Friday Five: May 12, 2023
The Alabama Legislature is in session, and Peritus PR is back with our fan-favorite #FridayFive legislative highlights series.
At the end of each week, we’ll take a pit stop to help make sense of the bills that were introduced, debated, passed, failed or signed at the Alabama State House.
If you missed our 2023 Alabama Legislative Guide, start there.
THIS WEEK’S FRIDAY FIVE
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This week, the state Legislature approved legislation that would pave the way for the construction of a new Statehouse in Montgomery. The Senate and House of Representatives have occupied the current Statehouse, across the street from the Alabama State Capitol, since 1985, when renovations to the Capitol forced a temporary move that became permanent. Lawmakers cited “maintenance problems” as the driving factor behind the need for a new building. The legislation now awaits Gov. Ivey’s signature, and ultimately gives a panel of 20 legislators, the Legislative Council, the authority to contract the construction of a new Statehouse.
Read More: Lawmakers pass bill to help clear way for new Alabama State House (AL.com)
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On Tuesday, the House passed HB378, legislation from Rep. Chip Brown (R – Hollinger's Island), to expand economic development opportunities across the state by offering liability protections to anyone who redevelops brownfield sites in certain regions of Alabama. Brownfield sites are designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as lands formerly used for industrial or commercial purposes that are no longer in use, such as abandoned warehouses, condemned apartment buildings or overgrown parks. Before being reused and redeveloped, these sites must be cleaned of any remnants of hazardous materials that might have been left behind by the previous occupants. HB378 now goes to the Senate for approval.
Read more: Alabama House passes Brownfield development bill (Alabama Political Reporter)
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Yesterday, the House passed HB363, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins (R – Decatur), which makes changes to the board overseeing charter schools and requires local school districts to submit to state reviews. The bill passed the House 76-25, with one abstention. HB363 would overhaul several regulations for charter schools, including the nomination process for starting a charter school, the ability for current charter schools to prioritize different regions for enrollment and the review process for school districts with charter schools. The bill would also give the state executive government the power to appoint commission members, a power previously held by school district board members. The bill now goes to the Senate.
Read More: Alabama House passes bill making changes to charter school process (Alabama Reflector)
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HB229, the “Second Chance Bill” from Rep. Chris England (D – Tuscaloosa), passed the House Judiciary Committee this week. The bill allows inmates serving life sentences without the possibility of parole to apply for reduced sentences and is part of an overall push for sentencing reform in Alabama. Under this provision, only prisoners “whose crimes did not cause serious injury” would be eligible for reduced sentences. The bill offers a new opportunity for inmates who haven’t had a chance to appeal their sentences based on recent sentencing law changes. “I think it’s a recognition that sometimes sentencing can be overly harsh,” England said. “I think the bill appropriately identifies that population and is going to try to help them if we’re able to get it through the process.”
Read More: Committee approves bill to allow some Alabama prisoners serving life to seek new sentences (AL.com)
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The House decided against expanding Alabama’s film tax credits this week. HB429, introduced earlier in the session by Rep. Jamie Kiel (R – Russellville), would have expanded Alabama’s tax film credit cap from $20 million, where it currently is set, to $150 million by fiscal year 2026. Kiel announced this week that the film tax credit cap increases had been removed from the legislation. “We’ll revisit that at a later day,” said Kiel.
Read More: Pursuing the blockbuster: Alabama not increasing film tax incentive to compete with Louisiana and Georgia (AL.com)
OUR PUBLISHED BY PERITUS TAKEAWAY
State public policy shapes our communities, our organizations and our lives. In return, we all have the right and privilege to shape public policy. The driver’s seat has your name on it.
We know life gets in the way, and there are a number of roadblocks to following the legislative session. That’s why Peritus’ public affairs team created a handy-dandy #ALPolitics Guide with all the tools you need to identify and contact your local representatives, explore media resources to keep you informed throughout the session and bridge the gap between policymakers and your community. If you’re reading this, you’re off to a good start.
See ya next Friday!
Check out the 2023 Peritus PR Alabama Legislative Guide here.