Troy City Council President Marcus Paramore announces candidacy for Alabama House District 89
Troy City Council President Marcus Paramore announced his candidacy today to seek the Republican nomination for the District 89 seat in the Alabama legislature, according to a recent press release. Surrounded by a crowd of approximately 70 supporters outside of Troy’s City Hall, Paramore announced he intended to run with a “focus on economic development and the protection of traditional conservative values in Pike and Dale counties.” Promising to run on a campaign centered around family, faith, and hard work, Paramore explained, “I want to work every day to make District 89 a great place to live and to raise children and grandchildren. I am so proud to live here and to have raised my family here. I know that we have so much to offer and that we can continue to grow while keeping our conservative values.” Paramore’s tenure on Troy’s City Council resulted in heavy involvement in various recruiting industries such as Kimber and Rex Lumber and a number of national retailers. Passionate about fostering the expanding labor market in District 89, Paramore is also a staunch advocate against awarding able-bodied employees incentives to not work. Currently, the District 89 seat in the Alabama legislature is held by Rep. Wes Allen (R-Troy). Allen has announced that he will not run for re-election but instead will run for the Office of Alabama Secretary of State. The Republican Primary election will be held on May 24, 2022.
Laura Lane and Doug Snow: For whom the bridge tolls, an expose of big government run amok
In general, the fuel tax pays for our ordinary highways today. Given this, tolls should be used to pay for some privilege. The Beach Express in Orange Beach provided an alternative to Highway 59, a non-tolled route. It gave people who chose to pay a toll a privileged ride. This is an appropriate use of tolling. Toll roads are most definitely a libertarian stance; we advocate that all public services be funded in a voluntary manner. Then, along comes the current AL legislature and, under the leadership of Kay Ivey, proceeds to RAIP the citizens. Portions of the RAIP plan go into effect in September, mainly the gas tax which increases the current rate by 10 cents. The plan was touted as needed to pay for infrastructure upgrades to bridges and roads. Then, Ivey admitted to a local area news station that the legislators were coached on the plan and those that weren’t in agreement were not encouraged to run for office. After the passage of the RAIP, one of the first things Ivey said was that the first monies coming in from the gas tax would be allocated to the Port of Mobile for dredging and widening of the channel. Now, Ivey, through Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), is trying to force a toll bridge onto the citizens of Mobile and Baldwin counties. This plan calls for the toll project to commandeer the Wallace Tunnel and Bay Way, existing portions of I-10. The tunnel will become part of the new toll project, but the existing Bay Way will be torn down. The tunnel and Bay Way have already been paid for by the citizens using Federal and State fuel taxes. It is an unfair double taxation to commandeer those structures and toll them. This misappropriation amounts to the initiation of force to achieve political goals. The people have already paid for the Wallace Tunnel and Bay Way and now they are being taken away from their rightful owners. In contrast, the toll plan for Mobile destroys the route the people have paid for with their fuel tax in order to drive people onto the tolled route. They offer the Causeway ( a portion US Hwy 90) and the Cochrane Bridge as alternatives. This is an insult to the people of Alabama for ALDOT to pretend the Causeway is a viable non-tolled route. The insult of misinformation is repeated often in the plan to privatize the Bridge. ALDOT has hired Allison Gregg to head up a massive public relations campaign to sell the toll to the people of Alabama. It is not the function of the government to sell its ideas to the people. It is the proper function of government to prudently implement the ideas of the people. Many people who follow the Mobile River Bridge and Bay Way toll project accuse the State of Alabama elected officials and bureaucrats of corruption. This is not a claim to be made lightly and the Libertarian Party of Alabama and Citizens for Government Accountability make no such claim. Still, state government has created an atmosphere favorable to corruption. The state legislature created the Alabama Toll Road, Bridge and Tunnel Authority to oversee all toll projects in the State of Alabama. The function of this Authority is oversight of state bureaucracies. The entire Authority is appointed by the Governor. John Cooper, the Director of Transportation for Alabama and head of ALDOT is on that Authority. This lack of independence is an accommodation to corruption. Transparency and accountability are lacking and cannot be enforced without some type of Initiative and Referendum in place for the State. State funds belong to the taxpayers. It is foundational that our government be responsible stewards of those funds. Here are disturbing facets of the Mobile River Bridge and Bay Way toll project itself: • The state will enter a 55-year deal.• The state has limited non tolled crossing of Mobile River and Bay to the Causeway only. The Bankhead tunnel leading from Downtown to the Causeway is only one lane in each direction. Traffic jams and delays are planned obstacles to using the non toll route that are expected to force people to pay a toll to cross.• Although the proposed toll would be $6, the toll operator is allowed to add a 40% surcharge for processing the invoice for the toll.• The planned deal is extremely complicated with many unacceptable risk points.• Road and Bridge private funding is very prone to bankruptcy.• Bids that lose will receive up to $2 million in reimbursement. This toll road is wholly unacceptable to the people of Alabama and should be immediately stopped. Alabama’s own State Auditor, Jim Zeigler, has presented information that shows there is money available for this project and is leading a group of over 52,000 Alabama residents in opposition to this plan. But what’s the backstory here? Something is going on to make this bridge…this TOLL bridge such an urgent issue for the current State leadership. So let’s take a look at this proposed toll bridge and the history behind this 20-plus year fiasco. From the beginning, frequent travelers of I-10 that use the Wallace tunnels and Bay Way have voiced complaints about the entrance to the tunnels; both East and West sides have fairly sharp turns leading into the tunnels, along with on-ramps from local streets. As the population has grown and more residents are traveling to either side of the Bay for employment, congestion and accidents have gotten worse. They say hindsight is 20/20. ALDOT and the designers of the Wallace Tunnel and Bay Way were definitely short-sighted. Both should have planned for growth and made them capable of handling, at a minimum, three lanes of traffic both ways. The Federal government had put in $27 million in transportation funding in the 1990’s for a project that would have fixed the issue of the sharp turns and on ramps at the entrances to the Wallace Tunnels. The project was given in the green
Chris Elliott: “We need a level playing field for franchise owners in Alabama.”
I knew it had happened to me, so I concluded it was happening to others. I’m a small business owner, and for years I owned and operated small catastrophe-restoration franchises in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. If your home or store had fire or water damage, my team and I would come in and restore your shop or house. It was hard work: there’s nothing clean or easy about ripping out walls that are rotting from mold, or painstakingly assessing the best way to remove fire-damaged cabinets while preserving the integrity of a kitchen’s interior. But it was rewarding, too: I was providing for my family, my team was giving great service to our customers, and we were creating jobs. Unfortunately, it turned out that my franchisor was not interested in the long-term success of my business. They were interested in corporate profits, regardless of how it impacted the small business owners who operated their franchises. I wanted to believe that this inequity was limited to my particular franchisor, but, sadly, it is not. I learned that Alabama is a state without a franchisee-protection law. Through contact with the Alabama Franchisee Association, I learned that scores of Alabama businesses — both small and large — have essentially no rights and no protections. It has been a “take it or leave it” proposition, with franchisees having to take on more and more at each contract renewal. I recently met Darrel Bush, whose family had operated the Huddle House in Wetumpka for more than 25 years. As the years went by, unreasonably-priced building and equipment upgrades were added to the extensions of the original contract, and the Bush family had no choice but to agree to the franchisor’s demands in order to stay afloat. Ultimately, the Bush family had to shut down its franchise. Huddle House is now looking to construct a new location, just down the road from the one the Bush family operated for a quarter-century. None of this is right. Thankfully, I’m out of the franchisee business now, but I’m taking a stand for Alabama business owners with the introduction of the Protect Alabama Small Businesses Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Connie Rowe of Jasper, in the Alabama Legislature. The Protect Small Businesses Act (Senate Bill 129) will create the level playing field that small business owners – particularly, our small franchisee owners – desperately need. The bill provides three things: Protection from unjust terminations and non-renewals without good cause. Franchisees should be compensated for fair market value for their investments. Protection from unjust restrictions on sales and transfers. Most importantly, the bill protects the right to sue in Alabama courts. Often, franchisors construct contracts that only allow for disputes to be settled in courts in New York City or Los Angles, where court costs and attorney’s fees are prohibitively expensive for small business owners in Alabama. If you’re 25 years old and working 80 hours a week to make your first Taco Bell franchisee profitable, you don’t have the time or money to battle Big Law hired-guns in a lower Manhattan courtroom, if a contract dispute arises. I hope you will join me in protecting these Alabama family businesses, their employees, and our communities. Too many people have been harmed by one-sided agreements where the goal posts move quickly, and the deck is always stacked in favor of the large, out-of-state franchisors. Chris Elliott represents Baldwin County in the Alabama State Senate, where he serves as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs. Follow him on Twitter for legislative updates: @SenatorElliott
Proposed legislative rules could shorten debate time
Republicans in the Alabama Legislature have proposed rules that could curtail the ability of Democrats to temporarily slow debate on bills pushed by the GOP majority over the next four years. Proposed rules in the House of Representatives end a longstanding practice of allowing up to two hours of debate on the special order calendar listing what bills will get floor votes that day. The speaker would decide the time allowed. House Democrats on Monday expressed concern about that and a number of other changes aimed at speeding debate. Republican leaders contended the changes were modest attempts to encourage the “deliberative process.” Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, said he hopes the four-year term covered by the rules would be about finding common ground to address pressing issues in the state. “In light of all of these things, where the other side it already a supermajority, they further reduce our ability to have our voices heard, and that’s of great concern to me,” he said. Republicans hold 77 seats in the 105-member House, largely giving them the ability to control what passes. Dragging out debate on the special order calendar has been a tactic employed for years by the minority party, whether that was Democrats or Republicans. The House in 2003 voted to limit debate to two hours, where previously there was no limit. Assistant Minority Leader Merika Coleman said the special order debate time is an opportunity for lawmakers to express how their constituents feel about a particular piece of legislation and the time has been used as a negotiating tool to seek changes in the agenda or in a bill. “This is supposed to be the people’s House, a house of debate,” Coleman said. “It doesn’t matter if you are conservative or if you are liberal or if you are independent, the best pieces of legislation actually end up being formed when everybody is forced, or chooses, to negotiate. People have to listen to each other,” Coleman said. Democrats could still filibuster a bill before a vote, but Republicans typically have enough votes for cloture. Another proposed rule change would affect the filibuster tactic of asking for bills to be read aloud on the House floor, a right guaranteed to lawmakers in the Alabama Constitution. The House speaker could set the speed at which a computer reads the bill. House Speaker Mac McCutcheon and Rules Chairman Mike Jones issued a statement about the changes. McCutcheon said most of the proposed rules are the same from last term but some changes are being proposed to encourage the deliberative process but not deny any member’s right to debate. Jones said the rules have been worked on for months and should not come as a surprise to anyone. “That said, it’s the intention of both the speaker and myself that these rules will be fully debated on the House floor,” Jones said. Other changes deal with member discipline and debate on local resolutions. Lawmakers begin their organizational session at noon Tuesday. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Steve Flowers: Very few white Democrats left in Legislature. Several legends retire
The Republican tidal wave that swept Alabama’s statewide office holders to landslide victories filtered down to legislative races. Even though our legislature really didn’t need to become any more conservative or Republican, it did anyway. We had a super majority Republican State House and Senate. We now have a super, super GOP majority. Republicans picked up five more Alabama House seats and added another state Senate seat. That gives the GOP a 27 to 8 advantage in the Senate and a 77 to 28 edge in the House. If you make a trip to the Capitol and view the circus-like atmosphere of the January organizational session, you will be as likely to see a dinosaur on display as to spot a white Democratic legislator. There are two in the 140 membership. The two relics are Billy Beasley in the Senate and Neil Rafferty in the House. Three Democratic House Icons did not run for reelection this year. Retiring House members, James Buskey of Mobile, Marcel Black of Tuscumbia and Richard Lindsey of Centre, were legends and they will be missed. They epitomized the class and quality of individuals who have rendered outstanding leadership and statesmanship to public service for not only their constituents but also to the State of Alabama. James Buskey is retiring at 81. Mr. Buskey has served 42 years in the Alabama House of Representatives. He first won election to his House Seat in a Special Election in 1976. He subsequently was reelected overwhelmingly to 10 four-year terms. His leadership has made an impact for all of Mobile County. Over his legislative career he served on Ways and Means and Rules Committees. Over the past decade he has been the leader and wise shepherd of the Democrats in the House even though he let young members hold the Title. His professional career was as an educator. He served as a Vice Principal and Principal of several Mobile High Schools. I watched him be pushed to the limit numerous times in his efforts to represent his constituents. I never saw him lose his temper or his dignified yet humorous demeanor. As long as I live I will never forget a speech he made on the floor of the House in 1983. George Wallace was in his last term as governor and he was trying to tax everything that wasn’t nailed down. Even though Mobile had always been good to Wallace, he was aiming a good many of his tax initiatives at the Port City. Buskey took to the microphone and an impassioned yet hilarious portrayal of Wallace’s tax men in a flotilla of vessels sailing into Mobile Bay to rob the Mobilians. I will fondly call him Admiral in memory of that speech for the rest of my life. Representative Marcel Black is retiring at age 67after 28 years in the Alabama Legislature. Marcel is one of the finest gentlemen I’ve ever known. He was born and raised in Tuscumbia and represented his hometown of Tuscumbia and County of Colbert for seven four-year terms. He is a proud graduate of the University of Alabama and Alabama Law School. Besides being an outstanding legislator, he is one of the most prominent lawyers in his part of the state. He was a great friend and admirer of Tuscumbia’s most prominent lawyer and judge and Senator Howell Heflin. Heflin, who served as Alabama’s Chief Justice and our United States Senator for 18 years, however, was not Tuscumbia’s most prominent citizen. That title belongs to one Helen Keller. Marcel served in a host of legislative posts. He was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and would have probably been elected Speaker of the House had the Democrats retained the majority in 2010. Representative Richard Lindsey is retiring at the ripe old age of 62. He has served 36 years in the Alabama House of Representatives. If you assume that you are an adult at 21, then that means that Richard has served almost his entire adult life representing his home folks in the Legislature, 36 of his 41 years as an adult has been as a legislator. He was elected in 1982 at age 26. Even though he has been a State Representative for most of his life, he is first and foremost a farmer. He was born and raised in Centre in Cherokee County and runs the family farm business. He has been a leader in the Alabama Farmers Federation and his Methodist church. Like Marcel Black, Richard Lindsey is one of the finest gentlemen you will ever meet. James Buskey, Marcel Black and Richard Lindsey exude integrity. Legislators on both sides of the aisle should strive to emulate these three gentlemen. See you next week. ••• Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Alabama Legislature 2018: What passed and what failed
The 2018 Legislative Session has officially come to a close. State legislators filed 992 bills in the 2018 session. Only 32.66 percent, or 324 bills, were passed by both the House and Senate chambers. As of April 11 at 5:00 p.m., Gov. Kay Ivey has signed 312 bills*. ALCOHOL DIRECT WINE SHIPMENTS BILL (FAILED): Would allow adult consumers in Alabama to purchase a limited amount of wine directly from wineries licensed by the state. (SB243 | Sponsored by Madison-Republican State Sen. Bill Holtzclaw) ALCOHOL SALES ON SUNDAYS IN AUBURN BILL (SIGNED INTO LAW): Allows for the City of Auburn to may authorize and permit the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption on Sundays. (HB444 | Sponsored by Lee County-Republican State Rep. Joe Lovvorn) BUDGET GENERAL FUND (PASSED): funds Alabama’s non-education agencies (Sponsored by Montrose-Republican State Sen. Trip Pittman) EDUCATION TRUST FUND (PASSED): a $6.6 billion education budget for Fiscal Year 2019, which starts October 1 is the largest education budget for Alabama’s schools since the great recession of 2008 TEACHER PAY RAISE BILL (SIGNED INTO LAW): enacts a 2.5% salary increase for public education employees of K-12 public schools, the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB), the Department of Youth Services School District, the Alabama School of Fine Arts, the Alabama High School of Mathematics and Science, and the two-year postsecondary institutions under the Board of Trustees for the Community College System. (HB174 | Sponsored by Tuscaloosa-Republican State Rep. Bill Poole) EXTRA MONEY FOR VETERANS AFFAIRS (PASSED): appropriates an additional $4 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs. (HB180 | Sponsored by Tuscaloosa-Republican State Rep. Bill Poole) CIVIL JUSTICE RACIAL PROFILING AT TRAFFIC STOPS BILL (FAILED): a bill seeking to require law enforcement agencies statewide to record data about the race and ethnicity of stopped motorists, (SB84 | Sponsored by Birmingham-Democrat state Sen. Rodger Smitherman) CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE BILL (FAILED): would have tracked how often law enforcement authorities use civil actions to seize a person’s property when criminal activity is suspected. (HB518 | Sponsored by Birmingham-Republican state Rep. Arnold Mooney) CONSUMERS DATA BREACH BILL (SIGNED INTO LAW): would create penalties for failure to notify affected individuals that their personal data has been compromised. (SB318 | Sponsored by Decatur-Republican State Senator Arthur Orr) BROADBAND ACCESSIBILITY BILL (SIGNED INTO LAW): incentivizes private projects and increases opportunity for rural broadband expansion. (SB149 | Sponsored by Guntersville-Republican State Sen. Clay Scofield; Geneva-Republican State Representative Donnie Chesteen) CRIMINAL JUSTICE HARDSHIP LICENSES (SIGNED INTO LAW): Driver’s licenses, restricted driver license authorized based on hardship, Sec. 32-6-12.1 am’d. (SB55 | Sponsored by Republican state Sen. Clyde Chambless PRISON FUNDING (PASSED): adds an additional $85 million for the state prison system over the next two years. The allocation of funds follow U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ruling last year to a federal lawsuit, which declared Alabama’s prison system has failed to provide mental health care to the state’s prison population and is in violation of the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. (Sponsored by Montrose-Republican State Sen. Trip Pittman) NITROGEN EXECUTION BILL (SIGNED INTO LAW): allows the condemned to choose execution by nitrogen hypoxia if lethal injection is unavailable, or if they so elect. (SB128 | Sponsored by Montrose-Republican State Sen. Tripp Pittman) JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM BILL (FAILED): aims to keep low-level offenders at home instead of in lock-up facilities. (HB225 | Sponsored by Moody-Republican State Rep. Jim Hill) HUMAN TRAFFICKING BILL (SIGNED INTO LAW): Enhances the penalties already in place, increasing the offense to a Class A felony, with a minimum jail sentence of ten years. (SB179 | Sponsored by Alabaster-Republican state Sen. Cam Ward) MARIJUANA POSSESSION BILL (FAILED): sought to change sentencing for possession of one ounce or less to a violation, and to add fines which would not appear on a person’s criminal record, even after repeat offense. (HB272 | Sponsored by Birmingham-Democrat state Rep. Patricia Todd) MARIJUANA TRAFFICKING BILL (FAILED): A bill to up the minimum amount of marijuana needed to be convicted of trafficking from 2.2 pounds to 10 pounds. (SB51 | Sponsored by Montgomery-Republican State Sen. Dick Brewbaker) EDUCATION/CHILD CARE DAY CARE REGULATION BILL (SIGNED INTO LAW): The Alabama Department of Human Resources (ADHR) will inspect the nearly 1,000 faith-based centers throughout Alabama once a year, and require criminal background checks and proof of insurance on the people whose care children are being placed into. (HB76 | Sponsored by Tuskegee-Democrat state Rep. Pebblin Warren) SB323, sponsored by Senator Trip Pittman (R–Daphne), that would allow the state to use the Budget Stabilization Fund to cover the costs of school security. ELECTIONS END OF SPECIAL ELECTIONS BILL (SIGNED INTO LAW): allows the governor to appoint an temporary replacement to a vacant Senate seat, followed by an election that would coincide with the next general election occurring more than one year after the vacancy occurs. (SB15 | Sponsored by State Sen. Rusty Glover) ETHICS ETHICS EXEMPTION BILL (PASSED): exempts economic developers from the state ethics law. (HB317 | Sponsored by Moulton-Republican, State Rep. Ken Johnson) GAMBLING FANTASY SPORTS BILL (FAILED): would establish the Fantasy Contests Act and provide for the registration of certain fantasy sports operators conducting fantasy sports contests within the state. (SB325 | Sponsored by Huntsville-Republican state Sen. Paul Sanford) GOVERNING STRIPS LT GOVERNOR OF POWERS BILL (FAILED): strips the Lieutenant Governor’s office of any legislative duties (SB88 | Sponsored by Lineville-Republican State Senator Gerald Dial) TERM LIMITS FOR LAWMAKERS BILL (FAILED): would have proposed an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama that would provide that no person may be elected to either house of the state Legislature for more than three consecutive four-year terms. (SB127 | Sponsored by Mobile-Republican State Senator Bill Hightower) GUNS ARMED TEACHER BILL (FAILED): Would allow some public school teachers and administrators to undergo firearms training and arm themselves during school hours (HB435 | Sponsored by Guntersville-Republican State Rep. Will Ainsworth) ASSAULT WEAPON AGE LIMIT BILL (FAILED): would have raised the age limit to buy an AR-15, and other semi-automatic long guns, from 18 to 21. (HB434 | Sponsored by Birmingham-Democrat State Rep. Juandalynn Givan) ASSAULT WEAPON BAN (FAILED): would have prohibited possession, sale or transfer of assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition. (HB472 | Sponsored by Birmingham-Democrat State Rep. Mary Moore) HEALTH CARE RURAL HOSPITAL RESOURCE CENTER (PASSED): Would create a resource center housed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Health System to provide support for nonprofit, rural, public hospitals in the
Alabama legislative preview: Day 7 – Tuesday, January 30, 2018
The Legislative Session resumes Tuesday when the Alabama House of Representatives reconvenes at 1 p.m and the Senate an hour later. Here is what state legislators have on their plate Tuesday: House: Convenes Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. For the first time this legislative session, the Rules Committee has put forth a resolution for a special order calendar. Upon the adoption of their resolution on Tuesday, the business they set below “shall be the special and paramount order of business for the 7th legislative day taking precedence over the regular order of business or any pending or unfinished business.” SB17: Alabama Family Trust Corporation, compliance with federal Social Security law and rules, provisions for successor life beneficiary deleted, disbursement of remainder including reimbursement for medical assistance, trust not to affect Medicaid appropriations. Sponsored by Alabaster-Republican state Sen. Cam Ward and SB98: Ad valorem taxes, co. commission authorized to reduce for projects under Ala. Jobs Act, Sec. 40-7-25.4 added Sponsored by Decatur-Republican state Senator Arhur Orr and Athen-Republican state Rep. Danny Crawford HB198: Alabama Assistance and Service Animal Integrity in Housing Act, documentation to be provided to landlord for exception, offenses of misrepresentation of entitlement to an assistance animal or service animal and misrepresentation of an animal as an assistance animal or service animal created as misdemeanors. Sponsored by Montevallo-Republican state Rep. Matt Fridy HB105: Emergency responders, certified peer support member, certain communications priviledged, criminal penalties for violation Sponsored by state Rep. Lee HB9: Youth sports, unpaid and volunteer youth athletics assoc. personnel to complete a youth injury mitigation course annually Sponsored by Birmingham-Republican state Rep. Jack “J.D.” Williams HB26: Would make it illegal to smoke a tobacco product in a motor vehicle — whether in motion or at 24 rest — when anyone under 18 is also present. The penalty for violating the law would be a $100 fine. Sponsored by Birmingham-Democrat state Rep. Rolanda Hollis HB10: Alabama Public Transportation Trust Fund, established, ADECA required to administer trust fund; Public Transportation Trust Fund Advisory Committee, created. Sponsored by Birmingham-Republican state Rep. Jack “J.D.” Williams HB66: Mayors, legislative functions in cities/towns with 12,000 or more but less than 25,000 inhabitants, authorized to continue operating as a city or town with less than 12,000 inhabitants by majority vote of council and mayor under certain conditions, veto power restricted, Secs. 11-43-2, 11-43-3, 11-43-40, 11-45-4, 11-45-5 am’d. Sponsored by Moody-Republican state Rep. Jim Hill HB164: Tax Exemption Reform Act, grace period to obtain or renew certificate of exemption from Dept. of Revenue for united appeal fund entities and supported charities provided through Sept. 30, 2018, Sec. 40-9-12.1added Sponsored by Trussville-Republican state Rep. Danny Garrett HB170: Workforce Council, membership revised, regional workforce development councils, membership qualifications revised, Secs. 41- 29-290, 41-29-291, 41-29-300 am’d. Sponsored by Brewton-Republican state Rep. Alan Baker HB53: Environment, Alabama Legacy for Environmental Research Trust, abolished, Sec. 22-30B-19 repealed Sponsored by Sylacauga-Republican state Rep. Ronald Johnson HB69: Competitive Bid law, purchase and installation of heating and air conditioning units for local boards of education, exempted when bid pursuant to purchasing cooperative and process approved by Dept. of Examiners of Public Accounts, Secs. 39-1-5, 39-2-2 am’d. Sponsored by Hayden-Republican state Rep. David Standridge HB40: Gas, natural gas, conversion of motor vehicles for operating on compressed natural or liquefied gas, extended weight allowances, Sec. 32-9-20 am’d. Sponsored by Fayette-Republican state Rep. Kyle South HB106: Court reporters, state salary tied to pay scale of Alabama Personnel Dept. Pay Plan for state employees, subject to cost-of-living and merit raises, provide pay for court reporter returning to state service, provide salary of supernumerary court reporters, Secs. 12- 17-274, 12-17-292 am’d. Sponsored by Dothan-Republican state Rep. Paul Lee HB151: Taxation, two-year surety bond required with new or renewal sales tax license registration and certain non-compliant licenses, Sec. 40-23-6 am’d. Sponsored by Sylacauga-Republican state Rep. Ronald Johnson HB194: Palliative and end of life individual health plans, authorized to provide health care and other directives to health care providers, schools, etc. for terminally ill minors, Alex Hoover Act, Secs. 22- 8A-15 to 22-8A-18, inclusive, added; Secs. 22-8A-2, 22-8A-3, 22-8A-7 am’d. Sponsored by Brierfield-Republican state Rep. April Weaver Senate: Convenes Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. The Alabama Senate has not yet released a proposed special order calendar. This post will be updated once one has been released.
API presents the 2017 Naughty and Nice List
The Alabama Policy Institute staff made a list and we’re checking it twice as we think back on 2017 and what was “naughty” or “nice.” What made your list this year? Nice: The legislature passed four pro-life bills this year… This year, the legislature passed four bills each that aim at protecting the sanctity of life, plus a bill that legalizes midwifery in Alabama. The pro-life bills included a ban on assisted suicide, a provision that ensures the right-of-conscience of health-care providers, a bill that allows adoption agencies to operate and place children under faith-based policies, and a constitutional amendment affirming the right to life of unborn children. It is great to know that our lawmakers are unafraid to stand up for individuals’ rights and the right to life. Naughty: But the legislature did not pass the changes to the Alabama Accountability Act, which would have broadened access to school choice for more of Alabama’s schoolchildren. Amendments to the Alabama Accountability Act (AAA) would have expanded the pool of donors and donations to the AAA, thus enhancing opportunities for children to have school choice who otherwise would have none. In 2016, donations to the AAA dropped from $25.8 million to $19.9 million.* If the system is not funded, schoolchildren will be forced to return to the failing schools they left. These amendments addressed the funding problem, but unfortunately, they did not pass. We’ll try again next time! Nice: Alabama has a female governor! Governor Kay Ivey has faithfully served our state in many different capacities over the course of her career. Now, she’s Alabama’s top-ranking government official. Among other things in her first year, Governor Kay Ivey has met with President Donald Trump to discuss infrastructure, dissolved several Bentley-era task forces, and unveiled a gubernatorial initiative called “Strong Start, Strong Finish,” which focuses on early childhood education, computer science in middle and high school, and workforce preparedness. You go, Gov. Naughty: Unfortunately, the events leading up to her appointment were not the best. I really don’t want to relive the saga of former Governor Robert Bentley and I don’t think that you do either. He used state resources on activities related to his alleged affair. He reportedly asked Alabama’s top cop about arresting his own wife for recording his phone calls. According to testimonials, he threatened state employees. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Alabamians have so much to be proud of, but this whole ordeal was particularly embarrassing. Nice: In a recent survey, Alabama ranks fourth in the nation in charitable donations. According to a survey by WalletHub, Alabama is fourth behind a three-way tie of Utah, Georgia, and Wyoming in highest percentage of income donated to charitable causes. That doesn’t come as much of a surprise in a state as conservative as Alabama. The truth is that government aid does not compare to the abilities of individuals who give to private charity. I’m proud to live in a state where people realize the importance of giving. Naughty: The events leading up to the resignation of Superintendent Michael Sentance were an actual debacle… (And even naughtier were several of the school board members) Michael Sentance was hired as the State Superintendent of Education in August 2016. Almost immediately, his tenure was surrounded by controversy, at no fault of his own. While Sentance came to his job with an abundance of fresh ideas from his time working in education in Massachusetts (which ranks 46 places higher than Alabama in overall education) members of the state school board seemingly felt threatened. For months, rumors swirled about the school board taking steps to fire him. In September, he resigned from his post. The search for a new superintendent begins again. When will we put Alabama students above politics? Naughty: But Sentance’s resignation pales in comparison to the fiasco of the U.S. Senate Special Election. This election was one of the ugliest in recent Alabama history. Friends turned into enemies, and you couldn’t turn on the TV or radio without having to endure political ads. In the general election, 21,000 voters were so disgusted with their choice of candidates, they showed up to vote but did not cast a ballot for either one. The Alabama Secretary of State’s office estimates that between $10 million to $15 million were spent to hold the special election, and over $10 million were spent by the two candidates in the general election. In a state as charitable as Alabama, imagine how much could have been done for others with all that money. Nice: Over the last year, Alabama has added a net of close to 30,000 jobs. In the most up-to-date numbers from October 2017, Alabama added 29,400 jobs to its economy since January 2017. Even better news, the unemployment rate is the lowest on record at 3.8%. According to the latest numbers from U.S. News and World Report, Alabama ranks seventh in the nation in poverty. You know what’s a guaranteed way to pull people out of poverty? Having a job. Way to go, Alabama. ••• Taylor Dawson is Director of Communications for the Alabama Policy Institute (API). API is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational organization dedicated to strengthening free enterprise, defending limited government, and championing strong families. If you would like to speak with the author, please e-mail communications@alabamapolicy.org or call (205) 870-9900.
Chris Pringle to chair new House Standing Committee on Fiscal Responsibility
Mobile-Republican State Rep. Chris Pringle has been selected to chair the new House Standing Committee on Fiscal Responsibility, a panel that will focus its attention on increasing accountability and combatting the waste, misuse, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Monrovia-Republican and Alabama Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon made the announcement Tuesday. “Since 2010, the Alabama Legislature has passed several initiatives designed to tighten the reins on state spending and maximize returns on the taxpayers’ dollars, but there is more work yet to be done,” McCutcheon said. “The Standing Committee on Fiscal Responsibility will focus its full attention on considering measures that streamline the budgeting and spending process and implement needed efficiencies.” Pringle, who received the Business Council of Alabama‘s coveted Business Champion Award in 2015, said he looks forward to the challenges that lie ahead as he and his committee members work to ensure taxpayers get maximum results from the dollars they send to Montgomery. “A classic movie tells the story of some miners who dig a tunnel underneath the local saloon and become rich by gathering the gold dust that simply falls between the floor boards, and that is similar to our mission,” Pringle said. “We’re going to start examining the biggest pile of dollars in the state treasury and then drill down to the smallest cent as we seek ways to cut costs and save money while maintaining and improving services.” First elected to represent District 101 in the Alabama House in 2014, Pringle previously served as a member of the body from 1994 to 2002. A graduate of the University of Alabama, he is a licensed realtor with Southern Timberlands and is a licensed home building and general contractor. Joining Pringle on the committee, which was created by a House resolution during the 2017 regular session, are: Vice Chairman Chris Sells (R-Greenville), Ranking Democrat Rod Scott (D-Fairfield), Corley Ellis (R-Columbiana), Matt Fridy (R-Montevallo), Danny Garrett (R-Trussville), Reed Ingram (R-Montgomery), A.J. McCampbell (D-Livingston) and Patricia Todd (D-Birmingham).
Kay Ivey sets special election dates for House District 21
Gov. Kay Ivey has scheduled a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the sudden death of Meridianville-Republican, former state Rep. Jim Patterson earlier this month. Ivey set the special election Alabama House District 21 for Tuesday, January 9, 2018. If necessary, a runoff will take place Tuesday, March 27, 2018 and the general election Tuesday, June 12, 2018. If there is no need based on number of qualifying candidates for a primary, the general election will be held Tuesday, March 27, 2018. If a runoff is not necessary, the general election will be Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Patterson, who died from a heart attack on Oct. 2, had represented the district since 2010. “I promised the people of Madison County that I would do all I could to help them move forward after the loss of Jim, who was not only a true public servant, but also a loving husband and father,” Ivey said. “Choosing our elected officials is a central component of our government on every plain whether that be on the national, state or local level, and I encourage all those that live in House District 21 to participate in this special election.” The deadline for qualifying with major political parties is Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. The deadline for all independent candidates and/or minor parties is Tuesday, January 9, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. House District 21 represents a portion of Madison County.
Randall Shedd to chair new House Standing Committee on Urban and Rural Development
Cullman-Republican state Rep. Randall Shedd has been named chairman of the new House Standing Committee on Urban and Rural Development House Speaker Mac McCutcheon announced Monday. According to McCutcheon, the new panel will focus its attention on combatting the pockets of poverty that exist across the state by addressing issues like broadband access, infrastructure, and other factors contributing to impoverished areas. “For the past several years, Alabama has led the nation in attracting new jobs, opportunities, and industrial development, but there are areas of our state that still struggle economically, and they deserve our attention,” McCutcheon said. “Since joining the Alabama House, Rep. Shedd has promoted the need for development initiatives in both urban and rural areas, so his expertise and interest in this area makes him the ideal candidate to chair this committee.” Shedd said he looks forward to tackling the challenges that leading the panel offers and pledges to work toward more prosperity and opportunity for all of Alabama’s citizens. “Every Alabamian, no matter where they live, deserves the chance at a good-paying job and an honest day’s work, and, as chairman of this committee, I will do everything in my power to provide it to them,” said Shedd. “I appreciate the confidence that Speaker McCutcheon has placed in me, and I can promise that the bills, measures, and ideas that come before my committee will get a thorough vetting and a fair hearing.” Prior to his election to the Alabama House in 2013, Shedd served as chairman of the Cullman County Commission and as mayor of Fairview. He was previously employed as the director of the Cullman County Commission on Aging. Joining Shedd on the new committee are: Hayden-Republican David Standridge: Vice Chairman Thomasville-Democrat Thomas Jackson: Ranking Democrat Bessemer-Democrat Louise Alexander Selma-Democrat Prince Chestnut Athens-Republican Danny Crawford Leeds-Republican Dickie Drake Woodland-Republican Bob Fincher Greensboro-Democrat Ralph Howard Mobile-Republican Margie Wilcox Tuscaloosa-Republican Rich Wingo
Taylor Dawson: There’s always next year, right?
It’s baffling when legislators run for office on a platform of limited government and individual liberty and then use their elected office in the Alabama Legislature to defeat legislation that promotes these principles. Legislation supporting school choice and Second Amendment rights suffered this fate this past legislative session. Don’t blame the Democrats. Enough Republicans joined them to defeat amendments to the Alabama Accountability Act, and a Republican committee chairman in the Alabama House scuttled constitutional carry. Changes to the Alabama Accountability Act Parents with children trapped in failing schools did not have a real school-choice option in Alabama prior to 2013. With the passage of the Alabama Accountability Act (AAA), families zoned for Alabama’s worst-performing schools finally had better opportunities through scholarships and tax credits. After a drop of $5.9 million in scholarship donations through the AAA last year, some lawmakers came to this year’s session prepared to remedy the funding problem. Amendments would have improved the law by raising the limit on tax credits that could be claimed for donating to student scholarships, adding a tax credit for utility tax, allowing estates and trusts to donate, and reserving half of the cumulative cap–which would remain unchanged–on donations for individual donors. In February, these amendments passed by a close margin in the Senate. It wasn’t until the last forty-eight hours of the legislative session that SB 123 hit the floor of the House. Getting the bill to the House floor wasn’t an easy task, but education reforms rarely are. Enough legislators were swayed by the voices of public-education superintendents and the Alabama Education Association (AEA) to kill the bill. The AEA makes no bones about its intent to keep education in Alabama just the way they like it–even if it means children trapped in failing public schools. We should give positive education opportunities to all families, not just families who can afford them. The Alabama Accountability Act needs to be strengthened, and it’s certainly worth another try next session. Constitutional Carry The Second Amendment states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Although the Supreme Court allows certain types of gun-ownership restrictions, a few of our legislators in Montgomery want our rights to be as free and clear of hindrances as possible. Senator Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa) introduced a bill this session that would allow constitutional carry–otherwise known as permitless carry–in Alabama. After receiving “yea” votes from every Republican legislator to easily pass the Senate, SB 24 died in House committee without making it to the floor for a vote. When a public hearing was held for the bill in a House committee several weeks ago, the pro-permit side was represented entirely by law enforcement, but there was one notable dissenter from that side–Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale. Sheriff Hale values the rights of many over the fiscal preferences of few. Paying a fee is a burden on our right to bear a firearm. Those who take issue with constitutional carry justify their defense of permits as being pro-public safety rather than anti-Second Amendment. So, if opponents of constitutional carry are going to market their opposition in the name of safety, why is there a cost associated with getting a permit? Our constitutional right to bear a firearm should not come at a price. This bill’s defeat was not at the hands of the law enforcement officers who were against it. Republican House members killed this bill, and the lawmakers in the Senate who passed the bill by an overwhelming margin should hold the House members from their party accountable for its defeat. At the very least, constitutional carry deserved a vote on the floor of the Alabama House. Now that the 2017 legislative session is over, let’s hope our lawmakers use this break to think about these policies they rejected and come back to Montgomery in 2018, headed into election season, prepared to stand for the principles they claim to support. ••• Taylor Dawson is Communications Director for the Alabama Policy Institute (API). API is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational organization dedicated to strengthening free enterprise, defending limited government, and championing strong families.
