5/22/17 Group Watch: Tweet of the Week

@thebloomgroup: Our client @GeorgiaPacific is making a huge investment in Alabama. Thank you @GovernorKayIvey for attending the announcement. #alpolitics

May 15, 2017 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

The Alabama Legislature returned to work on Tuesday, May 9 for the 25th day of the session. Here are a few highlights of what was accomplished.

• On Tuesday (25th day of session): The House passed a general bill to continue the Alabama Jobs Act and revise the cap on outstanding incentives. They considered without voting on the House reapportionment plan until midnight, at which time they adjourned while the almost 600 page bill was being read. The Senate passed a House-passed bill to authorize an income tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic buildings and other general bills to except from local leash laws dogs used for agricultural for work, to authorize a $5,000 income tax credit for certain rural certified registered nurse practitioners; to extend the weight allowances for motor vehicles operating on compressed natural or liquefied gas; and to authorize Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound to participate in the Local Government Insurance Program.
• On Wednesday (a committee day): The House Agriculture and Forestry Committee approved a bill to exempt pine straw from sales and use tax. The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee approved House-passed bills to authorize coverage of autism spectrum disorder under certain conditions and to continue with revisions to the Alabama Jobs Act. The Senate Education and Youth Affairs Committee approved a House-passed bill to remove the prohibition against County Superintendents having additional employment.
• On Thursday (26th day of session):  After another day of reading the House reapportionment bill, The House  passed it late on Thursday night.  The Senate passed general bills to provide a one-time lump sum retirement payment to retired teachers; to provide cost sharing for certain children under the juvenile court jurisdiction between counties and municipalities; and to prohibit schools from using public funds or property to advocate for or against ballot measures.

5/15/17 Group Watch: House Approves New District Map

After reading the 539-page bill that defines it, which took 16 hours over two days last week, the House approved a new voting district map for the state. It now goes to the Senate, where a similarly long reading of the bill may take place. Read more here.

5/15/17 Group Watch: BCBS Autism Deal

The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee chairman Trip Pittman said he met with Blue Cross Blue Shield’s chief executive officer and has a letter promising coverage for autism therapy staring January 1, 2018. The offer appears to have an age cap at 16 years old, while the bill pending in committee has no age limit. Some observers say BCBS is keen to avoid a legislative mandate that would set a precedent for future government healthcare mandates. Pittman has been one of the few vocal opponents of the autism due to his concerns about how the state would finance the benefit. According to him, the BCBS agreement would have the state provide $2.5 million for Medicaid. The autism bill passed the House 100-0. The Senate committee voted the bill out of committee on Wednesday with two amendments. One amendment caps the coverage age at 16 and the other provides an exemption for small businesses.

5/15/17 Group Watch: Senate May Change Healthcare Bill “A lot”

U.S. Senator Luther Strange said that the Senate is likely to change the American Health Care Act that recently passed out of the U.S. House of Representative. Strange described the House-passed bill as a good first step towards addressing a number of problems that remain. He said that Obamacare is not providing the care that they expected, and while Alabamians have “coverage”, they don’t have access to care. Strange said that premiums are too high, deductible you can almost never use, can’t get affordable drug coverage, leaving the insured with just a catastrophic policy. Strange said he is committed to getting it done right as opposed to getting it done quickly.

5/15/17 Group Watch: Tweet of the Week

@thebloomgroup: “Congratulations to our friend Vernon Barnett. @ADEMVBarnett“

May 8, 2017 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

The Alabama Legislature returned to work on Tuesday, May 2 for the 22nd day of the session. Here are a few highlights of what was accomplished.

• On Tuesday (22nd day of session): The House passed general bills to establish the Alabama Space Authority within the Department of Economic and Community Affairs, to authorize municipalities to rehire retired law enforcement officers and firefighters under certain circumstances and to exempt from state sales and use tax the sale of photographs and commissioned portraits.  The Senate passed House-passed bills to authorize the rehire of retired public safety officers in Jefferson County under certain conditions and to revise and create forest products severance and manufacturers tax on wood residue used in conjunction with forest products manufacturing processes. They also passed general bills to allow for the payment of awards in condemnation proceedings under certain circumstances and to expand the adjusted gross income range for maximum standard deductions.
• On Wednesday (a committee day and the 23rd day of session): The House Judiciary Committee approved Senate-passed bills to permit capital defendants to choose a firing squad and to clarify the process of hearings and service process requirements in domestic violence cases. The House Jefferson County Legislation Committee approved Senate-passed bills governing the salary of the Birmingham City Council and to further the boundaries of authority to operate Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center. The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee approved a House-passed General Fund Budget with amendment and the Children First Trust Fund budget. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a House-passed childcare facilities licensing bill with amendment. The House passed the Senate-passed appropriation bills for the Education Trust Fund, Lyman Ward Military Academy, Tuskegee University and Talladega College. The Senate passed a number of bills of local application only before adjourning for the day.
• On Thursday (24th day of session):  The House passed a general bill to further define the practice of Marriage and Family Therapy practitioners and a Senate-passed bill to further define the boundaries of authority to operate the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center. The Senate passed the House-passed appropriation bills for General Fund Agencies and the Children First Trust Fund.

5/8/2017 Group Watch: Roby’s Overtime Bill Clears House

U.S. Representative Martha Roby spent time this week explaining her Working Families Flexibility Act, which allows workers choose between overtime pay and paid time off. Currently government employees can utilize compensatory time, paid time off in lieu of overtime pay. That practice is prohibited in the private sector. Roby’s bill, which passed the House, removes the federal restriction on the use of comp time in the private sector. Under Roby’s bill, it is up to the employee to determine whether or not they want their overtime pay or they want to accrue overtime to use later as paid leave. Roby said this about moms and dads who want to coach their child’s sports team or help care for an aging parent: “It is all about individual choice and flexibility.”

5/8/2017 Group Watch: Gov. Ivey Appoints New ADECA Director

Last week, still-new Governor Kay Ivey appointed a new director for the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). She chose Enterprise Mayor Kenneth Boswell, saying he “understands the needs of local communities and is fully committed to transparency and openness.” Read more here.

5/8/2017 Group Watch: Tweet of the Week

@GovernorKayIvey: “Alabama is our home, our people are as sweet as our tea, and our future is as bright as the Sun over the Gulf.”