August 2013 Group Watch: PSC Lowers Power Rates

The Public Service Commission voted 2-1 to radically change how Alabama Power’s rates are measured and created more oversight, which will mean cheaper power bills for consumers. The PSC President said the changes allow the commission to measure Alabama Power’s profits by taking into account a wider array of its financial picture and will save customers an estimated $30 to $110 a year based power utilization.

Most regulated utilities are allowed a profit range based on a rate of return on common equity. Alabama Power’s range has stayed at 13 to 14.5 percent for the past few decades, while the ranges for similar utilities in other states have fallen. But the company argued at a series of public meetings that the figure paints an incomplete picture of its finances. The new formula takes into account the company’s debt structure and allows for a range of 5.75 to 6.21 percent.

July 2013 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

The governor is raising funds in hopes of retaining office, while another elected official announces his departure.

• Bentley Begins Run for Second Term: Alabama Governor Robert Bentley filed his first campaign finance report, which shows he has over a half-million dollars already on hand. The report shows he entered the campaign fundraising season with a beginning balance of $236,000 and raised $422,500, giving him a total of $545,000. A spokesperson for the governor said he is happy with the initial report and thinks it reflects the support he has based on his job performance to date. Alabama’s primary election is June 3, 2014.
• Rep. Jay Love Resigns: State Representative Jay Love, one of the most powerful members of the House of Representatives, announced he is leaving the legislature August 1 to pursue business opportunities and to promote education reform. Love is chairman of the House Ways and Means Education Committee, which writes the budget for all education functions in the state. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002 and during his stint in public office, ran unsuccessfully for congress and for chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. Love has owned several Montgomery area eateries and became a prominent legislative player after Republicans took control of the legislature in 2010. Love’s replacement will be selected in a special election that will be called by Governor Bentley.

July 2013 Group Watch: Trade Mission to Canada

The Alabama Department of Commerce will lead representatives from 10 state companies to Canada next week on a trip aimed at strengthening ties with that country. Canada, a North American Free Trade Agreement partner, is the top destination for Alabama products and the upcoming trip will capitalize on those current ties. Small businesses from across the state, mainly technology and research and development firms, will be a part of the trade mission. Canada continued as the state’s top export destination last year, with shipments valued at almost $4 billion. Alabama imports from Canada were valued at more than $258 million.

July 2013 Group Watch: Obamacare Reprieve

Employers will get a one-year reprieve from providing health insurance for their workers as the White House retools the mandate that critics have said is both costly and cumbersome. The delay was announced by Treasury officials and would push the requirement past the 2014 mid-term elections. Other aspects of the massive law wouldn’t be delayed. The employer mandate requires businesses with more than 50 workers to provide health insurance for their employees or face fines of up to $3,000 per worker. The change was supposed to become effective January 1, 2014, but will now occur in 2015. Government officials are strongly encouraging employers to maintain or expand health coverage during the transition period.

Alabama Civil Justice Reform Committee Endorses Court Candidates

In this photo, Justice Greg Shaw, Judge Scott Donaldson, Judge Bill Thompson, Judge Mary Windom and Judge Beth Kellum pause for photo after lunch.

ACJRC Endorses Court Candidates

The ACJRC Board held a luncheon meeting yesterday in Montgomery and heard presentations from five appellate court judges. After the judges were dismissed, the Board voted voted unamimously to endorse the following candidates:

Justice Greg Shaw for re-election to the Alabama Supreme Court
Judges Bill Thompson and Scott Donaldson for the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals
Judges Beth Kellum and Mary Windom for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals.

In a press release, ACJRC Chairman Tom Dart said, “These judges exemplify the best in Alabama’s judicial system – intelligence, hard work and, above all, fairness and adherence to the rule of law. We are proud to support their candidacies next year.”

We will be sending out press kits on each of the candidates and urge all ACJRC members to support these candidates, invite them to appear at your meetings and events and help spread the word about their elections with your employees, friends and families.

The Board will meet again on August 20th with the legislative leadership.

June 2013 Group Watch: Jefferson County Bankruptcy Deal

Jefferson County officials reached a deal to settle its bankruptcy. The county finance committee approved a deal 4-1, which was later ratified by the full commission. The deal, which must still be approved by judges and creditors, would bring an end to the largest government bankruptcy in U.S. history. The county’s lead attorney in the matter said the deal would bring to halt litigation between the county and its creditors and peace to county residents.

June 2013 Group Watch: New Secretary of IT Aims for Customer Service

Alabama’s new secretary of information technology says state agencies in some ways need to operate more like partners in a giant corporation rather than like independent companies. Brunson White, who retired from Energen Corporation in January, started in April in the new position in the governor’s cabinet. White says the newly created position can benefit taxpayers and state government. He plans to change what he said is a tendency for agencies to handle IT independently. White, who lives in a Birmingham suburb, worked for Energen for more than 30 years and was chief information officer for 16 years.

June 2013 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

Election announcements top the current political news, and the governor is asking questions about the recent collection of blood and saliva samples in several Alabama counties.

• A Long List: Two legislators are among the long list of people running for the vacant congressional seat in the first district. Both Rep. Randy Davis, R-Daphne, and Rep. Chad Fincher, R-Semmes, have thrown their hats in the ring. A broad field of candidates expressed interest in the seat in May when incumbent Jo Bonner announced he was resigning to take a job with the University of Alabama System. Bonner’s resignation is effective August 15. Keep up with who’s in and who’s out of the race thanks to al.com. Find their continually updated list here.
• Boozer to Seek Second Term: Alabama State Treasurer Young Boozer is officially seeking a second term. The Republican treasurer recently announced his plans for another term while in Tuscaloosa to address Girls State. Boozer said that since his election in 2010, he’s led the effort to reach a successful settlement of the state’s prepaid tuition plan. He said he has also streamlined the state’s unclaimed property process and worked with the legislature to pass a law that saved money by consolidating treasury budgets. Boozer said there is more work he wants to get done in a second term.
• Governor & A.G. Question Road Blocks: Governor Robert Bentley and Attorney General Luther Strange want to know more about road checkpoints set up in Bibb and St. Clair counties where drivers were asked for samples of blood and saliva. Local officials say the checkpoints were part of a study looking into how many people get behind the wheel with alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs in their system. Officials said the samples were collected voluntarily and anonymously. Governor Bentley said he is asking his secretary of Law Enforcement to investigate the issue. He said he wants to find out from the federal government exactly what is being done with the information collected. Attorney General Strange expressed shock and said he is troubled by the actions.

May 23, 2013 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

The Alabama Legislature convened on Monday, for the 30^th and final day of the regular session. They addressed a number of issues, some more controversial than others, and by the midnight adjournment, both sides had triumphs they touted. The House gave final approval to bills to expand the ability of people to legally carry or store a pistol in a vehicle, to make other changes to gun laws and to propose a constitutional amendment for a $50 million bond issue for plans, construction and renovation of National Guard armories. The Senate passed a number of local bills and a general bill to repeal the requirement for “mini-trials” for those who plead guilty to capital offenses and are not facing the death penalty; to license and regulate barbers; to authorize a bond issue of up to $30 million to repair tornado-damaged schools; to allow local school systems to use local money to hire school resource officers who would carry firearms; to revise the state’s campaign finance laws allowing for greater corporate giving to candidates; to specify the authority of the State Board of Education to intervene with local school systems; to allow the Children Advocacy Centers in Alabama to participate in the state  employees insurance plan; and to limit the liability of engineers who are performing construction management services to contracting authorities. The House voted to override the governor’s effort to delay implementation of the private school tax credit in the Alabama Accountability Act.

5/23/13 Group Watch: So, What Died?

The end of each session brings joy and disappointment for all of the interested parties. This year the “dearly departed” included bills to require drug testing for welfare applicants who had a drug conviction in the last five years; to reorganize the legislative branch of government; to create the Alabama Space Authority; to issue up to $50 million in bonds to secure building entrances in public schools; to allow employers to not provide insurance coverage for their employees for contraception (aka The Religious Liberty Act); to change the deadline for voters to register from 10 days to 17 days before an election; and to authorize a $100 million bond issue to help school systems provide digital tablets for K-12 students. Once again, non-profit spay/neuter clinics failed to get a bill passed that would allow veterinarians to work for them, therefore protecting these clinics from state efforts to shut them down.