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The reason Pistol Permit Fees vary throughout Alabama is primarily a problem with The Laws of Alabama, themselves.
Obstensibly, Alabama is a very power-centered State, and Local Governments generally have no 'Home Rule Authority'.
'Home Rule Authority' is typically given to Local Governments so that that may govern themselves, and their Residents,to an extent, to better the lives of those Residents who live the limits of the Locale.
Alabama does not have this and normally, these Governments must ask or approach The State Legislature to provide them with the Laws they need to conduct theirBusiness.
Pistol Permit Fees is one of those things thatThe Alabama State Legislaturemust decide upon, as The Sheriff can not trump Alabama State Code 1975 11-45-1.1.
Alabama Code 1975 13A-11-75 sets the Preempted default amount to $1. However, Alabama Code 1975 11-45-1.1 allows The State itself to regulate Pistols, and anything pertaining to them. Therefore, The State of Alabama may, by changed regulation, reset the cost of Pistol Permits as they see fit under Alabama Code 1975 Title 45-Local Laws.
One example, and the first example actually, of The Alabama State Legislature doing this is Alabama Code 1975 Title 45Chapter 1 Article 23 Part 2Section 45-1-231. In this example, The State of Alabama, changed Pistol Permit Fees for Autauga County form the standard $1 to $20.
***Basically, The Sheriff goes to The Alabama Legislature and complains that because of AlabamaCode 1975 11-45-1.1 He can not do anything about raising His Pistol Permit Fee, and He complains until TheAlabama Legislature decides to raise it for Him.***
***Usually, though, these Fee-hikes come with stipulations, the most common one is: 20% of the Fee (in the above Case say..., $20, which makes $4 for The County General Fund)shall go to the County General Fund. However, in this Case, The Autauga County Sheriff's Office gets to retain theFee for 'Law Enforcement Purposes' as the Sheriff 'sees fit'.***