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

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For more information, contact Communications Director Todd Stacy at 334-353-0929.

Our hope is that through the optional mediation process, children will be spared from the often adversarial and damaging process of a traditional custody trial,” stated Judge Flanagan.

The Marshall County Volunteer Mediation Program will be funded through a state grant secured by the Marshall County Legislative Delegation and run jointly by the Marshall County Family and Visitation Center and the Marshall County Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

“As a lawyer in the community, I see this as a step in taking some of the burden off the court system.  In economic times such as this, it is important to make the courts more efficient and local retirees can be a valuable resource in that process,” said Representative Wes Long.

The Marshall County Visitation and Family Center’s mission is to strengthen families through agency programs.  The Center provides parenting classes, fatherhood initiative classes and a supervised visitation program that provides a safe and conflict free environment for children to visit with their non-custodial parent.  The Marshall County Visitation and Family Center provides services through the following programs; Visitation Program, Fatherhood Initiative Program, Mediation Program, Child Abuse Prevention awareness program, and Co-parenting classes.  The majority of these services are provided through court mandated referrals.

Marshall County RSVP is a non-profit organization established in 1972, that utilizes the vast talents of older volunteers willing to share their experiences, abilities and skills through community agencies and non-profit organizations in response to a wide variety of community needs such as education, community and economic development, health, nutrition, public safety, environmental, and human service needs.

Prior to becoming Marshall County District Judge in March of 2011, Judge Hugh Flanagan practiced law in Guntersville at the law firm of Long, Flanagan, & McDonald.  He and his wife Jessica have two children, Conner and Carlyle Grace, and attend Guntersville First United Methodists Church.

Gov. Robert Bentley announced Friday that Alabama’s unemployment rate for October was 9.3 percent, down from 9.8 percent in September. In Marshall County, a known hotbed for illegal immigrant labor, unemployment was at 8.1 percent for October, down from 8.8 percent in September and 10 percent in June, when Alabama’s crackdown on illegal immigration was signed into law.

“We’ve heard anecdotal evidence from all corners of the state about how more Alabama citizens are being hired in jobs formerly held by illegal immigrants, but the statewide and county-specific data released today is probably the best statistical proof we’ve seen to indicate this is happening,” Rep. Hammon said. “There are many factors that come into play for employment numbers. However, take Marshall County, where the illegal immigrant problem has probably been more pronounced than anywhere in the state. When Marshall County’s unemployment rate drops almost a full two percent since the law was signed, it’s difficult to deny the law is having a positive effect on employment.”

Other counties where illegal immigration has been a problem saw precipitous drops in unemployment as well, including Morgan County, where the rate declined a full 1.1 percent from September to October.

Though opponents of Alabama’s immigration law have done all they can to discredit its economic benefits, the numbers tell a different story, Rep. Hammon said.

“Despite how desperately illegal immigrant sympathizers have tried to portray this law as somehow harmful to our state’s economy, the truth is more Alabamians are working today thanks in part to our decision to crackdown on illegal immigration,” he said. “The evidence is clear: this law is helping put more Alabamians back to work, and that’s why such a strong majority of Alabamians support it.”

Alabama’s unemployment rate dropped by half of a percentage point, to 9.3% for October.  This is the fourth consecutive month that the state’s unemployment rate has decreased.  In Marshall County, the rate is lower than the state average.

Rep. Kerry Rich, a co-sponsor of HB56 said, “I am very pleased to see that the unemployment rate in Marshall County dropped to 8.1 per cent in October.  That is down from 9.9 percent in June when our new immigration law passed the legislature.  There is no question the law is having a positive effect on the employment of citizens.  In spite of all that is being said by naysayers, this law is beginning to have some of the effects intended and one of those is to make jobs available to Alabama citizens and to deny employment to illegals.”

Every county in Alabama reported a decline in unemployment, a positive sign for economic recovery.

Representative Wes Long believes today’s report is only one indicator to the country that the new immigration law is working and giving the people of Alabama job opportunities.  “These numbers show proof that Alabamians are filling the jobs. It is one step in creating jobs for legal Alabama citizens and putting Alabama back to work. We must continue to take regulations off small businesses, give tax incentives for investment and expansion, and quit giving people a check to stay at home and not work. I expect to see many states following our lead this year with similar illegal immigration legislation,” Long said.
Immediately after the law went into effect, employers began hiring and holding job fairs, so I felt like this was definitely taking us in the right direction,” said Senator Clay Scofield of the self-deportation of many undocumented workers. “And we are noticing other positive indicators in our mission to put Alabamians back to work as well. The most recent drop in unemployment proves that we’re on the right track to boost private-sector economic growth, put Alabamians back to work and grow our way out of these tough economic times.”
Rich says he believes as time goes on there will be more positive effects. “I am obviously pleased that two federal courts have upheld the major provisions of the law.  It is time to let the law work, let it be properly enforced, and over time this will be a very good thing for our state.”

Teachers who are not Medicare eligible and who want to retire in December to avoid the increase in insurance premiums are advised to go ahead and turn in their retirement papers by November 1st.  But instead of having the mandatory 30-day break in service from Dec 1 to Jan 1, they will be allowed to return to the classroom at the substitute teacher rate for the month of December only.  Then beginning January 1, those teachers will be re-hired at their prior year rate, while at the same time suspending their retirement checks. They will see an increase in their pay for the remainder of the year, because they will not have to contribute any more toward retirement.  These teachers will also have locked in their PEEHIP rates and will not be subject to the sliding scale.  At the end of the school year, RSA will reinstate their retirement checks.
“It is not good for students to have the possible disruption of changing teachers mid-year”, Senator Clay Scofield said.   Local legislators all said they had hoped the issue could be addressed in a special session that some had anticipated would be called this fall “We were committed to changing the date to the end of the school year, given the opportunity”, Rep. Wes Long said.  Rep. Kerry Rich said he was pleased that the matter had been handled by policy and “I appreciate the joint efforts of RSA and the Department of Education.”
Teachers or anyone with questions are encouraged to talk to their Superintendents or they can call Dennis Heard at the State Department of Education at 334-242-9747.

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For information contact: Marshall County Legislative Office, ph. 256-582-0619

The House of Representatives took up and passed Senate Bill 477, sponsored by Senator Marc Keahey (D-Grove Hill), which will allow the state to use tax incentives to temporarily offset federal tariffs for qualifying companies that commit to build facilities and create jobs in Alabama. Though the House passed its own version of the bill on Tuesday, the quickest way to ensure final passage of the proposal was to pass its Senate companion. The idea was recommended by the Speaker’s Commission on Job Creation, which was chaired by State Representative Phil Williams (R-Huntsville) and released its final report in May

The House sponsor of the bill, State Representative Barry Mask (R-Wetumpka), said he was proud to work in a bi-partisan manner to pass legislation that can bring jobs to Alabama.

“There are no party labels when it comes to creating jobs,” said Representative Mask, who chairs the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee. “I’m proud to sponsor this bill with Senator Keahey because I believe it will allow Alabama to do something truly significant in economic development. I also want to recognize and thank Representative Alan Harper (D-Tuscaloosa) for his efforts to pass this bill. In this economy, we have to think outside the box when it comes to recruiting jobs, and this proposal is the perfect example of that.”

House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) formed the Commission on Job Creation in February, tasking the select group of business and community leaders to gather ideas that could help improve the state’s business climate and boost private sector job growth. Offering temporary state income tax incentives to offset build-up phase tariff costs for international companies bringing jobs to Alabama was among the nine policy recommendations outlined in the Commission’s final report.

Speaker Hubbard thanked Representative Mask and Senator Keahey for working together to pass this worthy proposal.

“I commend Representative Mask and Senator Keahey for working in a bi-partisan fashion to pass legislation that can make a real difference when it comes to creating jobs in Alabama,” Speaker Hubbard said. “Using these temporary tax incentives to attract international companies was one of the more innovative ideas recommended by the Commission on Job Creation. Alabama will be the only state in the country to offer this kind of incentive, giving us a real competitive advantage that could bring thousands of jobs to Alabama.”

Senator Keahey said the Legislature’s commitment to working across party lines to pass this bill proves that job creation isn’t a partisan issue.

“Attracting new businesses that will create jobs and spark economic growth is our first priority,” Senator Keahey said. “This bill sends a message to companies around the world that Alabama is open for business.”

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh (R-Anniston) said Senator Keahey and Representative Mask showed great leadership in working together to pass this job creation bill.

“Our main focus is to create jobs and jumpstart Alabama’s economy,” Senator Marsh said. “One way to do that is to remove red tape that restricts job growth so we can attract new businesses to Alabama.”

Background information on the “Made in Alabama” Job Incentives Act:

The Tariff Act of 1930 allows the federal government to impose countervailing duties and anti-dumping duties on imported products, which increases the cost of those imported products to American customers.   As a result of the duties, foreign companies with American customers must now consider manufacturing their products in the United States so they will no longer be subject to the duties.

Naturally, some companies are looking to establish operations in the United States to manufacture and sell products made by American workers to offset the tariff. However, during the construction and start-up phase, a company has the continued increased cost of paying import duties because the products continue to be manufactured overseas, which puts their customer relationships at risk.  Ultimately, a company risks building a new manufacturing facility only to have lost its customers due to the higher costs from the duties passed on to the customer.  This risk creates hesitancy for some companies to decide to locate in the United States.

Due to changes in global business conditions, there is a significant uptick in companies interested in foreign direct investment in the United States, which has created tremendous opportunities for Alabama.  Accordingly, if Alabama had the ability to mitigate the risk for the company that is subject to the tariff during the period of its project build out and start up, the state would have a competitive advantage over other states in recruiting these companies.

The “Made in Alabama” Job Incentives Act authorizes the Governor and the Alabama Development Office to offer qualifying companies a transferable income tax credit to offset tariff costs as an incentive to create jobs in Alabama.

The credit would:

be transferable to ensure true value since other existing laws already provide income tax credits for the company;
have substantial minimum criteria for capital investment, the number of jobs created, and average wage paid, among other considerations;
be capped to provide certainty to the state’s maximum commitment and contain a sunset provision; and
be revocable should the company not meet its threshold requirements or have its federal duties recouped.

For more information, contact Speaker’s Office Communications Director Todd Stacy at 334-353-0929 or Pro Tem’s Office Communications Director Derek Trotter at 334-201-5035.