HB 658 by Rep. Mickey Hammon (R-Decatur) was given a public hearing on Wednesday. The bill is designed to further clarify the intent of Alabama's sweeping immigration reform bill that was passed in the 2011 Legislative Session. There are a number of provisions in the revision bill that will make it easier to comply with, but also increases some penalties for failure to do so. The bill will go before the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee next week for consideration.

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed the 2013 General Fund Budget. The overall budget cuts roughly $341 million below the 2012 budget. The budget now moves to the Senate for consideration.

The House Commerce Committee passed Senator Slade Blackwell's bill that would allow taxpayers to remit sales, use and lease taxes with a single point of filing. SB 459 was passed by the full Senate on Tuesday. The bill has been placed on a 10-minute calendar for consideration when the House reconvenes on Tuesday.

The Senate Confirmations Committee, chaired by Senator Jabo Waggoner (R-Birmingham), gave a favorable report to Governor Bentley's nominees for the Plumbers and Gas Fitters Board on Wednesday. The HBAA is very pleased with the slate of nominees that Governor Bentley has put forward. When making the motion to give the nominees a favorable report, Senator Del Marsh (R-Anniston), President Pro-Tem of the Senate, referred to them as an extremely qualified and diverse group. The proposed board members are:

P.E. Pilgreen (Montgomery) - Engineer

John Bimbo (Birmingham) - Master Plumber

Charles Owenby (Deatsville) - Master Gas Fitter

Phillip Guthrie (Brownsboro) - Journeyman Plumber

Henry McCoy (Montgomery) - Journeyman Gas Fitter

Bobby Bullock (Birmingham) - Building Official

Janice Warren (Albertville) - Member of Public, At-Large

The nominees now await confirmation by the full Senate.

A bill that would shift all vehicle purchases from state agencies to a central bureaucracy is undergoing some changes after concern was raised by non-general fund agencies. HB 576  by Rep. Greg Wren (R-Montgomery) is designed to create the Office of Fleet Management (OFM) to help the state save money on the purchase, maintenance, and operation of state-owned vehicles. After discussions with various licensing agencies that are funded solely through licensing fees and that do not receive general fund appropriations, it appears that an amendment is forthcoming that will exempt these agencies from the measure. Many of the agencies feared that the new entity would siphon funds from the boards to fund its operation at the expense of their licensees.