Alabama. State Treasurer (1819- ).

Authorities:

Alabama Government Manual. Sixth edition. Atlanta: Darby Printing Company. 1982.

Clay, C.C. Digest of the Laws of the State of Alabama. Tuscaloosa: Marmaduke J. Slade, 1843.

Code of Alabama 1975, 36:17:1-19. Charlottesville: The Michie Company, 1977.

Markley, Anne Ethelyn. Author Headings for the Official Publications of the State of Alabama. Chicago: American Library Association, 1948.

Toulmin, Harry. Digest of the Laws of the State of Alabama. New York: J. & J. Harper, 1823.

The State Treasurer of Alabama is the Executive Officer responsible for the custody of all State funds and funds deposited with the State, and for the payment of the State debt. The State Treasurer is selected by popular election. To qualify for the office, one must be at least twenty-five years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and an Ala. resident for at least five years immediately preceeding the election. The State Treasurer serves a four-year term of office, and is eligible for one successive term (Alabama Government Manual, 1982, p. 19).

The office of State Treasurer developed from the office of the Treasurer of the Territory of Mississippi, created in 1803. The Treasurer was appointed annually by the Governor and was charged "to keep the moneys of the territory, to disburse them, to keep accounts of receipts and expenditures of the public moneys, and to report regularly to the General Assembly" (Toulmin, 1823, p. 757). Bond for the office was $20,000. In 1807 the Treasurer was required to procure and maintain an official set of weights and measures, and to provide each county with a set (Toulmin, p. 879). In 1811 the bond for the office was $60,000 (Toulmin, p. 764). The General Assembly in 1814 directed the Treasurer "to endorse on the back of all receipt warrants the amount of gold or silver on each" (Toulmin, p. 765).

In 1817 Mar. the U.S. Congress passed an act establishing the Alabama Territory, which stipulated that all offices and laws formerly of the eastern portion of the Miss. Territory should continue to exist and be in force. A joint resolution of the Ala. Territorial Legislature of 1818 Feb. 3 authorized the Governor to draw upon the Treasury of the State of Miss. any moneys due the counties of the Ala. Territory, and to procure all public acts, papers, or documents relating to the Ala. Territory (Toulmin, p. 765).

The Ala. Constitution of 1819 provided for a State Treasurer to be elected annually by a joint vote of both houses of the General Assembly (Toulmin, p. 674). The State Treasurer assumed the duties and responsibilities of the territorial treasurer. Bond for the office was $100,000. The Governor maintained supervision over the office of Treasurer, and was authorized to appoint a competent examiner to study the Treasurer's administration. The Governor could also, at his discretion, require additional securities against the Treasurer's bond.

The Constitution of 1819 called for the State Treasurer each year to furnish the Governor and the Legislature with a report of the State's finances. At the opening of each legislative session the Treasurer was required to submit estimates of public revenue and expenditures (Clay, 1843, p. 577).

In 1822 the State Treasurer was appointed agent of the State of Ala. to receive three percent of the net proceeds from the sale of state lands (Clay, p. 586). In 1823 the Treasurer was required to keep all moneys of the Board of Trustees of the University of Ala. (Clay, p. 586). In 1824 he was required to pay to the Bank of Ala. the revenues and dues audited in the State Comptroller's Office (Clay, p. 84).

The Constitution of Ala. of 1861 provided for the biennial election of the State Treasurer (Art. IV, Section 2). The Constitution of 1868 provided for the first popular election of the State Treasurer (Art. V, Section 1). The Constitution of 1901 extended the term of office of State Treasurer from 2 to 4 years (Code of Alabama 1975, Art. V, Section 114).

In 1939 an act of the Legislature abolished the Office of State Comptroller and created the Department of Finance (General Laws of the Legislature of Alabama, 1939, No. 112). Section 9 of the Act transferred from the Office of State Treasurer to the Department of Finance the responsibility of investment of the Sinking Fund.

According to the 1982 Alabama Government Manual, the Office of State Treasurer is "the State's central banking agency" and is authorized "to invest excess funds in Time-Open Accounts with banks, repurchase agreements, and make direct purchase of U.S. Government securities."

The State Treasurer serves an an ex-officio member of:

1) Board of Control of the Teachers Retirement System.

2) Board of Control of the Employees' Retirement System of Alabama.

3) Board to Approve Contracts for Public Printing.

4) State Board of Adjustment.

5) Alabama Highway Authority.

The State Treasurer serves as treasurer and custodian of:

1) Alabjama Education Authority.

2) Alabama Corrections Institute Finance Authority.

3) Alabama School and Jr. College Authority.

4) Coosa Valley Development Authority.

5) Tombigbee Valley Authority.

6) Rehabilitation and Crippled Children Service.

7) Administration of Deposits.

Acts of Alabama, 1923 (No. 600, Section 6) stipulates that the State Treasurer may employ the following clerical assistants: one chief clerk, two clerks, one pension clerk, one bond clerk, and one stenographer (Code of Alabama 1975, 36:17:4).

As of 1954, units within the Office of State Treasurer included: Receipts, Bookkeeping, Bonds, and Warrant Disbursements (State of Alabama Organization Charts of State Departments and Agencies, State Personnel Department).

As of 1982, units within the Office of State Treasurer included: Accounting, Administrative, Transit, Warrants of Disbursement, and Bonds (Alabama Government Manual, 1982, p. 20).