May 29, 2023 Group Watch: Day-by-Day, Play-by-Play
On Tuesday (24th day of regular session):
- The House passed general bills to establish certain conditions under which a contractor who performs work on a road, bridge, highway or street shall be granted civil immunity; to further provide for the duties and membership of the Alabama Literacy Task Force; to revise the circumstances under which the Alabama Medicaid Agency may revise the ceiling for the Medicaid reimbursement rate to nursing facilities during a given fiscal year; to create the School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act and the Alabama Principal Leadership Development System for public K-12 education; to further provide for the compensation of retired law enforcement officers providing services as school resource officers for local boards of education; and to allow for the payment of uncontested claims on an expedited basis for the Board of Adjustment.
- The Senate concurred with several House messages, and after hours of deliberation, passed a bill to amend the Alabama Accountability Act of 2013 by changing the terms “failing school” and “nonfailing school” to “priority school” and “qualifying school”; and to expand scholarship opportunities for eligible students.
On Wednesday (25th day and a committee day):
- The House Ways and Means General Fund Committee approved bills to eliminate all fees associated with the issuance of a driver license or nondriver ID cards to qualified disabled veterans of the United States Armed Forces and to establish the Rural Logging Efficiency Act of 2023.
- The House Insurance Committee approved a bill to require a design professional who does not have professional liability insurance coverage to disclose that information in writing to the client.
- The House Education Policy Committee approved a bill to provide legislative findings and to provide a uniform system of procedural due process protections for students facing suspension or expulsion for violating the student code of conduct or state law.
- The House Ways and Means Education Committee approved bills to provide for funding of rural hospitals by creating the Rural Hospital Investment Program; to provide a one-time rebate for the promotion of the general welfare; and to provide for the funding of public education in Alabama and other education entities such as Tuskegee University, Talladega College, Southern Preparatory Academy, formerly Lyman Ward Military Academy.
- The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to allow individuals 75 years of age or older to be excused from jury service.
- The House passed general bills to provide for the surrender of an infant to an emergency medical services provider or a hospital and to provide for the surrender of an infant in a baby safety device that meets certain requirements; to provide a date certain by which valuation notices must be mailed by county assessing officials; to establish legislative findings relating to the fundamental rights of parents; and to revise the circumstances in which an individual’s pension, annuity or retirement allowance benefits under the public employees Retirement System are subject to certain recovery actions.
- The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee approved bills to prevent a parolee in custody from being released to parole supervision in certain circumstances; to make a supplemental appropriation to certain entities from the Opioid Treatment and Abatement Fund; to make an appropriation to certain entities from the Children First Trust Fund; to make an appropriation from the State General Fund for the Coalition Against Domestic Violence; to provide a cost-of-living increase for state employees; and to make appropriations to agencies in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government (General Fund Budget).
- The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill to revise the definition of “electronic nicotine delivery system” to include delivery of substances other than tobacco.
- The Senate Education Policy Committee approved bills to provide additional requirements for teacher preparation programs and teacher certification and to require a child to complete kindergarten before entering the first grade.
- The Senate approved bills to further provide for the prohibition against using a wireless telecommunications device while operating a motor vehicle; to further provide for the exceptions to the act for operable or stored motor vehicles; to further provide for contracts for which competitive bidding is not required; to further provide prohibitions on the possession of an electronic nicotine delivery system by individuals under 21 years of age; and to provide for the inspection of certain dams and reservoirs by an engineer.
On Thursday (26th day of of regular session):
- The House passed general bills including Senate-passed bills relating to education to make supplemental appropriations to various agencies; to make appropriations to Tuskegee University, Southern Preparatory Academy, formerly known as Lyman Ward Military Academy, and Talladega college; to create the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Revolving Loan Program to be administered by the State Treasurer; relating to the Education Trust Fund Rolling Reserve Act, to further provide for annual Education Trust Fund appropriations; and to make appropriations for the support, maintenance and development of public education in Alabama (Education Trust Fund budget).
- The Senate passed general bills including a House-passed bill to make appropriations from the Children First Trust Fund; to provide a cost-of-living increase for state employees; to make an appropriation to the Coalition Against Domestic Violence; to make supplemental appropriations to various agencies; and make appropriations for the ordinary expenses of the executive, legislative and judicial agencies of the state (General Fund budget).
On Friday (27th day of of regular session):
- The House and Senate convened at 12:01 a.m., and quickly concurred on conference committee reports on the General Fund and Education Trust Fund budgets and bills related to both budgets.
