HBAA
Legislative Alert

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ISSUE NO. 4 / April 3, 2015

Home Owners Legislation Held Over

Representative Mac McCutcheon (R-Huntsville) asked that HB 241 be held over for one week to give the stakeholders one last opportunity to hammer out any remaining points. For more than three hours, representatives from the HBAA, Realtors, Bankers, and HOA advocates discussed the bill and the changes each would like to see added. The HBAA is finalizing language today to review with Rep. McCutcheon this afternoon and expects to have an agreed-upon bill by this evening.

The HBAA would like to thank Rep. McCutcheon for his leadership throughout this process. He has worked diligently with the HBAA and its partners in their good faith efforts to deliver an agreed-upon bill.

HVAC Bills Receive Favorable Reports

The House and Senate versions of the HBAA-backed HVAC legislation received favorable reports in committee this week. Senator Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro) and Representative Jack Williams (R-Birmingham) spoke on behalf of the bills in each committee gaining unanimous votes in favor.

The legislation would allow the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors to transfer excess funds to the Alabama Home Builders Foundation to be used for the education of those who want to become HVAC contractors.

The HBAA is working with the House Rules Committee Chairman, Rep. Mac McCutcheon, to get the House version (HB 231) on the House Calendar at the earliest opportunity.

Plumbers Bill Introduced

This week saw the introduction of the HBAA-backed Plumbing Board legislation. Introduced as HB 373 by Representative Jack Williams (R-Birmingham) and SB 307 by Senator Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa), the bills expand the board's ability to provide alternative disciplinary action. Additionally, the bill removes the bond requirements from the law. Typically, rather than accessing the bond, a violation is dealt with through consent agreements.

Similar to the HVAC legislation, the plumbers bill would allow excess funds to be transferred to the AHB Foundation for plumbing and gas fitting educational programs. All companies would also be required to be registered with the Board, and business names would be required on all service and construction vehicles for consumers to easily identify certified contractors.

The HBAA is working to get the legislation on committee agendas in both chambers.

Housing Initiative Ends Year-Long Run

The Alabama Home Buyer Initiative has ended its year-long run. Since its introduction in March 2014, the program allocated funds to more than 1,600 homebuyers, generating approximately $243 million in home sales throughout the state.

The AHBI was a mortgage enhancement fund enacted by the Alabama Legislature and administered through the Alabama Housing Finance Authority to provide private mortgage insurance at no cost to borrowers.

"We are pleased the initiative spurred impressive housing activity and home sales, while also generating significant sales taxes, ad valorem taxes and economic stimulus across the state," said AHFA Executive Director Robert Strickland. "We thank the Home Builders Association of Alabama, which was instrumental in helping create this economic stimulus program and making the initiative a great success for Alabama home buyers."

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