May 13, 2019 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

• Tuesday, Day 16 of Regular Session: The House Commerce and Small Business Committee approved a bill to prohibit retaliation against an employee who brings a charge of wage discrimination. The House State Government Committee approved Senate-passed bills to provide for a dependent child to receive direct retirement benefits to a special trust from the Retirement Systems of Alabama and to recapture benefits extended to call centers that relocate out of state. The House passed several bills of local application only and general bills to create the Alabama Industry Recognized and registered Apprenticeship program; to exempt from sales and use tax adaptive equipment; to extend the time allowed for the use of provisional teaching certificates from one year to two years; and gave final passage of a Senate-passed bill to require the pledge of allegiance at the beginning of each school year. The Senate passed several bills of local application only and general bills to establish the Alabama Energy and Residential Codes Board to be administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA); to further provide for municipalities, council-manager form of government; and to make further requirements of the State Board of Health regarding immunization registry and reports of immunization vaccines.
• Wednesday, Day 17 of Regular Session: The House Health Committee approved a bill to establish and maintain an immunization registry for reporting vaccines. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a House-passed bill to make abortion a felony under certain circumstances with a committee amendment. The Senate Education Policy Committee approved a House-passed bill to allow local boards of education to permit time for religious education off campus for elective credit. The Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee approved a bill to exempt from sales and use tax adaptive equipment. The House passed a few bills of local application only and a general bill entitled the Financial Institution Excise Tax Reform Act of 2019. The Senate passed several bills of local application only and general bills to provide broadband access to unserved areas of the state; to further provide for the administration of Lifeline qualifying public assistance programs; and a proposed constitutional amendment providing that only a citizen of the United States has the right to vote.
• Thursday, Day 18 of Regular Session: The House passed a number of bills of local application only and a general bill to authorize the re-organization of the Board of Pardons and Paroles.The Senate passed a few bills of local application only and general bills to authorize a program for medical marijuana use under certain conditions and to authorize the Alabama Small Business Act.

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