LEGISLATIVE REPORT Tuesday, May 12, 2015

The Senate adjourned around 5:30 p.m. today after considering 4 bills, while the House adjourned about 10 minutes ago. As stated in yesterday's report, the House was expected to consider a calendar of tax bills today; however, before the House went into session, the House Rules committee adopted a 'pocket calendar' to be considered in place of the tax bills. The Association appreciates the county officials and employees who contacted Representatives about HB 587 by Rep. Terri Collins (Repeal Excise Tax on Lubricating Oil) and HB 595 by Rep. David Faulkner (Eliminate Business License Revenue on Coin- Operated Machines), which were expected to be considered as part of today's tax packet. The Association staff will continue to monitor the movement of these bills, and will alert ACCA membership when these bills are placed on the House calendar.

Up to 5 ACCA priority bills are in position to be considered on the House and Senate floors on Thursday. The Association staff urges county officials and employees to review the report below, and reach out to Representatives and Senators about these bills marked for ACTION. Now that the session is in the home stretch, the advocacy efforts of county officials and employees are even more vital to ensuring the remainder of the Association's priority bills make their way through the legislative process.

PROBATE JUDGE RETIREMENT: The Association staff continues to urge county officials and employees to reach out to members of the Senate Rules Committee about SB 448 by Sen. , which would make counties responsible for the employer contributions to the judicial retirement fund for probate judges. It WAS NOT on today's Senate calendar. As previously reported, this bill would increase counties' financial obligations by an estimated $2.7 million per year. While probate judges provide services to both the state and the counties, if this bill passes, counties would shoulder all of the costs associated with compensating probate judges. STATUS: This bill could be debated on the Senate floor as early as Thursday. In order to reach the floor, the bill must be approved by the Senate Rules Committee. County officials and employees are urged to contact committee members TODAY and ask them to "oppose SB 448 being placed on the Special Order Calendar."

Senate Rules Committee Members: Sen. Waggoner, Chair; Sens. Bussman, Beasley, Brewbaker, Dial, Figures, Glover, Hightower, Holley, McClendon, Orr, Pittman, Reed, Sanford, Scofield, Smitherman, Williams.

***PLEASE NOTE: The other members of the Senate should also be contacted and asked to "actively oppose" SB 448 should it reach the Senate floor for a vote.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: ACCA Bill on Thursday's Special Order Calendar Call Representatives TODAY and TOMORROW! HB 538 by Rep. Steve McMillan (Omnibus Pay), which amends portions of the Omnibus Pay Act, will be considered on Thursday morning's House work agenda. The bill amends the Omnibus Pay Act to allow local officials to receive the same uniform pay increases that are granted to county employees. Currently, local officials can only get a pay increase when the county commission approves the budget. STATUS: This bill is on Thursday's special order calendar. Please ask Representatives to support this bill. Tell them that this bill does not include any pay raises, but it clarifies the procedures by which pay raises are granted.

Drag-Racing Bills Ready for House Committee Action Please Contact House Committee Members TONIGHT and TOMORROW Morning! HB 462 by Rep. AJ McCampbell will be reconsidered in the House Judiciary tomorrow afternoon. The Association staff worked with Rep. McCampbell to adjust portions of the bill related to 'spectators' in an effort to address some of the concerns addressed by the committee last week. STATUS: This bill is on the House Judiciary committee agenda for TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 13 at 1:30 p.m. in Room 429. Please contact members of this committee and ask them to support this bill that would stiffen penalties for participating in illegal drag-racing. Let them know that penalizing spectators is an important part of deterring illegal drag-racing activities.

House Judiciary Committee Members: Rep. Jones, Chair; Reps. Hill, J. McClammy, Ball, Beckman, Black, Coleman-Evans, Drake, England, Farley, Faulkner, Fridy, Givan, Pettus, Rowe.

Additionally, the Senate companion to this bill, SB 321 by Sen. (Illegal Drag-Racing), has been placed in the House Public Safety & Homeland Security committee for consideration. STATUS: This bill will likely be considered by the House Public Safety & Homeland Security committee on next Wednesday, May 20. County officials and employees are also encouraged to call members of this committee and ask them to support this proposed legislation to protect citizens from illegal drag-racing activities.

House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee Members: Rep. Wood, Chair; Reps. Farley, Jackson, Drake, England, Hanes, Moore, M. Rowe, Shiver, Treadaway, Whorton, I.

IN THE SENATE: Following up on yesterday's report, SB 453 by Sen. (Alabama Lottery) was discussed in today's Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee meeting; however, the committee did not take a vote on the bill today in order to address some concerns with the bill. The Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee is expected to reconsider the bill on Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. As introduced, the bill would levy a 1% local gross receipt tax on the gaming revenue of each racetrack. The Association staff will be monitoring this bill closely, and will send a more detailed update on this bill as it progresses.

Severance Tax Exemption Bill in Senate Committee TOMORROW Please Contact Senators TONIGHT and TOMORROW Morning! SB 467 by Sen. Larry Stutts (Severance Tax Exemption), which would reverse an exemption from the statewide severance tax on minerals, will be considered in committee tomorrow. The exemption--which prohibits the application of the tax on any road materials or other minerals that are transported by rail, barge or that otherwise is not transported on public roads-- significantly reduces the revenue provided for use on county roads.

Although the initial intention of the legislation was to compensate counties for the damage to county roads from trucks hauling the materials, the exemptions result in few counties receiving enough revenue to provide any significant road construction. Stutts’ legislation simply removes the exemption for those materials that are not transported on public roads. STATUS: This bill is on the Senate Fiscal Responsibility & Economic Development Committee agenda for TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 13 at 3:00 p.m. in Room 727.

Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee Members: Sen. Williams, Chair; Sens. Ward, Chambliss, Dunn, Hightower, Livingston, McClendon, Melson, Orr, Pittman, Reed, Sanford, Scofield, Singleton, Smitherman, Stutts.

Senate Omnibus Pay Bill in Senate Committee Tomorrow Please Contact Senators TONIGHT! SB 433 by Sen. Gerald Dial (Omnibus Pay), which is the Senate companion to HB 538 referenced above, will be considered in committee tomorrow. STATUS: This bill is on the Senate County & Municipal Government Committee agenda for TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 13 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 727. Please ask Senators to give this bill a "favorable report."

Senate County and Municipal Government Committee Members: Sen. Sanford, Chair; Chambliss, Dunn, Hightower, Holtzclaw, Marsh, Melson, Pittman, Ross, Scofield, Smith, Waggoner.

ACCA Bills In Position for Senate Consideration This Week Please Contact Senators ASAP! There is a possibility that some, if not all, of the following ACCA bills could be on the Senate special order calendar on Thursday. County officials and employees urged to contact Senators ASAP and seek support for the following bills: --SB 437 by Sen. (Voluntary Remittance Use Tax); --HB 264 by Rep. Steve McMillian (Local Preferences), sponsored by Senator Quintin Ross in the Senate; --HB 193 by Rep. Randy Davis | SB 16 by Sen. Del Marsh (County Decision-Making); and --SB 164 by Sen. (Amending Local Laws). STATUS: These bills could be on the Senate work agenda as early as tomorrow. Please contact Senators and ask them to support these important bills.

REMINDERS: The Association would like to share all the wonderful things that are happening in Alabama's 67 counties via social media! If you capture a great picture, or have good news to share with your colleagues across the state, please take a moment to let us know by emailing me at [email protected].

The next ACCA Legislative Webinar is scheduled for Monday, May 18 at 10:30am. Please click here to register, and make plans to join the Association staff for the last legislative webinar before the end of the session.

The sixth and final ACCA County Day is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19 for the following counties: Barbour, Chambers, Choctaw, Clarke, Coosa, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Lamar, Lawrence, Madison, Montgomery, and Shelby. Please email Brandy Perry at [email protected] to RSVP.

Thank you for all that you do to promote county government. Please don't hestiate to contact a member of the Association staff if you have any questions about this report.

Thanks,

Terri Sharpley Reynolds Director of Public Affairs

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