Governor will host a ceremonial bill signing for legislation passed during 2023 Regular Session
On Tuesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey will host a series of bill-signing ceremonies to celebrate the passage of several pieces of legislation that addressed concerns facing the state of Alabama. Ivey will sign several bills, including reform of the state’s adoption laws. House Bill 101 (HB 101) is sponsored by State Representative Ginny Shaver and State Senator Arthur Orr. This bill streamlines the state’s adoption process and updates the current adoption law language. (Act 2023-092). “Alabama has consistently set state records for adoptions and placed thousands of children in loving, forever homes,” said Gov. Ivey. “Currently, we have more than 5,000 children in the foster care system, and with this modernized and streamlined process now in place, we have positioned Alabama on even firmer footing and will be able to provide more of our children with the life they deserve.” House Bill 66 (HB66) by Rep. Joe Lovvorn and Sen. Andrew Jones allows certain firefighters, law enforcement officers, and correctional officers, covered under the ERS or TRS, to purchase hazardous duty time for prior service. (Act 2023-101). HB66 removes the time limitations for Tier I firefighters, law enforcement officers, and correctional officers covered under the Employees’ Retirement System or the Teachers’ Retirement System to purchase eligible service credit prior to January 1, 2003. House Bill 164 (HB164) by Rep. Andy Whitt and Sen. Jay Hovey requires high school students to complete a personal financial literacy and money management course before graduation. (Act 2023-179). “I have got story after story from thirty years of banking experience of young people who did not have a checking account,” said Whitt. “They go to convenience stores and check cashing places to get their paychecks cashed. One young fellow was working two hours a week just to be able to get his check cashed each week.” Senate Bill 131 (SB 131) by Sen. Vivian Figures and Rep. Steve Clouse. This bill transfers the regulation of preneed funeral contracts from the Department of Insurance to the Alabama Board of Funeral Services. (Act 2023-094). The Alabama Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Act of 2023 transfers the existing Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Act and the regulation of preneed contracts from the Commissioner and Department of Insurance to the Alabama Board of Funeral Service. It authorizes the Department of Insurance to temporarily transfer certain funds to the board to defray costs associated with the administration and operation of the Alabama Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Act of 2023; Senate Bill 28 (SB28) by Sen. Tim Melson and Rep. Randy Wood would expand the scope of practice of podiatry to include treatment of the foot and ankle. (Act 2023-106). Podiatrists in most states are already allowed to treat disorders of the ankle. This expansion of the scope of practice to come in line with national standards was long overdue. Senate Bill 104 (SB 104) by Sen. Chris Elliott and Rep. David Faulkner revises the current Dram Shop Act by addressing liability for providers of alcohol if a recipient injures a third party. (Act 2023-025) . Before this, only three insurance carriers would insure restaurants and bars from lawsuits due to the liability. This will make it harder for plaintiffs’ attorneys to prove a case against the establishment that sold the alcohol. House Bill 56 (HB56) by Rep. Frances Holk-Jones and Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison will expand the scope of practice for licensees of the Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners. (Act 2023-100). This will allow specially trained social workers with master’s degrees to diagnose mental illnesses. House Bill 62 (HB 62) by Rep. Ben Robbins and Sen. Keith Kelley will extend the amount of time that nonprofit veterans’ organizations have to comply with state and local building codes when acquiring a former armory building. (Act 2023-175). This bill primarily deals with an armory in Sylacauga owned by the American Legion and used by the Alabama National Guard. When the National Guard shut down its presence, it transferred back to the American Legion. The NG never updated the building during its tenure, so it lacks the sprinkler system needed to comply with state building code requirements. Tuesday will be day 24 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative session. Kay Ivey has been governor since 2017. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Senate passes bill doubling the size of purchases that do not have to be competitively bid
On Thursday, the Alabama Senate passed legislation that would double the size of government purchases that are not subject to the competitive bid process. The current cap is $15,000. This legislation would raise that to $30,000 and then raise it annually as the consumer price index increases. Senate Bill 108 (SB108) is sponsored by State Senator Linda Coleman-Madison. Sen. Coleman-Madison explained that under current Alabama public contract law, government entities have to submit any purchase of $15,000 and over to the public bid process. The current bid law was set years ago, and inflation has caused everything to go up. This raises it to $30,000 and ties the amount “to the consumer price index so they don’t have to come back.” “This is subject to review every three years,” explained Sen. Coleman-Madison. According to the synopsis, “Under existing law, with the exception of contracts for public works, all expenditure of funds of whatever nature for labor, services, work, or for the purchase or lease of materials, equipment, supplies, or other personal property involving $15,000 or more made by or on behalf of certain state and local public awarding authorities are required to be made by contractual agreement entered into by free and open competitive bidding, on sealed bids, to the lowest responsible bidder. This bill would increase various threshold dollar amounts for which competitive bidding is generally required and would authorize those dollar amounts to be further increased based on increases in the Consumer Price Index.” Advocates for competitive bids argue that insiders get government sales and contracts without competitive bids, while persons outside of the political “good ole boy” networks are left out, and that competitive bidding saves taxpayer dollars. SB108 passed the Senate 31 to 0. The bill now goes to the Alabama House of Representatives for their consideration. SB108 has been referred to the House State Government Committee. Tuesday will be day 8 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The House of Representatives will convene at 1:00 p.m. The Senate will convene at 3:00 p.m. Both sessions can be viewed online at the legislature’s website. The legislature is limited to thirty legislative days in a regular session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Senate Committee advances bill to limit local governments ability to drive up the cost of housing construction
The 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session is underway. The Alabama Senate County and Municipal Government Committee advanced legislation on Tuesday to prevent county and local governments from passing ordinances or altering their building codes to require options that would raise the cost of housing construction in their communities. Senate Bill 40 (SB40) is sponsored by State Sen. Chris Elliot – who chairs the Committee. Under existing law, municipal and county governing bodies may adopt and enforce local building codes governing the construction of residential structures. This bill would provide that a municipal or county governing body, or any agency thereof, may not directly or indirectly adopt or enforce any ordinance, rule, bylaw, order, or local building code provision that would require, in the construction of a residential structure, certain latent features, including wiring, plumbing, gas tubing, or framing which features would not be operational at the time of completion. Elliot explained that the legislation would prevent a local government from requiring things like solar panels or electric ranges rather than gas ones, “Driving up the cost of construction.” At Elliott’s request, the bill was amended to create an exception for safety equipment. Sen. Merika Coleman expressed concerns that “Local officials are elected and are closer to the community.” A spokesman for the Alabama League of Municipalities said, “We understand what the homebuilders are trying to do. Affordable housing is a major issue.” “If the homeowner wants to put solar panels on a home, I want them to have the option to do that, but I do not want them to be forced to do that,” Elliott said. Adding solar panels to a home can add between $10,000 and $35,000 to the cost of construction, depending on labor costs and the system that is installed. Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison said that Alabama Power charges homeowners with solar panels a fee just for having them. SB40 received a favorable report from the committee in a ten to zero unanimous vote. The entire State Senate announced that they will gavel in on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. for Day 3 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. Since the full Senate took this bill in reports from the committee on Tuesday, it could consider this bill on the Senate floor Wednesday. If SB40 passes, it would still have to go to the Alabama House for its consideration. There is a maximum of thirty days in an Alabama regular legislative session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
