The House and Senate of the Alabama Legislature adjourned on Friday, April 8. There are no legislative days left in this session.
• HB2 by Representative Treadaway – Penalties for Rioting: This bill would increase the penalties for the crime of assault on first responders during civil unrest and mandate jail time. This bill has passed out of the House. There has been no movement since 2/22.
• HB20 by Representative Lee- This bill will extend tax exemptions for companies that refurbish aircraft parts. This bill has passed both houses and has been sent to the governor to be signed into law.
• HB82 by Representative Garrett– Small Business Relief and Revitalization Act: This bill would allow businesses to exempt $40,000 of the market value of business personal property from ad valorem tax levied by the state. It would also ensure that relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) received by qualifying disadvantaged farmers is exempt from state income tax. This billed has passed both houses and has been signed into law.
• Representative Shedd has the companion bills to Senate Majority Leader Scofield’s three broadband bills (SB123, 124, 125). These bills are in response to the current and future ARPA funds being allocated to broadband.
o HB189 creates an Alabama Digital Expansion Division chief.
▪ This bill received its first reading and was referred to the House committee on Urban and Rural Development. There has been no movement since 2/01.
o HB255 allows the state, cities and counties to grant funds designated for broadband infrastructure to private companies.
▪ This bill has passed out of the House and Senate and was delivered to the Secretary of State to be signed into law.
o HB298 creates minimum service threshold speeds for broadband service grants.
▪ This bill received its first reading and was referred to the House committee on Urban and Rural Development.
• HB135 by Representative Garrett – Education Trust Fund: This bill has passed out of the Senate with two substitutions and one amendment. This bill has passed both houses and has been forwarded to the executive department.
• HB272 by Representative Stringer – Firearms Permit Bill: This bill would repeal pistol permits for concealed carry. Nearly every police and sheriff's department in the state is opposed to this legislation. This billed has passed both houses and has been sent to the governor and signed into law.
• HB319 by Representative Coleman – Constitution Reorganization: This bill would reorganize the 121-year-old Alabama state constitution and delete outdated, annulled and racist language. This bill has passed out of both houses and has been signed into law by the Secretary of State.
• HB322 by Representative Stadthagen – Transgender Bill: This controversial bill would require public K-12 schools to designate use of rooms where students may be in various stages of undress on the basis of biological sex. This bill has passed both houses and has been sent to the governor to be signed into law.
• SB54 by Senator Allen – Memorial Preservation Act: This bill would revise penalties for moving or renaming monuments that are 40 years or older and would authorize the Attorney General to commence civil actions. This bill is pending its third reading in the Senate. The bill has been postponed indefinitely.
• SB57 by Senator Orr – Tax Incentives Bill: This bill would change the reporting date requirements of state agencies that administer economic tax incentives and establish sunset provisions and reporting guidelines for economic tax incentives. The Alliance, along with other economic development entities in the state, opposes this bill as it 1) will put sunset limits on existing and future tax incentives, 2) may limit or greatly reduce the number of years allowable on tax incentives, and 3) would require a burdensome reporting process on state agencies and possibly local granting authorities. This bill was referred to the Senate committee on Finance and Taxation Education. There has been no movement since 1/11.
• SB106 by Senator Albritton- General Fund Budget: This bill has passed the House and Senate and has been delivered to the governor to be signed into law. This is the fourth year in a row the Senate has passed a record high General Fund Budget bill at 2.7 billion dollars.
• SB112 by Senator Waggoner- Cell Phone Hands Free Bill: This bill has passed the Senate but failed to pass the House by three votes. There has been no bill movement since 2/16.
• These bills sponsored by Majority Leader Scofield are in response to the current and future ARPA funds being allocated to broadband. These are the companion bills to Representative Shedd’s three broadband bills (HB189, 255, 298).
o SB123 creates an Alabama Digital Expansion Division chief.
▪ This bill passed out of House and Senate and has been signed into law.
o SB124 creates minimum service threshold speeds for broadband service grants.
▪ This bill passed out of House and Senate and has been signed into law.
o SB125 allows the state, cities and counties to grant funds designated for broadband infrastructure to private companies.
▪ Passed of the House committee on Urban and Rural Development. Pending its third reading. There has been no bill movement since 2/23.
• SB140 by Senator Marsh – Parental Choice Bill: This controversial bill would direct money from Alabama’s Education Trust Fund to fund a student’s choice of public school, private school or homeschool. The bill would create Education Savings Accounts that would provide parents access to funds equivalent of the amount the state spends funding each public-school student. This bill has been postponed indefinitely.
• SB147 by Senator Orr – Open Meetings Bill: This bill will provide further guidelines for electronic meetings held by members of governmental bodies and public participation at those meetings. This bill has passed out of the Senate and was referred to the House committee on State Government. This bill has passed both houses and has been sent to the governor to be signed into law.
• SB152 by Senator Roberts – ARPA Bill: This bill will create an allotment in the state income tax law to conform with the federal intent behind the income tax credit expansion within the American Rescue Plan Act. This billed has passed both houses and has been signed into law.
• SB171 by Senator Orr – Education Policy: This bill would not tie the State Department of Education to Common Core standards. It establishes a goal of increasing math proficiency of students from kindergarten to 5th grade. This bill has passed out of both houses and has been signed into law.
• SB224 by Senator Orr – Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development: This bill would require an unemployed individual to search for work a certain number of times per week to be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. This bill has passed out of both houses and has been signed into law.
• SB260 by Senator Smitherman – This bill will continue the TIF District for downtown redevelopment in the city of Birmingham. This bill has passed out of both houses and has been signed into law.
• SB290 by Senator Butler – This bill would eliminate the state minimal business privilege tax for some corporations and other entities. These taxes generate approximately 23 million annually to the state General Fund Budget. This bill has passed out of the Senate and is pending its third reading in the House.