This chapter is a codification disclaimer: it is meant to state current applicable law and should not change prior benefits, rights, or existing legal conditions.
(a) This chapter endeavors to add to the Code of Alabama 1975, all Madison County local laws enacted after 1978 and all Madison County prior local laws that were amended or affected by a local law enacted after 1978. (b) It is the purpose of this chapter to state current applicable law. To this end: (1) This chapter shall not affect the compensation, terms, pension and retirement benefits and rights, and other benefits and rights otherwise provided by law enacted prior to the codification of this chapter. (2) A condition or requirement for operation or effect of a law included in this chapter, including, but not limited to, voter approval at a referendum, is not superseded by the inclusion of the law in this chapter, and such condition or requirement remains applicable. (3) This chapter shall not be construed as validating, reenacting, or enacting laws otherwise superseded or repealed by a legislative enactment. (4) This chapter shall have no effect on any law that is not included or otherwise treated and that law shall have the same effect as the law had prior to the codification of this chapter. The inclusion or exclusion of a law in this chapter is not an implication, inference, or presumption affecting the validity of that law. (5) This chapter shall not affect any existing right, remedy, or defense. As to all such cases, the applicable laws in force at the adoption of this chapter shall continue in force and application. (c)(1) The classification and organization of this chapter, the parts, subparts, sections, and other hierarchy units of this chapter, and the headings thereto, are made for the purpose of convenient reference and orderly arrangement, and no implication, inference, or presumption of a legislative construction shall be drawn therefrom. (2) Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the descriptive headings or catchlines immediately preceding or within the text of the various hierarchy units, except the hierarchy unit numbers included in the headings or catchlines immediately preceding the text of such units, do not constitute part of the law, and shall in no manner limit or expand the construction of any such unit. All historical citations and effective notes set out in this chapter are given for the purpose of convenient reference, and do not constitute part of the law.