Legislative

Legislative report March 01, 2010

The Alabama Legislature crossed the half-way point of the 2010 session last Thurs­day. There are 15 remaining legislative days in this session, which by constitution must end by April 15th. We passed another week with no resolution to the gam­bling issue. Senate leaders stated they did not plan to bring the bill up for a vote until they were certain they have the votes (21) to pass. Interestingly, rumors began over the weekend and continued today that a compromise might be in the works and that a bill just might come up tomorrow, Tuesday, March 2nd. Even if there’s some form of agreement, opponents are sure to tie up the debate for several days prior to passage. Then, it must go to the House for action.

Download 02-27-2010 Legislative Tracking Report Here >>

The Alabama Legislature crossed the half-way point of the 2010 session last Thurs­day. There are 15 remaining legislative days in this session, which by constitution must end by April 15th. We passed another week with no resolution to the gam­bling issue. Senate leaders stated they did not plan to bring the bill up for a vote until they were certain they have the votes (21) to pass. Interestingly, rumors began over the weekend and continued today that a compromise might be in the works and that a bill just might come up tomorrow, Tuesday, March 2nd. Even if there’s some form of agreement, opponents are sure to tie up the debate for several days prior to passage. Then, it must go to the House for action.

The other major elephant in the room this session is the budgets. Key Alabama leg­islators said they may delay votes on next year’s state budgets until late this month in hopes of finding out whether Congress will pass more stimulus money that could boost state spending next year by $542 million. If Congress passes extra stimulus money for the states Alabama’s budgets for the 2011 fiscal year likely would be tight but bearable. But if Congress doesn’t approve extra stimulus money, many of Alabama’s non-education agencies would face deep spending cuts and public schools could face layoffs. The budgets Governor Riley submitted at the beginning of the session count on the proposed stimulus money to keep them balanced. Rep. John Knight, Chairman of the House Government Appropriations Committee, said that even if we get the stimulus money there will be a reduction in spending for agencies.

Thanks to a state law passed during the 2009 session, petitions are circulating in Brent, Centreville, Fayette, Aliceville and Vernon to allow for the sale of alcohol to be voted on by their citizens. The law allows towns of 1,000 or more to have alco­hol referendums. The minimum limit to have a vote had been 7,000.

Bills that would allow employees to carry firearms concealed in their automobiles on an employers’ property, are moving again this year. A united industry effort was able to stave off such legislation in 2009, but it will be extremely difficult during this election year to avoid passage of a bill backed by the National Rifle Associa­tion, which has thousands of members in Alabama.

Action on items of interest to grocers last week include:

HB 164 passed the House, which allows for referendum on the sale of draft or keg beer in Chambers County. Awaits committee assignment in the Senate.
HB 260, allowing employers to take a tax deduction for hiring employees whose unemployment benefits have expired, passed the House.
HB 565 allowing for a referendum on Sunday alcohol sales in Tuscaloosa, was approved by House committee.
SB 153, a bill to legalize home brewing of alcoholic beverages passed the Senate.

Please don’t hesitate to call Pat McWhorter at 334-277-9565 or Ellie Taylor at 205.823.5498 if you have any questions.

Ellie Taylor, President

Alabama Grocers Association
300 Vestavia Pkwy, Ste. 3500

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