2/10/12 Group Watch: First Bills Of The 2012 Session
On Thursday, the legislature passed the first bills of the 2012 regular session. The House passed four bills of general application including a measure to change the name of the Alabama Development Office and Director of Development to the Commerce Department and Secretary of Commerce, respectively. This measure also provides for several persons to be employed outside the merit system to assist the Secretary. They also passed measures aimed at luring data processing centers to locate in the state and expanded tax incentives to the coal mining industry. The Senate passed eight bills of general application including a bill to provide income tax credits for the purchase and installation of irrigation systems, water wells and reservoirs by agricultural entities and to further clarify the statues relating to criminal background checks for the Department of Human Resources and Public Safety.
