Alabama mayors and city council members are now required by state law to sit through training on ethics, budgeting and open meetings rules. This week in Mobile, 98 officials graduated from the Certified Municipal Official program, which began in 1994. The Alabama Municipal Official Training Act, which took effect at the start of 2025, requires newly elected officials to complete 40 hours of coursework during their first four-year term, covering everything from competitive bid laws to zoning.
The law, approved by the Alabama Legislature in 2024, folds into a program that predates it by three decades. According to Alabama Political Reporter, uncertified mayors and council members must complete 20 hours of core training and 20 hours of noncore training during their terms, and the Alabama League of Municipalities has tracked more than 5,200 officials participating in its training as of October. The requirement generally breaks down to about 10 hours a year during a first term, though officials who already hold basic Certified Municipal Official certification face a lighter annual load of five hours instead of 10, per guidance published by the league.
Graduation Ceremony Caps a Busy Week in Mobile
The league held its annual graduation and awards ceremonies on Tuesday at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center, where more than 90 municipal officials graduated and received awards through the Certified Municipal Official program. Glencoe, Hokes Bluff and Shorter each took home awards recognizing that their mayor and every council member individually logged at least 40 credit hours within a year, according to the same report from Alabama Political Reporter.
The Municipal Leadership Institute drew about 300 elected officials to Mobile for sessions focused on artificial intelligence and other local government issues, according to AL.com. Attendees could earn roughly six credit hours at the institute, part of a system officials can use to work toward higher certification tiers after completing 40, 80 or 120 total credit hours.
Why the League Pushed for a Mandatory Law
Greg Cochran, executive director of the Alabama League of Municipalities, said rising disputes and other issues prompted the league to push lawmakers toward a mandatory law rather than relying solely on its long-running voluntary program, which launched in 1994. Cochran said the training helps manage expectations among the Legislature and citizens and supports trust in local officials, per AL.com's reporting. He has also said the league's backing made it the first state municipal league to support a mandatory training law of this kind.
Rusty Jessup, mayor of Riverside and current president of the league, pointed to turnover as part of the rationale. Jessup said elected officials saw about 30 percent turnover after the last municipal election, a churn that leaves many newcomers needing a crash course in budgeting, public records law and the state's open meetings requirements. The league held four orientation sessions across Alabama after the 2025 municipal elections to help bring new officials up to speed, and it continues to host roughly 18 meetings statewide each year.
No Penalty Yet for Officials Who Skip Training
Officials who fail to complete the required training currently face no punishment, according to AL.com's reporting, even as the league monitors officials' progress and offers incentives and recognition for those who meet or exceed the requirements. Training is available through in-person sessions and online courses year-round, including a partnership with the Alabama Community College System that gives mayors and council members access to additional online programs. Alabama has 466 municipalities, meaning the mandate touches a wide swath of local government across the state.
Sherry Sullivan is the mayor of Fairhope and the league's immediate past president. Separately, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tommy Tuberville, who faces voters on November 3, has said that if elected, his administration would attend future league meetings and help train officials on grant applications.
How Alabama Compares to Other States
Alabama is one of only two states in the country with a municipal-official training requirement, according to WAKA, which reported nearly 500 newly elected and veteran mayors and council members attending day-and-a-half training sessions in Montgomery last October. By contrast, Kentucky has no state law requiring city commissioners or mayors to participate in training on state laws or ethics, according to the Messenger-Inquirer. The Kentucky League of Cities offers certificates after 30, 60 and 90 hours of voluntary coursework, with its certified and master municipal officer tracks requiring 135 and 180 hours respectively, but none of it is mandatory the way Alabama's new law now is.
