§36-32-3. Officers; powers and duties; compensation; expenditures and revenues; education and training; facilities.

(a) The commission shall elect a chairman and a vice-chairman from among its members at the first regular quarterly meeting of the calendar year.

(b) The commission may do all of the following:

(1) Organize the Alabama Fire College by appointing an executive director, assistant directors, and such officers as the interest of the Alabama Fire College may require.

(2) Remove the executive director or any assistant or other officer.

(3) Fix, increase, or reduce the compensation of the executive director or any assistant or other officer.

(4) Institute, regulate, alter, or modify the government of the Alabama Fire College as the commission may deem advisable.

(5) Prescribe courses of instruction related to the mission of the Alabama Fire College.

(6) Establish the cost of any prescribed course of study related to the mission of the Alabama Fire College.

(7) Confer certifications as are usually conferred by similar institutions related to the mission of the Alabama Fire College.

(c) The commission may delegate to the executive director such powers and functions in the administration of the affairs of the fire college as the commission may deem proper, including the hiring, firing, dismissal, nonrenewal, discipline, promotion, and supervision of any employee of the Alabama Fire College and of the commission. The commission may direct the executive director to coordinate the certification of any person regulated by the commission, to conduct investigations and fulfill other duties as provided in Section 36-32-5, and to provide any technical assistance programs. The commission shall set the salaries of the faculty, administrative personnel, and support staff subject to the salary schedule adopted by the commission. The salary schedule adopted by the commission shall be identical to the salary schedule adopted by the State Board of Education for employees of state community and technical colleges. The State Board of Education may not be held liable for the failure of the commission to adopt such salary schedule. Employees of the commission shall participate in the Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama, subject to all rules, regulations, and conditions thereof and shall be considered employees as defined in subdivision (1) of Section 16-25A-1. In the event an employee of the commission is receiving a monthly benefit from the Teachers' Retirement System by virtue of his or her retirement from employment with the commission, he or she shall be considered a retired employee as defined in subdivision (2) of Section 16-25A-1, allowing participation in the Public Education Employees' Health Insurance Plan, as established in Chapter 25A of Title 16.

(d) Members of the commission shall receive fifty dollars ($50) per diem for attending meetings of the commission, plus travel expenses as provided for by state travel law, provided funds are available.

(e) The commission, the Department of Postsecondary Education, and any institution of postsecondary education may contract with the commission for the provision of services to students or for the fulfillment of the educational mission of the Alabama Fire College. The commission shall report annually to independent auditors employed by the commission all expenditures and revenues. The independent auditor shall be secured by the commission through a competitive bid process. In addition to an independent audit, the commission shall also report annually to the Chief Examiner all expenditures and revenues. The commission shall be audited by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts in accordance with Section 41-5-14. The findings of both audits shall be reported to and reviewed by the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee of the Alabama Firefighters' Personnel Standards and Education Commission.

(f) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to alter, amend, modify, repeal, or affect in any way the provisions in Chapter 18 of Title 22 or to prohibit or limit in any way the authority of the Alabama Department of Public Health to establish standards for the training, qualification, scope of privilege, certification, licensing of emergency medical services personnel and for the operation, design, equipment and licensing of ambulances, and ambulance service operators. The commission may authorize the Alabama Fire College to provide education and training to firefighters and trainees in emergency medical services, but only in a manner that complies with Chapter 18 of Title 22 and the rules of the State Board of Health.

(g) The commission may not move its facilities unless authorized by an act of the Alabama Legislature.

(Acts 1975, No. 863, p. 1701, §3; Acts 1978, No. 778, p. 1140, §1; Acts 1980, No. 80-809, p. 1669, §1; Acts 1988, No. 88-663, p. 1064, §3; Act 2012-207, p. 340, §1.)