LEGISLATURE SETS SCHEDULE FOR REMAINING DAYS
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Reversing its earlier decision to meet three days this week, the Alabama Legislature chose to meet only two days. Five days now remain in the 2009 Regular Session. The Legislature has decided to meet Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week and then complete the Session on May 14 and 15. With the 15th landing on a Friday, the Legislature is breaking with common tradition where they skip one full week and conclude on a Monday. By skipping a week, the Legislature is able to come back and override any veto the Governor may have issued during proceeding weeks.
In these final five days, the HBAA will be working diligently to make sure that the remaining pieces of its priority legislation gets a shot at passage and that those bills detrimental to our industry are opposed. Below are several bills of interest that the HBAA is working on in these last days of the 2009 Regular Session:
· LANDLORD TENANT: Having passed the Senate this week, SB 397 (Barron, Fyffe) now heads to the House for consideration. The HBAA will work with House Commerce Committee chairman Frank McDaniel (D-Albertville) to get the bill a favorable report at its next meeting. This will position the bill for consideration by the full House during the final days of session.
· MANAGEMENT ENTITY: HB 543 (Grantland, Hartselle) is awaiting action by the Senate. The HBAA is working with Senator Lowell Barron (D-Fyffe), Senate Rules Chairman, to get the bill added to the calendar at the earliest opportunity.
· BIRMINGHAM OCCUPATIONAL TAX: The HBAA continues to work with the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders to oppose the imposition of an occupational tax in Jefferson County. This issue will likely flare up on the last day of session as proponents attempt to ram the measure through.
· UNEMPLOYMENT TAX: SB 460 (Smitherman, Birmingham) remains a significant concern for the business interests in Alabama. The HBAA has joined with other business industry groups in opposing the bill which equates to a multi-million dollar tax increase on all Alabama employers. The Business Associations Tax Coalition, of which the HBAA is a member, opposes provisions in the bill that will cost Alabama employers at least $22 million per year beginning in 2014. The measure failed to get the three-fifths vote required to pass the Budget Isolation Resolution this week in the Senate. Once the budgets have passed both chambers, the BIR disappears and the vote will be simple majority rules.
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