Senate Passes Bill Setting Salary For Tuscaloosa County Probate Judge

MONTGOMERY, AL — The Alabama Senate on Tuesday approved a local measure that formally sets the annual salary for the probate judge of Tuscaloosa County.

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The annual salary will now be set at $157,500, which will be allocated from the county's general fund. What's more, the probate judge — who also chairs the Tuscaloosa County Commission —will also be entitled to cost-of-living raises and all uniform pay increases granted to other county employees.

House Bill 424 was sponsored by State Rep. Cynthia Almond, a Republican from Tuscaloosa, and heads to the governor's desk after receiving no opposition in either chamber of the legislature.

Others supporting the bill included State Rep Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa; State Rep. Rodney Sullivan, R-Northport and State Rep. Rich Wingo, R-Tuscaloosa.

Following the bill's passage, Almond explained that the measure provides more clarity, as the position’s salary was previously tied to the presiding circuit judge’s salary — at a time when circuit judges presided for years at a time in the same position.

Almond said judges now rotate that position, making it impossible to keep the probate judge’s salary set accordingly.

“I was pleased to be able to carry this bill for Tuscaloosa County and to work with the probate judge to improve and clarify our laws," she told Patch on Tuesday. "That office is quite broad in Tuscaloosa, with duties not only to the court but also as presiding member of the county commission. It is an important role, and Tuscsloosa has been fortunate to have been well represented there over the years and today."

Now that the bill has cleared both chambers of the legislature, it will go into effect immediately if and when it is signed into law by Republican Gov. Kay Ivey.

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