Rep. Alan Boothe, R-Troy, has been named chairman of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Water Policy and Management, a panel of senators and representatives charged with overseeing state rivers and other water resources.

"Water is the most important natural resource in Alabama and I'll do everything in my power to ensure it is well-protected in our state for years to come," Boothe said. "Water sustains our communities, maintains our wildlife, and supports industry and the economy, and I'm honored to chair this important committee."

The panel will oversee and develop a comprehensive plan to manage state water resources, including long-term sustainability of the water supply and efficient and effective distribution of water resources, intrastate and interstate water conservation strategies, and the use of technology and strategies for water resource planning.

The committee is comprised of seven state senators and seven representatives. Boothe's appointment is for the current quadrennium.

The Senate on Thursday passed SB 89, the Birmingham Water Works bill, by a vote of 26-6. SB 89 sponsored by Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Birmingham, would end the Birmingham City Council's exclusive control over board appointments. The bill would subject board members to provisions of the Alabama Ethics Law and limits their terms and compensation

SB 89 would expand the Water Works Board to include new members from Jefferson County and create two seats for other counties also serviced by the Water Works. The Birmingham City Council currently appoints the five-member board.

The bill goes to the House for assignment to committee.

The Senate Health Subcommittee this week sent two health mandate bills, SB 295 and SB 296, to the Senate Health Committee for full consideration.

SB 295 would prohibit a private insurer and employer-sponsored benefit plans they administer from including cost of services in a quality rating system. SB 296 would prohibit a private insurer from being able to set costs of non-covered services of a dental provider for its contracts with those providers. 

The Health section of BCA's 2015 State Legislative Agenda states that, "BCA will actively oppose mandating employer-provided health care benefits or any legislation, resolution or regulation that would increase health plan costs."

This week, BCA's blog featured a story that explains how federal and state mandates increase the cost of health care coverage for businesses and employees.  "Health care mandates with the best of intentions will still have the consequence of driving up the cost of providing adequate health care coverage for Alabama employees. Rather, the appropriate forum for determining the fine print in health care agreements is between the parties involved, not the government."

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday favorably reported SB 80 sponsored by Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster. The bill is on the House calendar awaiting consideration.

The bill and its House counterpart, HB 110 sponsored by Rep. Jack "J.D." Williams, R-Vestavia Hills, would restore Alabama's long-standing product-liability law and put us in line with the majority of states that have rejected the innovator-liability theory. The theory holds that a manufacturer can be held liable for a product that it neither made nor sold.

Rep. Williams' bill awaits third reading in the Senate.

Innovator liability has been important to Alabama manufacturers and economic development since 2013 and 2014 when Alabama Supreme Court rulings potentially opened up product tort actions against businesses that do not make a product. The House previously voted 88-7 to pass HB 110 and the Senate previously voted 32-0 to pass SB 80.

The BCA supports these bills that are part of its 2015 State Legislative Agenda. 

HB 232 sponsored by Rep. Jack "J.D." Williams, R-Vestavia Hills, would increase the eligible amount-in-controversy in small claims court from $3,000 to $6,000. After House passage, the Senate Judiciary Committee gave the bill a favorable report. On Thursday, the bill's third reading was carried over at the call of the Senate chair.

SB 56 by Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Daphne, would prohibit any unilateral changes, including new rules or requirements implemented after signing by the state, to terms of a contract between a state agency and a party that provides services to the state during the contract period. The Senate passed an amended bill 31-0 last week and it was assigned to the House State Government Committee. 

On Tuesday, the Senate amended the substitute version of the data breach bill, SB 106 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, passed the Budget Isolation Resolution, and carried the bill over at the call of the chair.

When the bill was originally introduced in March, many members of the business community expressed concern with certain provisions that would require businesses to notify the Attorney General and individual owners of personal information if a data breach occurs as well as impose certain fines, fees, and penalties on businesses.

Since that time, Sen. Orr has addressed many of the concerns of the business community in the committee substitute. The BCA will continue to work with Sen. Orr and members of the business community to ensure the bill does not have a negative impact on Alabama's job creators.

Episode 8: Network Security for Small Businesses Billy Canary, president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama, speaks with Ron Perkins, the Vice President of Doozer Software about the challenges small business face in securing their networks and some simple steps they can take to accomplish it.

The Legislature's governing council consisting of representatives from both the House and Senate has written the Alabama Department of Revenue stating its disapproval of a DOR move that would tax film and television shows streamed online.

The Legislative Council's letter follows Business Council of Alabama comments that the ADOR's proposal to extend a "rental tax" to streaming content is inconsistent with Alabama law.

"In our opinion, the proposed regulation far exceeds the authority of the department by imposing a new tax, thereby intruding into the exclusive province of the Legislature," BCA President and CEO William J. Canary wrote Department Secretary Michael Gamble. "As you are aware, there is no provision in the Alabama Code that imposes a tax on streaming content."

Canary called on the ADOR to withdraw the proposed amended regulation.

The DOR proposes to impose the tax without going to the Legislature by saying that an existing tax provision can be extended to digital streaming. The Legislative Council's letter to the Revenue Department indicates that any attempt to push the proposal would be opposed, in effect, killing it.

House Speaker Mike Hubbard, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, House Speaker Pro Tem Victor Gaston, and Senator Jimmy Holley, R-Elba, the chairman of the Council, all signed the legislative letter.

SB 111 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would establish a Transportation Infrastructure Bank funded by a portion of existing gasoline tax revenues and vehicle registration fees. The bank would have the authority to issue bonds and provide loans or other financial assistance to government entities for certain qualified infrastructure projects. The bill has passed both the Senate and House and was sent to Governor Robert Bentley for his consideration on Tuesday.