Many bills passed or moving forward at session’s halfway point

MONTGOMERY – As lawmakers reached the halfway point of the 2012 Regular Session Thursday having passed or made significant progress on most priority legislation, House Speaker Mike Hubbard said he was pleased with the productivity of the session so far.

The House has passed a significant portion of its priority legislation, including a slate of job-growth bills. Other important bills are moving through committee, including proposals that would save the state’s retirement systems, offer more flexibility and choice to in public schools, and repeal the 2007 legislative payraise and allow voters to set legislative pay at median income.

“I’m pleased with the pace and productivity of the session so far,” Speaker Hubbard said. “Our top priority was passing job-growth legislation, and we’ve accomplished that. Other significant items are successfully moving through committee and are poised to come before the full House in the second half of the session. Our members have worked hard representing the needs of their constituents and moving Alabama forward.”

The House will reconvene on Tuesday, April 3 for the 16^th day of the 2012 Regular Session. By law, the session is limited to 30 legislative days.

Below is a list of highlighted bills and where they stand.

The  “Heroes for Hire” Tax Credit Act, House Bill 152, sponsored by Rep. DuWayne Bridges (R-Valley), passed unanimously by House and Senate, sent to the Governor for signature.

• With wars winding down in Iraq and Afghanistan, thousands of Alabama veterans will soon return home to a difficult economy in which it is hard to find a job.
• This proposal would offer Alabama businesses a $2000 tax credit for hiring a veteran recently returned from war.

Aviation and Aerospace Economic Incentives, House Bill 39 sponsored by Rep. Paul Lee (R-Dothan), passed by the House, amended and passed by the Senate, pending House or conference committee action

• This bill would provide for a special tax incentive allowing Alabama to target aircraft manufacturers and aircraft parts manufacturers.

Enhanced Incentives to Recruit Job-Creating Coal Mining Projects, House Bill 144 sponsored by Rep. Bill Roberts (R-Jasper), passed by House and Senate, signed by the Governor.

• This bill enhances the state’s ability to recruit coal mining companies by allowing them to qualify for certain existing tax incentives currently available to manufacturers and other businesses.

Alabama Film Incentive Enhancement Act, House Bill 243 sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, passed by House, passed by Senate committee, pending action by the full Senate

• Alabama has long trailed behind in the film and television production industry because our state lacked the incentives other states have to help attract these job-creating productions here.
• A 2011 law that included television productions in Alabama’s film incentive has already rendered great success as the popular shows “Rocket City Rednecks,” “Big Shrimpin’” and “Sweet Home Alabama” all based their productions in Alabama.
• This bill would expand Alabama’s film/television production incentive cap from $10 to $15 million, making Alabama more competitive in the industry.
• The bill would also double the amount productions could spend and count toward tax incentive rebates from $10 million to $20 million. This would help Alabama attract larger productions that will in turn create more jobs.

The Alabama Data Processing Center Economic Incentive Enhancement Act, House Bill 154 sponsored by Rep. Dan Williams (R-Athens), passed by House, passed by Senate Committee, pending action by the full Senate

• Data processing centers are key components of the 21st century economy.  These centers employ a skilled workforce, provide high-paying jobs, and have a low environmental footprint.  Alabama is uniquely positioned to compete for jobs in this growing industry.
• This proposal would expand the scope of certain tax incentives in order to focus on recruiting more data processing centers to Alabama.

The Alabama Job Creation and Retention Act, House Bills 159 & 160 Sponsored by Rep. Barry Mask (R-Wetumpka), passed by the House, pending committee action in the Senate

• This constitutional amendment (HB 159) would allow voters to give the Governor and the Alabama Development Office more flexibility in offering tax incentives to land major economic development projects and retain companies that might otherwise relocate outside Alabama without having to call a special session of the Legislature.
• The corresponding enabling bill (HB160) sets strict parameters for how incentives can be used to ensure return on investment.

 Legislative Payraise Repeal, House Bill 276 sponsored by Rep. Mike Ball (R-Huntsville), passed by House committee, identical bill passed by Senate committee

• This Constitutional Amendment would repeal the 2007 pay raise and allow voters to determine legislative pay at the ballot box.
• The plan put before the voters would tie legislative pay to median household income so it would increase or decrease based on how Alabamians are doing economically
• The amendment also repeals automatic cost-of-living adjustments passed in 2007.

The Education Options Act of 2012, House Bill 541 sponsored by Rep. Phil Williams (R-Huntsville), currently pending in the House Education Ways and Means Committee

• This bill would help educators customize schools for the needs of their students by allowing school systems to seek flexibility from burdensome state laws and regulations and establish public charter schools.

Pension Reform,- House Bill 508, by Reps. Jamie Ison (R-Mobile) & Mac McCutcheon (R-Capshaw), passed by House committee, identical bill passed by Senate committee

• Currently, anyone may retire with 25 years of service, no matter how young they are.  Or, they can retire at age 60 as long as they’ve served for 10 years.
• This plan sets a minimum retirement age of 62 for most employees, saving the state more than three billion dollars over 30 years.
• For law enforcement, the minimum retirement age would be 56.
• These changes do not affect current employees or retirees – whether they’re vested or not.  This will only be for new employees hired beginning in 2013.

The “TTYL” Act, House Bill 2 sponsored by Rep. Jim McClendon (R-Springville), passed by the House, pending committee action in the Senate

• This bill  would prohibit driving a vehicle on an Alabama highway or street while using a wireless telecommunication device to write, send or read a text-based communication, including email.

Constitutional Reform, House Bills 357 & 358 sponsored by Rep. Pau DeMarco (R-Homewood), passed by the House, passed in Senate committee, pending action in the full Senate

• House Bill 357 updates and modernizes language in Article 12 of the 1901 Alabama Constitution dealing with private corporations, railroads and canals.
• House Bill 358 updates and modernizes Article 13 dealing with banks and banking law.

Spurring Investment in Struggling Communities, House Bill 257 sponsored by State Rep. Jamie Ison (R – Mobile), passed by the House, pending committee action in the Senate

• This bill would encourage economic investment and job growth in low income areas by leveraging available federal tax incentives with new state tax incentive offerings.
• In exchange for their investments in qualified businesses and projects located in low-income downtown areas throughout Alabama, the state will offer investors a future tax credit.
• Investors could claim a 50 percent graduated tax credit over the course of seven years for investments up to $240 million.  The credit is zero for the first year and 8 percent for each of the next five years, the ten percent the seventh year.

Restricting Funeral Disruptions, House Bill 238, sponsored by Rep. DuWayne Bridges (R-Valley), passed by the House, pending committee action in the Senate

• This bill sets a perimeter of 1000 feet, or two blocks, for any disruption of a funeral in Alabama.

Updating the “Move Over” Highway Safety Law to Protect Service Vehicles, House Bill 76 sponsored by Rep. Mac McCutcheon (R-Huntsville), passed by the House, passed by Senate committee, pending Senate action

• Currently Alabama’s “move over” law requires drivers to vacate the lane closest to public safety vehicles parked on a roadside.
• This bill would ensure that service vehicles, such as utility trucks and wreckers and the workers that drive them, are also protected by requiring drivers to slow down and move over to allow them room to work safely.

Cracking down on synthetic drugs, House Bill 158 sponsored by Rep. Allen Farley (R-McCalla), passed by the House, pending committee action in the Senate

• In addition to traditional drugs, synthetic drugs known as “spice” or “salts” have become an increasing problem in Alabama.
• Updates to the law are necessary to allow law enforcement officers to crack down on such substances and protect Alabama neighborhoods from the latest manifestations of drugs.
• Under this bill, anyone who possesses, manufactures, delivers or traffics one of these synthetic cannabinoid-like substances would be guilty of a felony and subject to fines ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 and a minimum prison term of between three years and life depending upon the amount of drugs involved.

Rewarding Teacher Certification, House Bill 251 sponsored by Rep. Jay Love (R-Montgomery), passed by the House, passed by Senate committee, identical bill already passed by the Senate

• This bill sets aside $2.3 million in a conditional appropriation to fund a $5,000 bonus for teachers who become national board certified.
• In Alabama we want excellent teachers in every classroom preparing the next generation of Alabamians to be our greatest yet. Supporting our teachers in their pursuit of national board certification helps us make that a reality.

Reorganizing ALDOT to Ensure Accountability, Responsiveness, House Bills 355 and 402 sponsored by Rep. Mac McCutcheon (R-Capshaw), passed by the House, pending committee action in the Senate

• House Bill 355 would alter the organizational structure of ALDOT by giving the Transportation Director the authority to appoint three deputy directors to help oversee the operations of the Department.  House Bill 402 would specifically change the position of Chief Engineer from a merit system position to an appointed position.
• Adding up to three deputies to help oversee this process and designating the chief engineer as an appointed position will translate into more accountability and responsiveness from the Department.

Reducing costly fees to make storm shelters less expensive while maintaining building safety guidelines, House Bill 288 by Rep. Mac Buttram (R-Cullman), passed by the House, pending committee action in the Senate

Making looting after a declared emergency a felony in Alabama, House Bill 340 by Rep. John Merrill (R-Tuscaloosa), passed by the House, pending committee action in the Senate

Also up are bills aimed to protect citizens and their property in the event of deadly storms

MONTGOMERY – Bills aimed at increasing accountability within the Alabama Department of Transportation will top the agenda of the House of Representatives when it convenes Tuesday for the 14^th day of the 2012 Regular Session.

House Bills 355 and 402 sponsored by State Rep. Mac McCutcheon (R-Capshaw), would alter the organizational structure of ALDOT by giving the Transportation Director the authority to appoint three deputy directors to help oversee the operations of the Department.  House Bill 402 would specifically change the position of Chief Engineer from a merit system position to an appointed position.

Adding up to three deputies to help oversee this process and designating the chief engineer as an appointed position will translate into more accountability and responsiveness from the Department.

“We’ve long needed to reorganize the organizational structure at ALDOT to ensure more accountability and responsiveness,” Rep. McCutcheon said. “These reforms will translate into road projects being expedited by reducing the bureaucratic red tape that can be a real hindrance to economic development and job creation.”

McCutcheon serves as Chairman of the House Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure Committee.

House Speaker Mike Hubbard thanked Rep. McCutcheon for introducing the bills and pushing for their passage.

“These measures are part of our commitment to streamline state government and increase accountability among state agencies,” Speaker Hubbard said.

Additional bills up for consideration on Tuesday are aimed to protect citizens and their property in the event of deadly storms. They are:

• House Bill 288 by Rep. Mac Buttram (R-Cullman), which reduces costly fees to make storm shelters less expensive while maintaining building safety guidelines.

• House Bill 340 by Rep. John Merrill (R-Tuscaloosa), which makes looting after a declared emergency a felony in Alabama.

MONTGOMERY – A hate group infamous for protesting the funerals of fallen soldiers and other victims would be forced to keep a respectful distance under a proposed new law that passed the Alabama House of Representatives today.

House Bill 238, sponsored by Rep. DuWayne Bridges (R-Valley), sets a perimeter of 1000 feet, or two blocks, for any disruption of a funeral in Alabama. The law is needed because the hate group calling itself the “Westboro Baptist Church” has disrupted the funeral and burial ceremonies of fallen military personnel, at least one victim of the 2006 school bus crash in Huntsville and murdered Auburn University student Lauren Burk.

In the wake of last year’s devastating tornado outbreak, the group publicly rejoiced at the loss of life and threatened to disrupt funerals of tornado victims in Missouri and Alabama.

“Their mission is to taunt and terrorize families of fallen soldiers, and that kind of behavior has no place in Alabama,” Representative Bridges said. “In Alabama, we honor our fallen heroes and comfort the families who lose loved ones in such tragic circumstances. Keeping these shameless demonstrations at least two blocks away will allow families to mourn in peace.”

The bill passed the House last year, but failed to receive final passage in the Senate due to a log jam on the last day of the 2011 session. Rep. Bridges said he is confident the bill will be passed by the Senate this year and be signed into law.

House Speaker Mike Hubbard thanked Rep. Bridges for his efforts to pass the bill, recalling an incident with the “Westboro Baptist Church” that hit close to home in his district.

“I’ve never seen anything more disgusting than what these people tried to do after the awful murder of Lauren Burk. She was my constituent,” Speaker Hubbard said. “Everyone has the right to free speech in this country, but families also have the right to grieve without such hateful disruptions. I applaud Rep. Bridges for proposing legislation that will offer protection and comfort to families who have lost so much.”

While a law prohibiting demonstrations altogether would be unconstitutional under the First Amendment, setting a respectable distance meets constitutional muster, Rep. Bridges said. The bill passed the House without a dissenting vote and now goes the Senate.

Bill sets up a “win-in” scenario for communities, taxpayers, Speaker says

 MONTGOMERY – The Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday will consider legislation designed to encourage economic investment and job growth in low income areas by leveraging available federal tax incentives with new state tax incentive offerings.

The legislation, House Bill 257 sponsored by State Rep. Jamie Ison (R – Mobile), is first up on the Special Order Calendar for Tuesday, the tenth day of the 2012 Regular Session.

“We have a real opportunity to help our inner cities and other economically depressed areas recruit projects, spur investment and grow jobs,” Rep. Ison said.  “This legislation uses a common sense conservative, free market approach to plant the seeds needed for entrepreneurs to become active in areas they might otherwise not pursue.”

Under the provisions of HB257, the state would create an investment tax credit to complement the New Markets program currently offered through the U.S. Treasury Dept., which has incentivized roughly $30 billion in private investment in businesses across the country over the past decade. Here’s how it works:

• In exchange for their investments in qualified businesses and projects located in low-income downtown areas throughout Alabama, the state will offer investors a future tax credit.
• Investors could claim a 50 percent graduated tax credit over the course of seven years for investments up to $240 million.  The credit is zero for the first year and 8 percent for each of the next five years, the ten percent the seventh year.
• The state’s portion of tax credits would be capped at $20 million a year, or $120 million over a span of six years.

State Rep. Jay Love (R-Montgomery), who chairs the Ways and Means – Education Committee, said he supports the legislation because Alabama has fallen behind other states in similar capital investments due to a lack of state incentives that complement the federal tax credit program.

“Our sister southeastern states have embraced the New Markets program and offered their own attractive tax incentives, but Alabama has largely fallen behind when it comes to these venture capital investments,” Love said.  “By offering these incentives, we can grow parts of our communities that need the most help while expanding the tax base through new jobs and opportunities.”

Louisiana has benefited from more than $1.5 billion in New Markets-based investments, and Mississippi has reaped almost $500 million in direct capital while Alabama has seen only $77 million flow into the state through the federal incentive program. Since passing its New Markets state tax credit in 2010, Florida has seen its investments quadruple.

Speaker Hubbard said encouraging development in struggling areas is a “win-win” scenario for taxpayers and investors.

“All session we have been working together to find ways to boost economic growth across the industrial spectrum,” Speaker Hubbard said. “This legislation offers help to communities that need it the most, and it’s a great deal for taxpayers too. Economic impact studies of the Florida program showed that for every $1 in tax incentives offered, roughly $4 flowed back to state coffers. This bill can mean more jobs for our citizens and more money flowing toward critical needs like education. It truly is a ‘win-win’ scenario.”

The House convenes at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday.

Office of House Speaker Mike Hubbard
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 28, 2012

House Works to Grow Alabama’s Film Production Industry
Bills to fund bonuses for certified teachers, protect benefits for law enforcement also up this week

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama House of Representatives will take up a bill aimed to grow the state’s film production industry and boost job growth when lawmakers return for the eighth day of the 2012 legislative session Tuesday.

House Speaker Mike Hubbard said Alabama has a real opportunity to expand its presence in the film and television industry, and create jobs in the process.

“Growing Alabama’s film production industry can render tremendous economic benefits for our state, and I’ve been impressed at the leading role Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur) has played on this issue,” Speaker Hubbard said. “We want Octavia Spencer’s next Oscar to be for a movie made right here in Alabama.”

Spencer, a Montgomery-native and Auburn University graduate, won the Academy Award for best supporting actress on Sunday for her role in “The Help.”

Additional bills up this week would fund bonuses for certified teachers and protect pension benefits for state law enforcement.

“Rewarding teachers for earning national board certification helps us increase the quality of our teaching ranks and ensure students achieve more,” Speaker Hubbard said. “We’re also committed to protecting the benefits of our state police, which Rep. Jay Love’s bill will do by clearing up the law to make sure overtime pay counts toward retirement.”

More information on these marquee bills on the calendar for Tuesday:

Alabama Film Incentive Enhancement Act, House Bill 243 sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins

• Alabama has long trailed behind in the film and television production industry because our state lacked the incentives other states have to help attract these job-creating productions here.
• Movies like “Forrest Gump” may be predominately about Alabama, but they are filmed in other states like Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana which have incentives to attract them.
• A 2011 bill that included television productions as part of Alabama’s film incentive law has already rendered great success as the popular shows “Rocket City Rednecks,” “Big Shrimpin’” and “Sweet Home Alabama” all based their productions in Alabama.
• This bill would expand Alabama’s film/television production incentive cap from $10 to $25 million, making Alabama more competitive in the industry.
• The bill would also double the amount productions could spend and count toward tax incentive rebates from $10 million to $20 million. This would help Alabama attract larger productions that will in turn create more jobs.

Teacher Certification Bonuses, House Bill 251 sponsored by Rep. Jay Love (R-Montgomery)

• Teaching is more than just a job. It’s a profession of the highest calling.
• Lawmakers are committed helping educators excel in their profession by rewarding efforts to enhance their teaching abilities.
•  Lawmakers are committed helping educators excel in their profession by rewarding efforts to enhance their teaching abilities.
•  This bill sets aside $2.3 million fund a $5,000 salary supplement for teachers who complete the process to become national board certified.
•  In Alabama we want excellent teachers in every classroom preparing the next generation of Alabamians to be our greatest yet. Supporting our teachers in their pursuit of national board certification helps make that a reality.

Protecting Public Safety Retirement Benefits, House Bill 255 sponsored by Rep. Jay Love

• Current law does not specifically include overtime pay in “earnable compensation,” which is the basis for retirement pay for state policemen.
• This bill would clarify one and for all that overtime payments made to state policemen are part of earnable compensation and therefor will count toward calculating retirement benefits.
• The bill was amended in committee to apply to all members of the Employees Retirement System.

The House convenes at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday.

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