April 15, 2024 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

Happy tax day to all who celebrate (which should be most of you unless you want to hear from the IRS). Some tax news came out of the legislature last week. Despite some education groups voicing concern about reduced revenues, a bill to cap property value increases (for property tax purposes) easily passed the House on a 97-1 vote.

The health and science high school that Governor Ivey has called for and is strongly supported by leaders of Alabama’s healthcare institutions also enjoyed progress last week, sailing through the House Ways and Means Education Committee. And bills for a massive education budget were approved too.

Find more details and info on other important #alpolitics news below.

April 15, 2024 Group Watch: Tweet of the Week

@GovernorKayIvey
April 11
From @ALDailyNews: “Committee approves plan for health care-focused high school in Demopolis” The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences is what our state needs to expand rural healthcare and its workforce. Let’s get this done for Alabama! #alpolitics

April 15, 2024 Group Watch: Day-by-Day, Play-by-Play

Tuesday, 20th day: 

• The House Ways and Means Education Committee approved several bills relating to the education budget, including supplemental appropriations for multiple agencies and the appropriations for the support, maintenance and development of public education for debt service and for capital outlay for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. 
• The Senate Shelby County Legislation Committee approved a House-passed bill authorizing public library districts to further provide for the election of the library board.
• The House passed bills to authorize dentists to access controlled substances prescription databases and to make the Department of Youth Services responsible for certain county detention facility costs under certain circumstances. 
• The Senate passed the Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act, which prohibits smoking and now vaping in public places; a bill to prohibit public contracts with entities affiliated with the Peoples Republic of China; to further provide for the Alabama workforce Transformation Act; and to establish the Alabama Workforce Pathways Act that creates varying pathways for high school diplomas based on future career plans.

Wednesday, a committee day:

• The House Education Policy Committee approved the Alabama Workforce Pathways Act to create different pathways for high school diplomas based on future career plans. 
• The House Health Committee approved a bill designating the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission as having the sole authority over regulation, licensing and enforcement of cannabis cultivation. 
• The House Ways and Means Education Committee approved bills to create the Alabama School of Healthcare Science; to levy an additional 1.5% SSUT to be distributed to each municipality; and to create the Alabama Workforce Housing Tax Credit. 
• The Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee approved a bill to require research-based instruction on fentanyl prevention and drug poisoning awareness in grades 6 through 12. 
• The Senate Education Policy Committee approved House-passed bills to define the role of assistant principal as assisting the principal with certain duties, including student discipline; to require public K-12 schools to have an assistant principal subject to the availability of funds; and to increase the maximum compensation for members of local boards of education subject to the completion of certain continuing education requirements being met. 
• The Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee approved bills to require the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to issue an increased number of licenses to eligible applicants and to provide that the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is primarily responsible for the regulation, licensure and enforcement of cannabis cultivation. 
• The Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee approved a bill to provide that the additional state sales tax rate assessed on alcoholic beverages sold in an ABC retail store shall be equal to the combined county and municipal general sales tax rate assessed to the county and municipality where the transaction occurs.

Thursday, 21st day: 

• The House passed a number of bills including those to enhance the minimum sentence for human trafficking; expand the category for voluntary commitment to include individuals with co-occurring substance use disorder; and provide for an alternative teacher certification. 
• The Senate passed the General Fund appropriation bill to fund non-education components of government and included supplemental appropriations for certain entities for the current year and a cost-of-living increase for state workers for the FY25. They also provided appropriations for non-state entities like Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence. 

April 15, 2024 Group Watch: Healthcare-Focused High School Bill Approved by House Committee

Last week, a bill to create an advanced health care sciences high school in Demopolis passed unanimously in the House Ways and Means Education Committee. Governor Ivey first proposed the school in her 2023 “state of the state” address, and in January, Bloomberg Philanthropies pledged $26.4 million to the project, pending state investment. The school would be located adjacent to Bryan W. Whitfield Hospital, giving high-school-aged students firsthand experience. If the legislation becomes law, the school will be the fourth specialized, residential school in the state, but the first in a rural community.

April 15, 2024 Group Watch: Big Education Budget Bills Now Through House Committee

The Alabama House Education Budget Committee approved a record $9.3 billion 2025 spending plan. The proposal is very similar to the proposed budget Governor Kay Ivey sent lawmakers at the start of the session. Funding is split, with 68.2 percent for K-12 education and 25.6 percent for higher education. About 6 percent goes to other agencies. The committee approved a 2-percent raise for K-12 and two-year college educators, as well as support staff. The salary increase will cost an estimated $104.5 million. The committee recommended a one-time spending plan for the Advancement and Technology Fund of $1 billion and also approved a $651.2 million supplemental spending bill for the current year.

April 15, 2024 Group Watch: Bill to Cap Property Value Increases Passes House

The House passed HB73 by a vote of 97-1 last week. The bill limits annual increases in the assessed value of property for tax purposes, capping the increase in assessed value for residential, commercial, farm and timber property at 7 percent as compared to the previous year. The caps would take effect October 1, 2024 and expire October 1, 2027. A fiscal note estimating how much HB73 would reduce revenues was not immediately available. A fiscal note on an earlier version of the bill, when the cap was 5 percent instead of 7 percent, estimated it would reduce tax revenues by $58 million. Education groups have raised concerns about the property tax bill and about the cumulative effect of other bills that will divert money from the Education Trust Fund.

April 15, 2024 Group Watch: AL House Passes Bill Defining Sexes

On a 77-24 vote, the Alabama House passed a bill that defines man, woman, girl, boy, mother and father, and these definitions are based on reproductive systems, not gender identity. The legislation also states that “there are only two sexes.” Opponents say it “attacks” transgender rights, while proponents say it will protect women’s rights.  Read more here.

April 15, 2024 Group Watch: AL Senate Votes to Ban Vaping in Most Places

Legislation banning vaping inside public buildings made it through the Senate last week. The Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act already bans the smoking of cigarettes, pipes and other methods of tobacco-smoking from public buildings, including schools, police stations, city halls and courthouses. The current legislation expands the prohibition to include vapes and other electronic tobacco delivery systems. The bill passed 26-4 and was brought back up for reconsideration and renamed in honor of Senator Vivian Figures, who originally spearheaded the legislation to ban smoking in public places. The amended bill honoring Senator Figures passed 32-0.  The use of e-cigarettes has been on continual rise, particularly among young people. 

April 15, 2024 Group Watch: Montgomery Whitewater a Key Piece of Economic Development Plan

Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair joined a team from Innovate Alabama for a tour of Montgomery Whitewater, a world-class recreational facility that’s now hosting Olympic athletes. McNair, who is spearheading the creation of a new state economic development strategic plan, said outdoor recreation assets like Montgomery Whitewater can play an important role in the next-generation economic development strategies being developed by the state, as outdoor recreation offerings have proven powerful business-recruiting tools. Montgomery Whitewater opened in July 2023 at the Maxwell Capital Gateway to Montgomery, along the Interstate 65 corridor. The center is anchored by an Olympic-standard recirculating whitewater course, which allows users of all ages and skill sets to participate at difficulty levels ranging from beginner to expert.

April 15, 2024 Group Watch: AL Takes Top Auto Spot

Alabama has become the nation’s No. 1 auto-exporting state, with international vehicle shipments surging past $11.2 billion in 2023. The numbers put the state over long-time leader South Carolina. Alabama auto exports landed in 78 countries in 2023, with major trading partners Germany, China and Canada being the leading destinations. Overall, Alabama’s exports have been rising in recent years, hitting $27.4 billion in 2023, the second straight year for a record annual total. Since 2020, the value of Alabama’s exports has jumped almost 43 percent.