January 29, 2018 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House
The Alabama Legislature convened last Tuesday and, as is often the case, education was a common thread in discussions and bills passed.
- On Tuesday (5th day of session): The House passed a number of bills of local application only and one general bill aimed at doing away with special elections for the U.S. Senate. The purpose of the measure is to save money, after it was revealed the state spent $11 million on the recent race. The Senate passed sunset legislation continuing the operation of the Home Builders Licensure Board, the State Board of Orthotists, the Public Accountancy Board and the State Board of Pharmacy. They also passed bills to increase the time of providing notice of employment and to further provide for fees relating to centralized waste treatment facilities.
- On Wednesday (a committee day): The House Education Policy Committee approved bills to require youth sports personnel to complete a youth injury mitigation course annually, to add four non-voting members to the State Board of Education, and to increase the time required for notice to K-12 teachers subject to termination of their employment. The House Ways and Means Education Committee approved a bill to exempt from sales and use tax sales of gold bullions. The House Commerce and Small Business Committee approved a bill to establish minimum requirements for transportation network companies and for oversight by the Public Service Commission. The Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee approved bills to require the employment of an auction company to sell state land, to eliminate the requirement to jointly file a petition for refund of sales and use taxes by a taxpayer and the consumer, and to further provide for income tax credits for investment in infrastructure in rural areas.
- On Thursday (6th day of session): The House passed a number of bills of local application only and general bills to provide for the qualifications of the Secretary of Early Childhood Education and to bring the Alabama Family Trust Corporation in compliance with federal Social Security rules and statutes. The Senate passed bills to lower the number of weeks of unemployment benefits from 26 to 14, to remove the requirement that K-12 educators charged with certain sexual crimes against students be placed on paid administrative leave, to establish the Alabama Public Transportation Trust Fund, and to establish minimum requirements for transportation network companies and for oversight by the Public Service Commission.
