The Alabama Legislature will be back at work in Montgomery Tuesday after taking off last week for spring break. Both Houses of the Alabama Legislature will be in session, with the Alabama House of Representatives going into session at 1:00 p.m. and the Alabama Senate going in at 2:30 p.m.
As of Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives has not released a proposed special order calendar for what bills it will work on in Tuesday’s session. The Senate has not posted a new special order calendar.
The Joint Committee on Public Accounts will meet on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. in the Senate’s Finance and Taxation committee room on the eighth floor of the Statehouse. The committee has not posted an agenda.
The Senate County and Local Government Committee will meet at 1:00 p.m. in the same room. There are two bills on the posted committee agenda.
Senate Bill 92 (SB92) is sponsored by Sen. Josh Carnley. SB92 would extend the time to make a one-time lump-sum addition to the retirement benefits of certain retirees and beneficiaries of the Employees’ Retirement System and give local units participating in the Employees’ Retirement System the option to come under the provisions of the act. According to the fiscal note, “The provisions of this act would increase the obligations of any local entity making such election by an undetermined amount dependent on the cost of the bonuses issues, which must be borne by the local government, as provided by this bill.”
Senate Bill 142 (SB142) is sponsored by Sen. Vivian Figures. SB142 would annex additional property into the Baldwin County city of Spanish Fort. The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Greg Albritton and Chris Elliott, so all three of Baldwin County’s Senators support this legislation.
Elliott chairs the committee.
The Senate Healthcare Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. in Room 304 of the State House. Two bills are on the Committee agenda.
Senate Bill 109 (SB109) is sponsored by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison. SB109 would further provide the scope of practice of licensees of the Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners.
Senate Bill 28 (SB28) is sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson. SB28 would expand the scope of the practice of podiatry to include the treatment of disorders of the foot and ankle. Currently, Alabama limits podiatrists to feet only. There was a public hearing on this legislation on March 22. Alabama is one of the most restrictive environments for podiatrists in the country, making it very difficult for podiatrists to practice in Alabama. Most of our neighboring states already allow podiatrists to treat the ankle. The doctors’ lobbying group, the Alabama Medical Association, has opposed expanding the scope of practice for podiatrists for years.
Melson chairs the Senate Healthcare Committee.
Tuesday will be day 5 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session.
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