HBAA Legislative Alert

GREAT TURNOUT FOR LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION, WINTER MEETING

Members from across the state converged on Montgomery last week to attend the HBAA's 2016 Winter Meeting, which featured a host of council and committee meetings, the Board of Directors meeting, a consumer panel discussing homebuying trends and, a keynote session with renowned motivational speaker Dr. Kevin Elko.

The highlight of the Winter Meeting was the HBAA Legislative Reception on Tuesday evening at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in downtown Montgomery. The event gave HBAA members a valuable opportunity to interact with their legislators face to face and share their concerns about the housing and business industries. The Archives proved to be a popular choice for hosting the reception, given its close proximity to the State House that allowed legislators to walk over after both houses adjourned Tuesday evening. HBAA members, many of whom had either never visited the Archives or had not been there since grade school, also enjoyed the chance to tour the newly remodeled facility and its impressive exhibits.

The HBAA thanks all of the members who participated in the Winter Meeting and Legislative Reception. Mark your calendars for our next statewide meeting, the 2016 Summer Meeting, July 21-23 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach in Destin, Florida.

Week Three Concludes with Austere Budget Looming

The House last week approved a controversial measure that would restrict local governments from applying a higher minimum wage standard than that recognized by the state. The bill spurred a daylong filibuster that ended with passage of a cloture petition. The bill moved to the Senate on Wednesday but, has not been acted upon. The Senate instead took up the seven remaining sunset bills. It is unknown when or if the Senate will address the wage bill this session.

Though controversial, the release of the General Fund Budget proposal in the Senate is expected to be just as conversational. Senator Tripp Pitman (R-Daphne) believes he has no choice but to bring the austere budget to get the attention of the legislators who have not desired to pass new revenue bills. It is yet to be seen whether alternative funding bills will be considered in place of new taxes.

The HBAA would like to congratulate Rep. Danny Crawford (R-Athens) on becoming the newest member of the Alabama House of Representatives. Rep. Crawford won the race to fill the unexpired term of Rep. Dan Williams who lost his battle with leukemia last year.

Positive Results in Negotiations on Apprenticeship Bill

The HBAA met last week to negotiate needed changes to SB90 and HB217 to ensure its expansion to cover the construction trades. As drafted, the bill requires that all apprentices would have to complete trade apprenticeship training using an NCCER-based curriculum. Advanced by the two-year colleges, this requirement places the majority of the apprenticeships in multi-year collegiate programs.

Although the HBAA is generally supportive of the two-year college trade programs that exist, there are numerous trades that are not covered by an NCCER curriculum and would thus not benefit from the measure. For instance, the HBAA's Foundation is partnering with several trade schools throughout the state to offer certificate programs that are of shorter duration but still provide students with the skills they need to successfully work in the building trades.

The HBAA, partnering with the Alabama Contractors Association, met with the bill's backers to discuss ways to improve the measure. Under the agreement that was met, the backers agreed to address the HBAA concerns through the rule making process. Senator Paul Bussman (R-Cullman) shares the HBAA concerns. He has assured the HBAA that if the concerns do not get addressed through the rules, then he would help address the issue during next year's session.

You have been subscribed to the HBAA Legislative Alert because you are a member of the Home Builders Association of Alabama. The Alert is published every Friday following a legislative week. If you have any questions regarding this email please contact Jason Reid at (800) 745-4222.

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