March 7, 2022 Group Watch: Shelby Lands $100M Grant for AL Commerce Infrastructure

U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $100 million joint grant to the Mobile Airport Authority and the Alabama State Port Authority. The grant enables the two entities to participate in the DOT Transportation Demonstration Program to allow for the enhancement of existing infrastructure. According to a press release, the DOT investment will pave the way for streamlined aviation, maritime, rail and highway infrastructure systems. The program will serve to upgrade the Port of Mobile’s freight container operations by providing start-up for a dedicated inter-terminal connector with rail access to the Port Authority’s terminal railway and five Class I railroads. A two-site logistics park will be developed to support an integrated, intermodal seaport, airport and rail terminal network for domestic and international freight movement. Shelby, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the funding for this effort represents one of the most significant grant awards he has secured for the state in his more than four decades-long congressional career.

March 7, 2022 Group Watch: Rural Alabama Project Pipeline Sparks New Growth

Bryant Whaley, the top economic developer for Randolph County, is riding the momentum. Despite the disruptions of a global pandemic, this rural county in eastern Alabama has seen three major corporate growth projects since August 2020, creating more than 300 jobs. Whaley is optimistic that even more economic activity is on the way. Recently, plans were announced for a retail development there that will create 40 jobs. Victory Game Clocks, a Roanoke-based maker of scoreboards, play clocks, practice timers and other sports timing devices, is considering an expansion with a new 20,000-square-foot building and 20 additional employees. Companies in many different industries are waking up to the fact that Alabama’s rural counties have a lot to offer. At the top of the list are factors such as a low cost of doing business and motivated workforces that get the job done. On the state level, one development that’s poised to spur growth in Alabama’s rural areas is a significant expansion of the availability of high-speed internet service, considered a critical element for sustained economic growth. The legislature recently approved a plan to use $277 million of the state’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act to expand broadband available with rural communities set to perhaps benefit the most.

March 7, 2022 Group Watch: Bonnie Plants Opens Expanded Greenhouse Facilities

Bonnie Plants, the nation’s largest grower of vegetable and herb plants for home gardens, unveiled a multimillion-dollar expansion and upgrade of the company’s greenhouse facilities in rural Bullock County. Opelika-based Bonnie Plants said the new growing and distribution facilities in Union Springs are designed to strengthen e-commerce operations and improve production, creating jobs and paving a new foundation of growth for the company. The expanded operations bring around 60 jobs to Bullock County, where Bonnie Plants was founded in 1918. More than 200 associates, including full and part-time peak season associates, will support the increased production in Union Springs. The expanded facilities include 305,000-square-feet of open-roof, natural-ventilation greenhouses that offer better temperature and humidity control, energy savings and a reduced need for irrigation compared to traditional fan and shutter greenhouses.

February 28, 2022 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

Guns, riots and transgender bathroom rules for schools: Three headline-garnering bills that all topped the majority caucus’ agenda passed by the House early last week, and then both chambers moved on to work less likely to generate debate, including the Senate’s passage of the General Fund Budget for FY23.

In other news, schools around the state, including state universities, have dropped mask mandates for students, a move that Governor Ivey praised. The governor also gave kudos to several Alabama companies that have enjoyed stellar success with global exports in the last year, honoring them with her annual Trade Excellence Awards.

Find details on the above and much more in this issue of Group Watch.

February 28, 2022 Group Watch: Tweet of the Week

@kiraincongress Feb 26 I planned to plant tulips and daffodils on my backyard today. Instead, I learn to fire arms and get ready for the next night of attacks on #Kyiv. We are not going anywhere. This is our #city, our #land, our soil. We will fight for it. So next week I can plant my flowers. Here.

February 28, 2022 Group Watch: Legislature Day-by-Day, Play-by-Play

• The House considered and passed three of the most fiercely debated bills of the session thus far: bills to repeal the state’s requirement for a permit to carry a concealed handgun; to create a new definition of a riot and provide tougher penalties, including mandatory jail time; and to require Alabama public school students to use restrooms and locker rooms designated for the sex shown on their birth certificates.
• The Senate made quick work of its calendar, passing bills to provide one-time longevity bonuses for retired teachers and retired state and local government employees; and to delay the implementation of the Literacy Act to the 2023-24 school year.

• The House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee approved several bills to aid military service persons and their families, including bills to establish a program of advanced enrollment for children of military families and to revise requirements for occupational licensing boards to adopt rules that provide for reciprocal occupational licenses for military spouses under certain circumstances.
• The House Ways and Means Education Committee approved several bills, including a measure to require local boards of education to provide feminine hygiene products in women’s bathrooms of certain schools at no cost to students.
• The House Judiciary Committee approved several bills, including bills to establish a registry for individuals who have committed certain acts of abuse against elders and adults in need of protective services and to prohibit state or local law enforcement from using artificial intelligence and facial recognition to engage in surveillance with certain exceptions.
• The House passed two general bills to require a child successfully complete kindergarten before being admitted to the first grade and to further provide for the duties and membership of the Literacy Task Force.
• The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee approved a number of bills, including bills to extend privilege assessments for hospitals and nursing homes through August 2025; to provide a four-percent pay raise for state workers; and the General Fund budget for FY23.
• The Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee approved a couple of bills, including a bill to further provide for approval of solid waste management sites by local governing bodies.
• The Senate Education Policy Committee approved a House-passed bill to authorize Board of Trustees of the University of West Alabama to hold certain meeting by audio/video conference under certain conditions.
• The Senate passed three of six bills on a Special-Order Calendar, including a bill to increase the membership of the Armory Commission; to further define the sales and use tax exemption for bullion; and to prohibit certain medical procedures for minors who intend to alter gender appearance and provide criminal penalties for violations.

• The House quickly completed work on a six-bill special order calendar containing measures to assist military members and their families in service to the country. They recessed late morning for a joint session to honor those serving or who have served in the military as a part of Military Appreciation Day. Following the recess, the House passed a number of bills of local application only and non-controversial bills including one that would extend the ability to create a first-time and second-chance home buyer savings account.
• The Senate passed the General Fund budget for FY23 and other accompanying bills, including a pay increase for active state employees.

February 28, 2022 Group Watch: Ivey Applauds Schools Dropping Mask Mandates

Governor Kay Ivey applauded the state’s schools and universities that have ended face mask requirements, in keeping with her commitment to getting back to “normal.” At the height of the pandemic, Ivey encouraged mask-wearing but allowed her statewide mask order to expire in April 2021. She said wearing masks, social distancing and good hygiene practices have been instrumental in keeping more people from getting sick or dying during peak times of virus surge. According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just over 50  percent of the state’s residents are fully vaccinated.

February 28, 2022 Group Watch: Bill Restricting Transgender Bathroom Access Passes AL House

A bill to require Alabama public school students to use restrooms and locker rooms designated for the sex shown on their birth certificates passed the House of Representatives. The bill’s sponsor said the purpose of the legislation was to protect the safety and privacy of girls. Opponents of the bill said it would add to the ostracization of students already facing difficulties because of gender dysphoria. The Republican majority passed the bill over the opposition of Democrats by a vote of 74-24. During the debate, it was stated the Alabama State Board of Education does not have a policy that regulates bathroom use by transgender students but local districts are providing accommodations in some instances.

February 28, 2022 Group Watch: AL House Passes Hotly Debated Bills Affecting Law Enforcement

The Alabama House of Representatives approved a bill to repeal the state’s requirement for a permit to carry a concealed handgun. Sheriffs and police have urged lawmakers to keep the permit requirement, saying it is important tool for preventing and solving crimes. The House changed its normal rules for the day, limiting debate on two bills to two hours, after which, the gun bill passed 65-37. The very next bill was one to create mandatory jail terms for people arrested and convicted on charges of rioting. The sponsor of that bill says stronger laws are needed to stop organized efforts to cause violence at otherwise peaceful protests. This measure was also vigorously debated for approximately two hours before passing along partisan lines.

February 28, 2022 Group Watch: Companies Honored with Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards

Governor Ivey recognized seven Alabama companies for success in selling their goods and services in markets across the globe, helping to sustain robust export activities that create jobs and spark economic growth across the state. She also recognized William Cummins, executive state director of the Alabama Small Business Development Center Network, for excellency in trade advocacy. Recipients of this year’s Governor’s Trade Excellence Awards are:

• Cherokee Fabrication Co. This light metal fabrication shop in Lee County has served the cotton industry for 25 years, and its footprint now includes North America, South America, Africa and Australia.
• CleBer LLC. This company has a design system for its Oggun tractor and provides parts off-the-shelf, empowering small farmers.
• Continental Aerospace Technologies. It’s the only U.S. company to offer a full range of new piston aircraft engines, as well as a full-service factory maintenance repair and overhaul center.
• Eastern Technologies Inc. This company provides Personal Protective Clothing to nuclear and other industries. It is a leader in the field of radiological laundry services, protective clothing supply and radiological laundry system design.
• iCubate Inc. This company provides fast, accurate and affordable testing assays to laboratories, helping improve patient-care outcomes.
• Nelson Brothers. Nelson produces chemicals that are used by manufacturers of emulsions around the world for applications in mining and construction. Its global footprint includes specialty chemicals used around the world in oil recovery processes.
• SynVivo. This company’s tissue/organ-on-chip platform provides a biologically realistic microenvironment to enable better prediction of human responses for drug development and personalized medicine applications.