The Alabama Legislature completed its 18th legislative day on Thursday, March 3.

• HB2 by Representative Treadaway – Penalties for Rioting: This bill would increase the penalties for the crime of assault on first responders during civil unrest and mandate jail time. This bill has passed out of the House. However, there was no movement on this bill this week.

• HB82 by Representative Garrett, SB189 by Senator Gudger – Small Business Relief and Revitalization Act: This bill would allow businesses to exempt $40,000 of the market value of business personal property from ad valorem tax levied by the state. It would also ensure that relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) received by qualifying disadvantaged farmers is exempt from state income tax. This bill has passed both houses and was delivered to the governor this week to be signed into law.

• Representative Shedd has the companion bills to Senate Majority Leader Scofield’s three broadband bills (SB123, 124, 125). These bills are in response to the current and future ARPA funds being allocated to broadband.

o HB189 creates an Alabama Digital Expansion Division chief.

▪ There was no movement on this bill this week.

o HB255 allows the state, cities and counties to grant funds designated for broadband infrastructure to private companies.

▪ This bill passed out of the Senate committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development this week. Pending third reading.

o HB298 creates minimum service threshold speeds for broadband service grants.

▪ There was no movement on this bill this week.

• HB267 by Representative Garrett – Education Trust Fund: This bill has passed out of the House Committee on Ways and Means Education with one substitution and is pending its third reading.

• HB272 by Representative Stringer – Firearms Permit Bill: This bill would repeal pistol permits for concealed carry. Nearly every police and sheriff's department in the state is opposed to this legislation. This bill has now passed out of theSenate.

• HB319 by Representative Coleman – Constitution Reorganization: This bill would reorganize the 121-year-old Alabama state constitution and delete outdated, annulled and racist language. This bill has passed out of the House and has been referred to the Senate committee on Governmental Affairs.

• HB322 by Representative Stadthagen – Transgender Bill: This controversial bill would require public K-12 schools to designate the use of rooms where students may be in various stages of undress on the basis of biological sex. This bill passed out of the House. There has been no movement on this bill this week.

• SB54 by Senator Allen – Memorial Preservation Act: This bill would revise penalties for moving or renaming monuments that are 40 years or older and would authorize the Attorney General to commence civil actions. There was no movement on this bill this week.

• SB57 by Senator Orr – Tax Incentives Bill: This bill would change the reporting date requirements of state agencies that administer economic tax incentives and establish sunset provisions and reporting guidelines for economic tax incentives. The Alliance, along with other economic development entities in the state, opposes this bill as it 1) will put sunset limits on existing and future tax incentives, 2) may limit or greatly reduce the number of years allowable on tax incentives, and 3) would require a burdensome reporting process on state agencies and possibly local granting authorities. There was no movement on this bill this week.

• SB106 by Senator Albritton- General Fund Budget: This bill passed out of the Senate this week and has been referred to the House committee on Ways and Means General Fund. This is the fourth year in a row the Senate has passed a record high General Fund Budget bill at 2.7 billion dollars. If this dollar amount stays intact, this will be a record high. There was no movement on this bill this week.

• SB112 by Senator Waggoner- Cell Phone Hands Free Bill: This bill has passed the Senate, but failed to pass the House by three votes. There was no movement on this bill this week.

• These bills sponsored by Majority Leader Scofield are in response to the current and future ARPA funds being allocated to broadband. These are the companion bills to Representative Shedd’s three broadband bills (HB189, 255, 298).

o SB123 creates an Alabama Digital Expansion Division chief.

▪ This bill has passed out of House and Senate and has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.

o SB124 creates minimum service threshold speeds for broadband service grants.

▪ This bill has passed out of the Senate and the House.

o SB125 allows the state, cities and counties to grant funds designated for broadband infrastructure to private companies.

▪ Passed of the House committee on Urban and Rural Development. Pending its third reading. There has been no movement on this bill this week.

• SB140 by Senator Marsh – Parental Choice Bill: This controversial bill would direct money from Alabama’s Education Trust Fund to fund a student’s choice of public school, private school or homeschool. The bill would create Education Savings Accounts that would provide parents access to funds equivalent to the amount the state spends funding each public-school student. There was no movement on this bill this week.

• SB147 by Senator Orr – Open Meetings Bill: This bill will provide further guidelines for electronic meetings held by members of governmental bodies and public participation at those meetings. This bill has passed out of the Senate and has been assigned to the House committee on State Government. There was no movement on this bill this week.

• SB152 by Senator Roberts – ARPA Bill: This bill will create an allotment in the state income tax law to conform with the federal intent behind the income tax credit expansion within the American Rescue Plan Act. This bill has passed both houses and has been signed into law.

• SB171 by Senator Orr – Education Policy: This bill would not tie the State Department of Education to Common Core standards. It establishes a goal of increasing math proficiency of students from kindergarten to 5th grade. This bill has passed out of the Senate and has been referred to the House committee on Education Policy.

• SB224 by Senator Orr – Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development: This bill would require an unemployed individual to search for work a certain number of times per week to be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. This bill has passed out of the Senate committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development. There was no movement on this bill this week.

The House of Representatives and Senate will reconvene on Tuesday, March 8.