House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter announces committee appointments
On Friday, State Representative Kyle South (R-Fayette) resigned from the Alabama House of Representatives to take a job as the President and CEO of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. This move created vacancies in the committees on which he served. Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) announced his appointments to fill those committee vacancies. Effective July 1, these House members will be appointed to the following committees: Rules Committee: Rep. Debbie Wood (R—Valley) Ways and Means General Fund Vice Chair: Rep. Chris Blackshear (R—Smiths Station) Ways and Means General Fund Committee: Rep. Kerry Underwood (R—Tuscumbia) Insurance Committee: Rep. Matt Woods (R—Jasper) Financial Services Committee: Rep. James Lomax (R—Huntsville) Joint Transportation Committee: Rep. Rhett Marques (R—Enterprise) ARPA Oversight Committee: Rep. Jeff Sorrells (R—Hartford) South’s departure had been announced weeks ago, giving the Speaker plenty of time to plan for making these appointments. Governor Kay Ivey will soon announce the dates for the special election to fill the vacancy in House District 16. There are now two vacancies in the 105-member House of Representatives. The other is in House District 55, where former Rep. Fred Plump (D-Birmingham) resigned and pleaded guilty to public corruption charges. The Alabama Legislature will meet on July 17 for its second special session to address court-ordered congressional redistricting. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
House Committee advances legislation providing stipends to principals who receive additional training
On Wednesday, the Alabama House of Representatives Ways and Means General Fund Committee advanced legislation that would provide up to $15,000 in additional stipends for principals who complete advanced leadership training. Senate Bill 300 (SB300) is sponsored by State Senator Arthur Orr. “This bill will be important for principals, compensating them and increasing the training for principals,” Orr explained. “There are extra stipends for hard-to-fill schools,” Orr said. “The principals are very much for it around the state.” The Senate adopted a substitute version of the bill. The substituted version of SB300 passed the Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 34 to 0. The legislation is being carried in the House by State Representative Alan Baker. Baker said this bill “creates the School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act.” The synopsis states, “Existing law requires principals and assistant principals to complete five professional learning units every five years specific to serving in those administrative positions beyond the initial instructional leadership certification provided by state institutions of higher education. This bill would create the School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act. This bill would require the creation and implementation of the Alabama Principal Leadership Development System and would require all principals and assistant principals to attend and satisfactorily complete the program.” Baker said that the bill provides a $10,000 stipend for principals that complete the program plus $5000 for those “serving in low-performing or high-poverty schools.” Rep Terri Collins said, “One of the biggest issues we have is discipline. I think this could really make a difference in student performance.” “I am pleased with all of the things I see in this,” Collins said. Rep. Debbie Wood asked, “Where did the $850,000 appropriation come from?” Baker said, “This rolls out in phases.” A clerk answered, “That is based on the figure that is in the ETF budget.” Committee Chairman Danny Garrett said, “Principals are so key and critical in good schools.” Garrett said, “My son, who is a teacher, told me, ‘I think anyone who is a principal for five years needs to go back to a classroom, and everyone who wants to be a principal needs to shadow a principal first.’” Baker said, “Professional development at the K-3 level would show them (principals) what proper teaching is in regard to the Literacy Act and the Numeracy Act.” The bill also appoints a 21-member design team and states a professional leadership academy. The legislation could be considered by the full House as early as Thursday. Thursday will be day 22 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The legislature is limited to thirty legislative days in the regular session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Gov. Kay Ivey signs bill to protect patients right to receive visitors
Governor Kay Ivey held a formal bill signing ceremony for legislation on Thursday, strengthening patients’ rights by allowing their family members to be present in a hospital room. Senate Bill 113 (SB113) was sponsored by State Senator Garlan Gudger. It was carried in the House of Representatives by Representative Debbie Wood. “I was also proud to place my signature on SB 113, allowing hospital and nursing home patients the right to visit with loved ones,” Gov. Ivey said on Twitter. “Certainly, allowing visitation is the right thing to do. Once again, I commend the Legislature on passing these good bills.” “I’m thankful that this bill has corrected that wrong and that we have worked together as a team,” Sen. Gudger said. “Everyone on this stage, Senate and House, passed [this bill] almost unanimously through both chambers, and the process at the State Government worked this time. I’m thankful that our heavenly father has given us tools and attributes to use, and those tools in the state government are the process of getting bills passed that are good bills we can all stand behind.” “We heard an outcry from the public of people who wanted to be with their loved one while they were in a hospital, nursing home, or any kind of healthcare facility,” says Rep. Wood. Wood’s mother died from COVID in 2021, and the family was not allowed into the facility. “What haunted me was the fact my mother may have thought that we abandoned her because we were not with her,” Wood said. “When she needed us the most, we were cut off. That’s what this bill is about.” During the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised that hospitals and nursing homes limit visitation to prevent the spread of the coronavirus strain that was causing the illness. Despite those precautions, 21,133 Alabamians died of the illness. Most died alone while their loved ones were forced to remain outside. Thousands of Alabamians who died of things other than COVID also died in isolation in hospitals and nursing homes – in many cases, the first time they had ever been separated from all their friends and family. One of those who perished was Harold Sachs – the longtime chief of staff of the Alabama Republican Party. SB113 was named the Harold Sachs and Anne Roberts Act. State Sen. Dan Roberts lost his beloved wife, Anne, to the pandemic. He and Gudger set about writing SB113 after an earlier 2021 version of the legislation proved to be ineffective. Roberts and his sons were barred from seeing Anne in 2022, much like the Sachs family was barred from visiting Harold during his final weeks on this Earth in 2020. “This has been a team effort,” said Sen. Roberts. “The Sachs family first kicked off this idea, but it was the result of an outcry that we heard all over the state. Then it was our turn, the Roberts family. We said goodbye to my beloved wife of 42 and a half years, and that was it. All of us were denied the opportunity to be with our loved ones in their final days. Thank you for the support we’ve had from all who are on this stage, but also from others across the state.” Emee Baldwin is the granddaughter of the late Harold Sachs and the founder of PoppysPurpose.org, the grassroots organization that energized people around the state to get behind these bills. “I’m so excited that this bill has passed. [During COVID] Our nurses and doctors did great,” Baldwin said. “They did everything that they could, but sometimes you just need that familiar face in the room with you. You need that familiar touch to be there with you. You need someone there to pray with you, to lay hands over you, just to encourage you and have a smiling face. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to get this bill passed. It’s truly going to change patients’ lives here in Alabama.” Baldwin now serves as a neonatal intensive care nurse in Birmingham. The Harold Sachs and Anne Roberts Act is set to take effect immediately. Tuesday will be day 16 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Governor Kay Ivey signs legislation to give patients the right to receive visitors
On Tuesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation into law that protects the rights of hospital and nursing home patients to receive visitors. “The ability to visit a cherished loved one, whether in a hospital or nursing home, should be a fundamental right,” Ivey stated. However, all over the country, during the pandemic, many family members, caregivers, and even clergy were denied access to visit and provide emotional support to patients in healthcare facilities. Such restrictions defy the norms of a caring society, and I was pleased to sign this legislation to signal that in Alabama, we support our patients having this fundamental right.” Senate Bill 113 (SB113) is sponsored by State Sen. Garlan Gudger. It was carried in the House by Rep. Debbie Wood. Senate Bill 113 requires healthcare facilities to adopt specific visitation policies. The bill provides that patients have a right to visitation and can designate an essential caregiver. It also guarantees that the caregiver has visitation rights. “I supported that bill,” said Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter. “It is only fair.” Thousands of Alabamians have died without their loved ones present since COVID restrictions began in 2020. “I would hate to know that I couldn’t visit my loved one,” Ledbetter said. Rep. Wood explained that patients could change their caregivers while in the hospital. For example, one adult child could be the designated caregiver on one day and their sibling on the next. Wood also said the bill prohibits a healthcare facility from requiring visitors to show proof of vaccination. They are also prohibited from banning consensual physical contact between visitors and patients. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) will be tasked with requiring healthcare facilities to provide visitation policies to the Department of Public Health. That visitation policy cannot be more restrictive than the policy that the hospital has for its staff. ADPH will develop a mechanism for complaints to be lodged and will have a page on its website that explains the visitation rights law. SB113 also provides for certain immunity from liability. A doctor may, in certain circumstances, exempt a psychiatric care facility from the visitation requirement. The bill is named after Harold Sachs – the longtime Chief of Staff of the Alabama Republican Party. Sachs was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia in late 2020. His condition deteriorated quickly, and after a few weeks, he passed away. Sachs’ family – like many Alabama families- were not allowed to visit Harold in the COVID-19 ward. The Sachs family for their efforts in getting the bill passed. The bill also was amended to include the name Ann Roberts in the title. Ann Roberts was the wife of State Sen. Dan Roberts. She lost a long battle with COVID-19 in 2021. SB113 passed the Alabama House of Representatives 100 to 1. SB113 has already passed the Senate on a 33 to 0 vote. Wednesday will be the 12th legislative day of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The Alabama Constitution limits the legislature to no more than thirty legislative days in a regular session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Legislature to convene Tuesday for fourth week of the session
Both Houses of the Alabama Legislature will meet on Tuesday for the eleventh day of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The Alabama Senate will convene at 2:30 p.m. The Alabama House of Representatives has not posted the start time on the Legislature’s website, but it is probably around 1:00 p.m. The House Tuscaloosa County Legislation Committee will meet Tuesday at 12:45 p.m. in Room 418 of the Statehouse. The committee will consider just one bill. House Bill 275 (HB275) is sponsored by State Representative Ron Bolton. According to the bill, “it would allow the City of Northport in Tuscaloosa County to provide for a warrant recall fee to allow a municipal judge or municipal magistrate for the City of Northport to recall, under certain conditions, a failure to appear warrant.” The Senate County and Municipal Government Committee will meet at 1:00 p.m. in the Senate Finance and Taxation room on the eighth floor of the Alabama Statehouse. Two bills are on the agenda. There is a public hearing scheduled for House Bill 114. HB114 is sponsored by State Representative Debbie Wood. HB114 will allow county governments to claim unclaimed property in their custody faster. Senator Gerald Allen sponsors Senate Bill 169. SB169 would specify that for municipal business taxes purposes, the definition of gross receipts does not include any excise tax imposed by the federal, state, and local governments. Senate Bill 203 (SB203) had been on an earlier version of the Committee agenda but was removed as of press time. SB203 is sponsored by Sen. Jabo Waggoner. SB203 would “authorize any county, municipality, or governmental entity subject to a countywide civil service system to elect by a majority vote of the county or municipal governing body to opt out of the countywide civil service system; to require the county, municipality, or governmental entity to adopt a human resources policy and procedures manual; and to require the county, municipality, or governmental entity to notify the director of the countywide civil service system of its decision to withdraw from the system.” There are over a dozen committee meetings scheduled for Wednesday. Neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate have released a special order calendar as of press time. State Rep. Susan Dubose reported that her legislation (House Bill 261) will be on the House floor on Tuesday. HB261 protects female college athletes from having to compete with biological males in athletics events. The transgender community will likely oppose the bill. It has 39 Republican cosponsors. The regular session is limited by the Alabama Constitution of 1901 to no more than thirty legislative days in a regular session. Tuesday will be the 11th Legislative day. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Susan Dubose briefs Birmingham Young Republicans on Legislative session
The Greater Birmingham Young Republicans (GBYR) met on Thursday in Vestavia Hills to hear State Representative Susan Dubose discuss legislation being considered by the Alabama Legislature during the ongoing 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. GBYR President Stephanie Petelos said that Dubose is a first-term member of the Alabama House and is the former head of the North Shelby County Republican Women, which meets monthly to full meetings at a country club. It was announced at the meeting that a Shelby County Young Republicans chapter is being organized. “I am excited about the Shelby County chapter,” Dubose said. “I represent District 45, which includes parts of Jefferson, Shelby, and St. Clair Counties.’ Dubose said the legislation to ban holding a cell phone while driving, essentially requiring hands-free devices, is likely dead for the session. “That was tabled,” Dubose said. “There were problems with that bill. It got too much overreach for me. I don’t think it is coming back.” “I passed my first bill out of committee,” Dubose said. “It is a women’s sports protection bill. It is to protect women college athletes.” “It passed unanimously,” Dubose said. “It (House Bill 261) will be on the House floor on Tuesday.” “April Weaver is running it through the Senate so it could become law,” Dubose said. “The attorney general really wants this passed.” “I am working on an age of majority law,” Dubose said. “14-year-olds are allowed to make medical decisions,” Dubose explained, saying that the age limit should be raised and that parents should be able to have the final say on their children’s medical decisions. “I would like to eliminate the grocery tax,” Dubose said. “Anthony Daniels is for it.” Dubose said, “It is not an exact loss.” Dubose explained that when you give that four percent back to the people, they are going to spend it on other things we collect sales taxes on. “I am a big believer in supply-side economics that Reagan did.” “One of the votes that we had, Vestavia Hills came to our county delegation,” Dubose said. “They wanted to raise their ad valorem taxes by 9.8 mills. They are very proud of their school system there. Many people move to Vestavia for the schools. Our entire Jefferson County Delegation voted yes unanimously.” Dubose told Alabama Today, “Regarding Vestavia Hills, the Vestavia Hills city council unanimously supports letting their residents vote on the 9.8% increase in ad valorem tax. Our Jefferson County House of Representatives delegation voted unanimously by voice vote to move the bill to the floor of the House, where it passed. I believe the people of Vestavia Hills should have a right to vote and make decisions for their own community. Vestavia Hills has a reputation for excellent schools. As a legislative body, we have given the residents the opportunity for a yes or no vote on the property tax increase.” “Another vote where I got real criticism for was the adoption bill,” Dubose said. Dubose said the criticism was for voting down an amendment to the bill that would have blocked any vaccine requirements for adoptive or foster parents. “That should be a personal choice, but that amendment came up at the last minute,” Dubose said. The Senate did add a vaccination amendment when that legislation passed on Thursday. The House will consider Senate changes to the bill as soon as Tuesday. “I do not believe in COVID vaccine mandates at all. That should be a personal choice,” Dubose told Alabama Today. “I voted to table the amendment on the floor because we didn’t have time to research the amendment and vet any unintended consequences. I am happy to hear that the Senate did pass the adoption bill with a slightly different amendment so that an option with exemptions from vaccines will be available for potential parents. I will happily support the adoption bill when it comes back to the House with the vaccine exemption amendment.” “That particular bill was not taking amendments on it at all,’ Dubose explained. “I knew it was going to fail. I try to vote with the Speaker when I can. “ Dubose said the House passed legislation limiting good time incentives for Alabama prisoners. “Bibb County deputy Brad Johnson was shot and killed by a felon who had been out of prison only three days after serving only a third of his sentence,” Dubose said. “Russell Bedsole carried that in the House, and then April Weaver carried that in the Senate.” “Dubose said that the Legislature also voted to outlaw exhibition driving. “This is something that the Mayor of Birmingham and the Mayor of Hoover asked us to support,” Dubose said. “We have had 16 persons and a baby killed by a Dodge Charger that was doing donuts with a crowd watching.” Dubose said the state’s economic incentives were renewed and passed out of the House on Thursday. “Surrounding states are spending a lot of money on incentives,” Dubose explained. “I support the economic incentive package “The Game Plan” proposed by our governor,” Dubose said. “This passed out of the House on Thursday.” “Where are our workers going to come from,” Dubose said of the state’s labor force participation rate. “Only 56.7% of people are in the labor force. We need them to come back to work.” “I do still worry about our workforce participation rate in Alabama, which keeps going down,” Dubose said. Dubose said the Legislature also passed DRAM shop reform legislation so that bars and restaurants that serve alcohol can get liability insurance for when a person leaves their premises and is intoxicated and is involved in a wreck. Dubose said that the Legislature also passed legislation to guarantee that patients of hospitals and nursing homes would be able to receive visitors in the future. “During COVID, so many people died alone,” said Dubose. “The bill sponsor, Debbie Wood – We sit next to each other, and she explains everything to me. Her mother actually starved to death in a nursing home.” Dubose said patients “can appoint a designated person who can visit two hours a day even if there is a crisis situation.” Dubose
Legislature passes bill guaranteeing the rights of patients to receive visitors
On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives voted in favor of legislation that would guarantee that family members may spend time with their sick and dying loved ones in an Alabama hospital or nursing home. The legislation has already passed the Senate, so it now is in the Governor’s office awaiting her signature. Senate Bill 113 (SB113) is sponsored by State Sen. Garlan Gudger. It is being carried in the House by Rep. Debbie Wood. SB113 requires healthcare facilities to adopt certain visitation policies. Specifically, it provides that patients have a right to visitation. Patients are allowed to designate an essential caregiver, and this bill guarantees that that caregiver has visitation rights. Rep. Wood explained that a patient could change their caregiver while in the hospital. For example, one adult child could be the designated caregiver on one day and their sibling on the next. Wood also said that the bill prohibits a healthcare facility from requiring visitors to show proof of vaccination. They also are prohibited from banning consensual physical contact between visitors and patients. Wood explained that the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) will be tasked with requiring healthcare facilities to provide visitation policies to the Department and of Public Health. That visitation policy cannot be more restrictive than the policy that the hospital has for its staff. ADPH will develop a mechanism for complaints to be lodged and will have a page on its website that explains the visitation rights law. SB113 also provides for certain immunity from liability. Woods said that a doctor may, in certain circumstances, exempt a psychiatric care facility from the visitation requirement. The legislature passed a bill last year establishing patients’ visitation rights, but that bill was virtually unenforceable. “Last year, we passed House Bill 521,” Wood said in Committee. “The problem was we still had family members who were not able to get into see their loved ones.” This bill would allow a health care facility to suspend in-person visitation of a specific visitor if a visitor violates the facility’s policies and procedures.” The impetus for this bill resulted from highly restrictive (in many cases – complete and total bans on visitations) during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The bill is named after Harold Sachs – the longtime Chief of Staff of the Alabama Republican Party. Sachs was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia in late 2020. His condition deteriorated quickly, and after a few weeks, he passed away. Sachs’ family – like many Alabama families- were not allowed to visit Harold in the COVID-19 ward. Woods credited the Sachs family for their efforts in getting the bill passed. The bill also was amended to include the name Ann Roberts in the title. Ann Roberts was the wife of State Sen. Dan Roberts. She lost a long battle with COVID-19 in 2021. State Rep. Mary Moore felt that the bill went too far in limiting a hospital’s ability to pass rules to prevent the spread of disease. SB113 passed the Alabama House of Representatives 100 to 1. SB113 has already passed the Senate on a 33 to 0 vote. It now goes to Governor Kay Ivey for her consideration. Ivey could sign the bill into law, or she could veto it and send it back to the Legislature with a recommendation for changes. It takes a simple majority of each house of the legislature to override a governor’s veto in Alabama. Tuesday will be the eighth legislative day of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The Alabama Constitution limits the legislature to no more than thirty legislative days in a regular session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
House Committee advances legislation guaranteeing that patients can have visitors
On Wednesday, the Alabama House Healthcare Committee voted to advance legislation that would guarantee that family members may spend time with their sick and dying loved ones in an Alabama hospital or nursing home. Senate Bill 113 (SB113) is sponsored by State Sen. Garlan Gudger. It is being carried in the House by Rep. Debbie Wood. The bill replaces last year’s patient visitation law. “Last year, we passed House Bill 521,” Wood said. “The problem was we still had family members who were not able to get into see their loved ones.” “Sen. Gudger worked hard to come up with another one with teeth in it,” Wood explained. The synopsis states, “Under existing law, a health care facility must follow certain requirements related to visitation for patients, clients, or residents. This bill would repeal existing law related to healthcare facility visitation and would require healthcare facilities to adopt visitation policies and procedures that meet certain standards. This bill would provide that residents, clients, or patients of a health care facility have the right to visit with any individual of their choosing during the facility’s visiting hours.” “This bill would allow a resident, client, or patient to designate an essential caregiver and would require healthcare facilities to allow essential caregivers at least two hours of daily visitation. This bill would require that any safety-related policies or procedures may not be more stringent than those established for the health care facility’s staff. This bill would prohibit a healthcare facility from requiring visitors to submit proof of vaccination or from prohibiting consensual physical contact between a visitor and a resident, client, or patient. This bill would allow a health care facility to suspend in-person visitation of a specific visitor if a visitor violates the facility’s policies and procedures.” Our healthcare facilities are the greatest asset we have,” Wood said. The bill also defines “end of life.” “End of life means something totally different to different people,” Wood explained. “I would think end of life would mean the last few weeks of life, but to a healthcare facility, end of life might mean the last fifty minutes.” Wood explained that the substitute bill carves out an exception for psychiatric care facilities from the visitation requirements if a doctor signs that the patient cannot receive visitors. During the COVID-19 global pandemic, hospitals and nursing homes banned visitors to try to halt the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Those measures largely failed, as did vaccine requirements once the vaccine was commercially accessible. Thousands of Alabamians died, many of them believing their family had abandoned them because of the strict limits against visiting the sick and seniors in nursing homes. “We also learn when we go through something traumatic,” Wood said. State Rep. Arnold Mooney said, “Thank you both for your work on this.” “We are a state that respects the dignity of life,” Mooney continued. Rep. Pebblin Warren asked, “Was there any conversation or dialogue with the institutions? The Hospital Association and the Nursing Home Association.” “This bill is a joint effort of everyone to make sure that we have policies and procedures that we The bill is named after Harold Sachs – the longtime Chief of Staff of the Alabama Republican Party. Sachs was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia in late 2020. His condition deteriorated quickly, and after a few weeks, he passed away. Sachs’ family – like many Alabama families- were not allowed to visit Harold in the COVID-19 ward. “They have been instrumental in pushing this issue,” Wood said. Rep. Paul Lee. is the Chairman of the Healthcare Committee Rep. Mooney made a motion to give the bill a favorable report. The favorable report motion passed unanimously. SB113 has already passed the Senate on a 33 to 0 vote. It could be taken up by the full House of Representatives as early as Thursday. Wednesday is the sixth legislative day of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Danny Garrett addresses some of the misconceptions about state budgets
On Wednesday, Alabama State Rep. Danny Garrett addressed the issue of state taxes and revenue comparisons with other states in a presentation to the House Ways and Means Education Committee – which he chairs. “There is a lot of noise out there that we are a high-tax state,” Garrett said. “The data doesn’t show that.” “Alabama is 49th in per capita taxation,” Chairman Garrett said. “Tennessee is the lowest per capita, but Tennessee has the lottery. If you factor in the lottery, we are 50th.” “You hear people say we are a high tax state,” Garrett stated. “We are not.” Garrett explained that while states like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee have no state income tax (unlike Alabama), they have higher state and local property taxes than Alabama. “We have the lowest per capita property tax in the country,” Garrett said. Garrett said that under the Alabama Constitution, money in both budgets, the education trust fund (ETF) and state general fund (SGF), cannot be used for roads and bridges. Fuel taxes go to the road and bridge fund, raising about $900 million annually. In 2019 the Legislature raised the gas tax for the first time in years. The average Alabamian who drives 15,000 miles a year pays about $215 a year in fuel taxes. $75 of that is from the increase. Garrett explained that total state expenditures counting everything, are about $31.78 billion. Garrett said that income tax comparisons on rates are misleading. “We are the only state that allows you to deduct your federal income tax,” Garrett said. Garrett used the example of Missouri, which has a personal income tax rate of 4.75%, while Alabama has a higher rate of 5%. A person making $100,000 in Missouri would pay $4,750 in state income taxes. Even though Alabama has a 5 percent income tax rate, the taxes paid to the state would typically not be $5,000. After deducting what that person would owe in federal income taxes, the Alabama taxes due would be only $4,108 (less than 4.11%, not 5%). “The state has one of the lowest state sales tax rates at 4%,” Garret said. “The locals have high (sales) tax rates because we limit by law their ability to raise ad valorem rates.” Garrett explained that Alabama has one of the lowest tax rates on cigarettes but one of the very highest excise taxes on hard alcohol. “We are on the high end for tax on spirits and on the low end for cigarette taxes,” Garrett said. Garrett said that over the summer, the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) compared Alabama’s tax structure with the tax structure of our neighboring states. Using Mississippi’s tax structure, Alabama would have an additional $1.1 billion yearly in state tax revenues. Using Florida’s (even with their not having a state income tax), that state would raise another $1.5 billion in state revenue. Garrett said the state’s high poverty rate impacts state revenues and budgets. Garrett objected to a recent report by the Tax Foundation, which claimed that Alabama is number #41 in the business climate. “If you look at the report, Wyoming is number one,” Garrett said. “They are followed by North Dakota, and next is Alaska. They chose states where nobody lives as having the best climate for doing business.” “To say that we are not a business-friendly state is just not true,” Garrett said. One issue that the Tax Foundation pointed out is the state’s 6.5% corporate tax rate. “To lower the corporate tax rate of 6.5%, you have to go to constitutional amendment,” Garrett explained. “If you look at the incentive package, we are number 1 or number 2,” Garrett added. “The state’s Commerce Department works hard to overcome that (the high corporate tax rate). Some say we don’t need those incentives, but that is not how the world works.” Garrett said that there have been calls by some to eliminate the income tax but pointed out that those states have much higher property taxes than Alabama. “In today’s environment, a lot of people are trying to move away from income taxes,” Garrett said. “We are income tax dependent. Income tax is 65% of the education budget.” “Every state that has a high property tax rate has been enjoying a windfall recently because property values have gone up, so when they come in and reassess, more revenue comes in,” Garrett said. “We are already one of the lowest tax states in the country,” Poverty is one factor responsible for Alabama’s low per capita tax collections. “We are a state with one of the higher poverty rate states in the country,” Garrett said. State Rep. Debbie Wood said, “A lot of time, people are pointing their fingers at us, but local governments can raise taxes too. When we look at gambling, we need to look at all options with an open mind,” Wood said. One contributor to that poverty is the state’s low labor force participation rate. While the state has record low unemployment of about 2.7%, the labor force participation rate is just 56.7%. The U.S. Labor Force Participation Rate is 62.4%. Currently, 43.3% of Alabamians 16 and up are not working. Many of these are able-bodied and capable of working but have not worked in years and aren’t looking for work, so they don’t count as unemployed. “If we just got to the national average, it would be huge,” Garrett told Alabama Today. “It would be a sea change. The question is, how do we get there? Part of that is education. Part of that is getting people off of the programs that are keeping them out of the workforce. Part of that is focusing on areas of the state that are behind.” The Ways and Means Education Committee is tasked with preparing the education trust fund budget. Thursday will be day four of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Legislature organizes for Quadrennium
The legislature had their every four-year organizational session earlier this month. It is exactly what the title states. They are organizing for the next quadrennium of lawmaking. They officially chose their leadership and adopted the rules for the two chambers. The 105-member House of Representatives and 35-member State Senate are elected for four-year terms, the same as the governor and other constitutional offices. However, unlike the governor, who was sworn in on Monday, January 16, as set out in the state constitution, the legislature takes office the day after they are elected in November. The state House of Representatives will have 77 Republicans and 28 Democrats. That is a veto-proof, bulldozer-shoving, anything-you-want supermajority. The Democrats have very little say with those overwhelming numbers. Two days after they were elected in November, the 77-member Republican majority met in a private caucus meeting in Montgomery and selected their leadership. Therefore, the vote for Speaker of the House two weeks ago was simply a formality. The House has chosen Representative Nathaniel Ledbetter to be the Speaker of the House. Speaker Ledbetter hails from Rainsville in DeKalb County. He is a former Mayor of Rainsville. He has only been in the House of Representatives for eight years, having been first elected in 2014. He was chosen to be the majority leader in the House in his freshman year. He was close to the former Speaker Mac McCutcheon, and he served on both the powerful agenda-setting Rules Committee, as well as the Ways and Means Education Budget Writing Committee. Representative Chris Pringle of Mobile has been chosen to be Speaker Pro Tem of the House, which is the second highest position within the body. He has served previously for 16 years in the House from the Port City. He succeeds fellow Mobilian Victor Gaston in this post. There are two young stalwarts who will be serving in Republican Party positions within the House. Representative Scott Stadthagen of Decatur will be the new House Majority Leader. Representative Wes Kitchens of Arab will serve as the Republican Leadership Caucus Vice Chair. Representative Debbie Wood from the Valley will serve as the Republican Caucus Secretary/Treasurer. The three most powerful posts in the House are the chairmanships of the two money committees and the agenda-setting Rules Committee. Representative Danny Garrett of Trussville in Jefferson County will continue to Chair the Ways and Means Education Budget Committee. Representative Rex Reynolds of Huntsville will be the General Fund Ways and Means Chairman. Reynolds replaces longtime Ways and Means Chairman Steve Clouse of Ozark. Representative Joe Lovvorn of Auburn will be the new Rules Committee Chairman. Representative Jim Hill of St. Clair will chair Judiciary. He is a former circuit Judge and a veteran of the House. All of these House leadership positions are held by Republicans. To the victor goes the spoils. The Democrats have a veteran and sterling team heading their Caucus Leadership in the House. Anthony Daniels of Huntsville will be the Democratic Minority Leader. Barbara Drummond of Mobile will be the Caucus Chair. Mary Moore of Birmingham will be the Vice Chair, and Kelvin Lawrence of Hayneville will be Secretary/Treasurer of the Democratic Caucus. The 35-member Alabama State Senate returns almost intact with their continuity and quality leadership. They will dominate and provide a stable State of Ship to help lead the state. Republicans control this upper chamber to the same degree that the GOP members do in the House. Republicans outnumber Democrats 28 to 7 in the Senate. State Senator Jabo Waggoner of Jefferson County begins his 50th year in the legislature. This is a state record. He is definitely destined for the state history books. Jabo will continue to Chair the powerful Rules Committee. Greg Reed of Walker County will be Pro Tem of the Senate again. The Majority Leader will again be Clay Scofield of Marshall County. The two money committee chairmen will continue to be in charge of how the state revenues are spent. Senator Arthur Orr of Decatur will chair Finance and Taxation/Education. Senator Greg Albritton of Escambia will chair Finance and Taxation/General Fund. These two men will be very powerful. Popular state Senator Will Barfoot of Pike Road will chair Judiciary in the Senate. Senator Clyde Chambliss of Prattville has become a stalwart leader in the Senate. He will be Majority Whip. Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth presides over the Senate. The Regular Session begins in early March. 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.
The NRA Political Victory Fund announces primary endorsements
The NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) has announced its endorsements for the May 24 primary in Alabama. The NRA-PVF is NRA’s political action committee. The NRA-PVF ranks political candidates – irrespective of party affiliation – based on voting records, public statements, and their responses to an NRA-PVF questionnaire. Mo Brooks received the endorsement and A rating for the U.S. Senate seat and incumbent Rep. Mike Rogers got an A rating and was endorsed for the U.S. House of Representatives. For the governor’s race, the group gave an A rating and endorsement to incumbent Kay Ivey. Incumbents continued to take the top spots in the Attorney General, State Senate, and House of Representatives elections. AG Steve Marshall received an A rating along with incumbent State Senators Tim Melson (Dist. 1), Tom Butler (Dist. 2), Steve Livingston (Dist. 8), Randy Price (Dist. 13), Dan Roberts (Dist. 15), Shay Shelnutt (Dist.17), Tom Whatley (Dist. 27), and Mike Jones (Dist.31). For the State House of Reps., the following incumbents received an A rating and endorsement: Phillip Pettus (Dist. 1), Parker Moore (Dist. 4), Proncey Robertson (Dist. 7), Tim Wadsworth (Dist. 14), Tommy Hanes (Dist. 23), Nathaniel Ledbetter (Dist. 24), Gil Isbell (Dist. 28), Debbie Wood (Dist. 38), Ginny Shaver (Dist. 39), Dickie Drake (Dist. 45), Jim Carnes (Dist. 48), Brent Easterbrook (Dist. 65), Jeff Sorrells (Dist. 87), Will Dismukes (Dist. 88), Rhett Marques (Dist. 91), and Matt Simpson (Dist. 96). State House of Rep. candidates that are not incumbents that received an A rating and an endorsement include Michael Hart (Dist. 49) and Troy Stubbs (Dist. 31). For the Sheriff’s elections, the following candidates received an A rating and endorsement: Max Sanders (Lawrence County), Joshua McLaughlin (Limestone County), Eric Balentine (Colbert County), and Matt Gentry (Cullman County).
Kay Ivey signs six bills, ensuring Alabama as pro-military state
Today, Gov. Kay Ivey signed six bills aimed at making Alabama even more military-friendly. Those bills include Senate Bills 28, 99, 116, 119, 141, and 167. These bills were recommended by the Alabama Military Stability Commission, which is chaired by Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth. “Alabama is the most pro-military state in the nation, and I am proud to put my signature on a series of legislation aimed at ensuring that we are even more military-friendly,” stated Ivey. “I commend the work by the Military Stability Commission, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Ainsworth, as well as the members of the Alabama Legislature for passing these important bills.” SB116, sponsored by Sen. Tom Whatley and Rep. Debbie Wood, will help ease the burden of military families moving to Alabama. It allows children of active military members moving to Alabama to enroll in local public schools remotely without being physically present in the state. Three bills, SB99 by Sen. Andrew Jones and Rep. Kenneth Paschal, SB167 by Sen. Shay Shelnutt and Rep. Dickie Drake, and SB141 by Sen. Tom Butler and Rep. Parker Moore, are all aimed at making it easier for military families to find work when relocating to Alabama. Each of the bills allows for greater flexibility in occupational licensing for military spouses. SB28, sponsored by Sen. Tom Butler and Rep. Andy Whitt, would create the Space National Guard within the Alabama National Guard if the federal government creates the Space National Guard. Finally, SB119, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot and Rep. Dickie Drake, will expand scholarships provided under the Alabama G.I. and Dependents’ Educational Benefit Act to include in-state and private two-and four-year colleges. “The men and women from across Alabama who serve on the Military Stability Commission understand the important role that our bases and other infrastructure play in keeping the state’s economy strong and jobs growing,” commented Ainsworth. “The bills that the Legislature passed and Governor Ivey signed into law will assist our mission of making Alabama the nation’s friendliest and most welcoming state for active service members, military veterans and their families.”
