In the past, a seat on the ABC board has been a popular sinecure for former legislators or people with powerful political connections. The proposed legislation would require members to hold a baccalaureate degree in business or a related field, and have at least five years of experience in managing a business.

The legislation would replace six-figure salaries for board members with a payment of $50 a day for work performed by members of the new authority board. Currently, the state appropriates an annual salary of almost $131,000 to Chairman J. Neal Insley and $122,000 for each of the two commissioners.

The new board could hire and fire a CEO, who also would be required to have a background in business. The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control currently does not have a CEO, but Chief Operating Officer W. Curtis Coleburn III has been the agency’s lead administrator since 1994.

Albo said the legislation is not aimed at replacing Coleburn, who said Tuesday he expects to work at least two more years before retiring. He is slated to become president of the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators in 2015.

“All things equal, I’d like to stay another few years,” Coleburn said.