In anticipation of the upcoming session of the Alabama legislature, the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) has released its legislative agenda for the coming year, which includes new lead, support and long-term priorities.
“Pro-economic development legislation is critical to moving our region forward,” said Jim Proctor, vice chair of public policy for the BBA and general counsel at McWane, Inc. “BBA’s continued success hinges on a unified approach to advocating for key issues that advance competitive business recruitment and job creation.”
“In order to enhance our region’s competitiveness and overall quality of life, we must unite economic development with strategic public policy”
BBA’s agenda features combined local, state and federal priorities. Many of the items in BBA’s agenda focus on supporting site and infrastructure development. This year’s lead priority issues that the BBA will advocate for in the upcoming state legislative session include:
· Brownfield Authority: BBA supports legislation that would expand eligibility for ADEM’s Brownfields Program and allow local authorities to create brownfield redevelopment zones that will have the ability to compete for public and private dollars for the purpose of cataloging and examining potential brownfield projects.
· Investing in Birmingham’s Biotech: Where there’s critical mass in the seven-county region, BBA supports the creation of biomanufacturing zones and R&D districts to better leverage state and federal dollars.
· Northern Beltline: BBA supports the construction, full funding and timely completion of the Northern Beltline as an essential component of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) to support economic development and additional job creation in the region and state.
· Historic Preservation Tax Credits: Due to a high demand for projects involving historic tax credits, BBA strongly supports and encourages the state legislature to reauthorize and raise the cap for the rehabilitation, preservation and redevelopment of qualified properties to stimulate private investment, downtown and neighborhood revitalization and job creation.
· Birmingham Southern College: BBA is acutely aware of the position that Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) holds in nurturing and educating our future leaders. The BBA wholeheartedly supports BSC in its efforts to seek funding from the State Legislature and other fundraising efforts the institution is initiating. We understand the significance of BSC, and should the institution be forced to close, it will be a loss to not only the City of Birmingham but to the entire State.
BBA’s legislative priorities were formed by the organization’s Governmental Affairs Committee, which convenes monthly to identify what matters most to the region. Following input from the group, BBA’s public policy committee works to finalize the agenda each year.
“In order to enhance our region’s competitiveness and overall quality of life, we must unite economic development with strategic public policy,” said Nan Baldwin, who leads BBA’s chamber and advocacy efforts. “We are proud to advocate for the development of assets that benefit the entire business community. Advancing solutions for these issues will increase both the marketability and accessibility of the Greater Birmingham Region.”
BBA’s full legislative agenda for 2023, including support and long-term priorities, is available to view here. Further details around each priority issue listed will be released closer to the start of the state’s legislative session, which convenes on March 7, 2023. To see the agenda and learn more about the BBA’s public policy efforts, visit our Public Policy page.