative from the districts where the Alabama Fire College is located shall be members of the committee. The remaining members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The chair and vice chair of the oversight committee shall be elected at the first meeting by the members of the oversight committee. The oversight committee shall meet as it deems necessary and shall study and oversee all facets of the Alabama Firefighters' Personnel Standards and Education Commission. The committee shall review each report provided by the commission and may make recommendations as it deems appropriate.

(b) Upon the request of the chair, the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall provide the clerical assistance necessary for the work of the oversight committee.

(c) Each member of the oversight committee shall be entitled to his or her regular legislative compensation, his or her per diem, and travel expenses for each day he or she attends a meeting of the oversight committee which shall be paid out of any funds appropriated to the use of the Legislature, upon warrants drawn on the state Comptroller upon requisitions signed by the chair of the oversight committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no member shall receive additional legislative compensation or per diem when the Legislature is in session or if a member is being paid any other payments on the same dates for attendance of other state business.

(d) Other than the executive director or any assistant or other officer, all persons employed by the Alabama Fire College on April 17, 2012, shall be automatically transferred to the State Merit System as exempt employees with no adverse effect as to salary or benefits. All transferred employees shall be entitled to all due process protections as classified Merit System employees regarding termination, including, but not limited to, an appeal to the Alabama State Personnel Board.

(e) The membership of the commission shall be inclusive and shall reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state.

(Act 2012-207, p. 340, §2.)