Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Morning Digest

by | Jan 29, 2018

Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Morning Digest

January 29, 2018

Haley Lewis

Staff Attorney

Haley joined Gasp in 2014 as our programs manager and was named staff attorney in 2016. She has a B.A. from George Washington University, J.D. from Cumberland School of Law and an M.P.A. from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Email Haley

We are 20 days into the 2018 Legislative Session, and there’s already a lot to keep up with. As always, bills range from no big deal to downright awful this year. I’ll be updating you every Monday on the status of any bills that will affect the environment, public health and public transportation.

If anything moves quickly or a bill gets legs under it and should be either opposed or supported, I’ll also let you know. Be sure to check out Gasp’s new Advocacy Toolkit as you read through these bills and decide to take action yourself!

 

Bill # Sponsor Summary Committee Status
HB5 Hanes (R)

Whorton

Amending Ala. Code 40-8-140: provide income tax refund check off to state parks, Dep’t of Mental Health and Medicaid Ways & Means General Fund
HB40 South (R) Amend Ala. Code 32-9-20: extends length restrictions and allows greater weight restrictions for trucks using natural gas Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure
HB 53 Johnson (R) Repeal Ala. Code  22-30B-19: Abolish the Alabama Legacy for Environmental Research Trust Fund

COMPANION BILL SB 122

Ways & Means General Fund
HB58 Drake (R) Amend Ala. Code § 9-14-8: Create Park for Patriots Act of 2018. Adds in active, Alabama resident Military & Veterans Affairs 1/25: read for the second time and placed on the calendar

1/16: moves to the Senate, referred to committee (Veterans and Military Affairs)

1/16: passes in House

HB78 Johnson (R) Propose local amendment for Coosa County to additional payments from the Alabama

Trust Fund to the Forever Wild Land Trust to reimburse Coosa County for lost ad valorem tax

payments as a result of the acquisition of property

by the Forever Wild Land Trust.

Local Legislation 1/25: third reading, carried over to Call of the Chair (voice vote adopted)
HB113 Johnson (R) Amend Ala. Code 22-25C-1 and 22-25C-2: requires bond paid to be used for clean up of facility and repeals provisions for fees

COMPANION BILL SB48

Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure
HB217 Morrow (D) Amend Ala. Code 22-22A-6, to change the qualifications of that the Environmental Management Commission of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management so that a geologist may serve as a member of the commission. Boards, Agencies and Commissions
HB224 South (R) Notification to State Health Officer required when changes made to fluoride levels

COMPANTION BILL SB180

Health
SB33 Ward (R) Amend Ala. Code 29-2-270 to 29-2-275: Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Energy Policy: this bill would revise the membership of the committee, delete the requirement that the committee complete the Alabama Energy Plan, limit the reporting of the committee, delete authorization for the committee to create and staff a Legislative Energy Policy Office, would authorize the committee to form advisory committees as needed. Transportation & Energy 1/25: Moves to the House, read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure

1/23: Passes Senate

SB48 Pittman (R) Amend Ala. Code 22-25C-1 and 22-25C-2: requires bond paid to be used for clean up of facility and repeals provisions for fees.

COMPANION BILL HB113

Finance and Taxation General Fund 1/23: moves to House (referred to committee on Ways & Means General Fund)

1/23: passes Senate

SB75 Bussman (R) Under the Sunset Law, provides for the continuance of the Surface Mining Commission until October 1, 2022

SB 134 RELATED

Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development 1/25: read for the second time and placed on the calendar

1/18: moves to House (referred to committee on Boards, Agencies and Commissions)

1/16: passes Senate

SB122 Sanford (R) Repeal Ala. Code  22-30B-19: Abolish the Alabama Legacy for Environmental Research Trust Fund

COMPANION BILL HB53

Finance and Taxation General Fund
SB134 Bussman (R) Remove the Surface Mining Commission from the sunset review process

RELATED TO SB75

Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development 1/25: read for the second time and placed on the calendar

1/18: moves to House (referred to committee on Boards, Agencies and Commissions)

1/16: Passes Senate

SB180 Bussman (R) Notification to State Health Officer required when changes made to fluoride levels

COMPANION BILL TO HB224

Health and Human Services
Public Transportation
HB10 Williams (Jack) (R) Alabama Public Transportation Act. Alabama Public Transportation Trust Fund, established, ADECA required to administer trust fund; Public Transportation Trust Fund Advisory Committee, created. ADECA must adopt rules, make annual reports, conduct a public transportation needs assessment, enter into contracts, conduct audits and award grants. Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure
HB25 Pringle (R) Amend Ala. Code 23-1-21 and 23-1-21.2: establish a State Transportation Commission (and requirements and duties thereof) Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure
HB97 Faulkner (R) Would require transportation network companies to obtain a permit from the PSC, maintain an agent for service of process, implement a nondiscrimination policy, implement a zero tolerance intoxicating substance policy, and maintain certain records, collect local assessment fee for each trip.

COMPANION BILL TO SB65

Commerce and Small Business
SB65 Singleton (D) Would require transportation network companies to obtain a permit from the PSC, maintain an agent for service of process, implement a nondiscrimination policy, implement a zero tolerance intoxicating substance policy, and maintain certain records, collect local assessment fee for each trip.

COMPANION BILL TO HB97

IDENTICAL TO SB143

Transportation and Energy No movement on this bill since first read: but, SB143 is co-sponsored with Marsh and is identical
SB85 Smitherman (D) Creates the Alabama Public Transportation Trust Fund

*isn’t noted but seems like companion bill to HB10

Transportation and Energy 1/25: Moves to House, read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure

1/25: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 148

SB143 Singleton (D) Would require transportation network companies to obtain a permit from the PSC, maintain an agent for service of process, implement a nondiscrimination policy, implement a zero tolerance intoxicating substance policy, and maintain certain records, collect local assessment fee for each trip.

COMPANION BILL TO HB97

IDENTICAL TO SB65

Tourism and Marketing 1/25: Passes Senate with substitute by Singleton

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About Haley Lewis
Haley joined GASP in 2014 as our programs manager and was named staff attorney in 2016. She has a B.A. from George Washington University, J.D. from Cumberland School of Law and a master’s in public administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Email Haley
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