Friday, April 27, 2007 Prison Industries Attempt to Compete with Retailers Corrections Agrees Not to Expand its Markets O ver the objection of the Alabama Retail Association, the HB 51 House Governmental Operations Committee on Wednesday HB 98 approved HB 618 by Rep. Mike Ball, HB 147 HB 151 R-Huntsville. The primary purpose of this legislation is to HB 178 allow private employers access to prison labor housed HB 181 behind the fences of correctional facilities. HB 323 HB 420 Since the committee vote, ARA reached an agreement with HB 474 the Alabama Department of Corrections to strike the HB 478 objectionable secondary purpose of the bill, which was to HB 536 HB 605 expand the market for prison industry goods and services to HB 618 state, county and city employees as well as 501(c) HB 631 organizations. That provision would have put prison labor in HB 664 direct competition with retailers. HB 702 HB 710 Alabama Prison Industries manufactures products such as HB 718 HB 719 office furniture, clothing, custom furniture, corrugated boxes, HB 720 mattresses, janitorial products, office cubicles and paint. In HB 721 addition, Prison Industries offers such services as furniture HB 722 restoration, auto restoration, printing and data processing. HB 724 HB 731 The agreement ARA reached with DOC would eliminate the HB 735 expanded market provisions. The sponsor has indicated HB 743 that he will accept this amendment. Once the agreement is HB 773 HB 778 finalized, ARA will withdraw its opposition. SB 63 SB 72 SB 99 SB 124 >> Other News SB 155 SB 168 ARA LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IN ACTION SB 357 SB 398 Morrison Introduces 'Common Sense Consumption Act' SB 439 Rep. Neal Morrison, D-Cullman, has once again introduced the ARA-supported bill to prevent frivolous lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, retailers, advertisers and others associated with lawful food products. This legislation is part Meetings to address of ARA’s 2007 Legislative Agenda . sales tax holiday A smoke-free HB 731 provides that no manufacturer, distributor, or seller of Alabama? certain food or beverages is subject to civil liability for the Proposal would limit smoking personal injury to a consumer that is based on obesity or Smoking ban bill weight gain. The Common Sense Consumption Act protects garners advocates retailers from civil liability for any claim arising out of weight House passes big gain, obesity, a health condition associated with weight gain tax break for German or obesity, or other generally known condition allegedly steelmaker Legislators sweeten caused by or allegedly likely to result from long-term the pot for consumption of food. steelmaker House committee Twenty-two states passed similar legislation following a New OKs incentives York lawsuit filed by two overweight teens who blamed package McDonald’s for their obesity, even though the teens dined on ThyssenKrupp bill to burgers and fries at the establishment several times a week. come before House panel The Little accomplished in first half of “McDonald’s-made-me-fat” lawsuit is now viewed as the Alabama legislative poster child of frivolous litigation. A bill is pending in session Congress on the same subject Priority bills will likely pass, Senate With restaurant profit margins averaging around four percent, wrangling may a single frivolous lawsuit is enough to put a small restaurant hinder others out of business. That is why ARA included this legislation to ABA judge election bill to be introduced stop this type of lawsuit in its legislative agenda. House may set Feb. 5 for vote >> Read ARA’s Issue Brief on this topic Convention bill could come to vote next week, speaker pro tem says Schmitz, Thigpen Seek to Add to Sales Tax Holiday College students Two Bills Would Add Energy-Efficient Products to August rally for constitution reform Holiday Students push for constitutional reform Rep. Sue Schmitz, D-Toney, this week introduced HB 743 , Students rally at which would include certain energy efficient products in the Capitol for a new August sales tax holiday. constitution Agriculture Dept. Schmitz’ bill adds energy efficient products with a sales price bans Chinese of $1,500 or less per product purchased for noncommercial catfish in Alabama home or Alabama Bans Chinese Catfish personal use to the products exempted from sales and use After Finding Banned Antibiotic tax during the holiday. Partisan spat on illegals bill Under this legislation, w hich is also on the ARA’s 2007 Bill would force dry legislative agenda , certain ENERGY STAR® appliances will counties to give back be exempt from sales taxes including dishwashers, clothes TVA money washers, ceiling fans, refrigerators, room air conditioning Gill netters catch units, central air conditioners, dehumidifiers, programmable break with bill Plan to ban yearly thermostats, lighting fixtures compact fluorescent light bulbs reappraisals may and computer monitors. prompt suit, lawyer warns ENERGY STAR® appliances are those the U.S. Riley's `double- Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of dipping' bill near death Energy have designated as meeting or exceeding each House committee agency's energy saving efficiency requirements. approves record $6.7 billion budget Adding energy-efficient products to the sales tax holiday is ALABAMA VOICES: also part of HB 773 , known as the Alternative and Renewal Place lenders under Energy Act of 2007, which Rep. William Thigpen, D-Fayette, Small Loan Act introduced Thursday. Bill would give C- SPAN-like program Alabama’s second sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. to state Legislature Legislature will get a Friday, Aug. 3, and ends at midnight Sunday, Aug. 5. crack at rival tax-cut plans During that three-day period, the state’s four percent sales tax Riley prepares to currently is waived on: plug tax cuts Senator touts Clothing priced at $100 or less; trauma plan for School supplies priced at $50 or less; hospitals Books valued at $30 or less; textbooks valued at $50 Five immigration or less; bills come up for debate in state and computers and computer equipment with a Legislature selling price of $750 or less State pressed for film industry Retailers are required to participate and cannot charge tax on incentives items that are legally tax-exempt during the sales tax holiday. Mitchell helps push campaign reform >> Retailer primer on the holiday bills >> Learn all you need to prepare for the Sales Tax Holiday For more stories concerning legislative action and news The Alabama Retail Association and the Alabama Department of interest, go to In the News of Revenue in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama have organized a series of meetings throughout the state from May through July to help businesses better understand how the sales tax holiday w orks. The series opens next week with an 8 a.m. Thursday Rick Brown President meeting in Foley in the Council Chambers of Foley City Hall at 407E. Laurel Ave. Alison Wingate Vice President >> Full schedule for the Sales Tax Holiday Seminars Nancy Dennis Dir. of Public Relations Brett Johnson PRIVACY Member Relations Mgr. House OKs Agreed Upon Social Security # Removal Bill On Thursday, the Alabama House passed an agreed-upon substitute for HB 178 , which would require Social Security numbers and birthdates be removed or covered on documents recorded in a probate office. The bill now goes to To contact members the Senate for consideration. of the Alabama Legislature: As substituted, the exceptions to the bill now include federal WRITE: and state tax liens and whenever the birth date is required by Alabama State House law in the document. Access to original, complete versions of 11 South Union Street state and federal tax liens are necessary to protect the Montgomery , AL 36130 integrity of credit reports. After the Alabama Retail CALL: Association raised this issue, Rep. Victor Gaston, R-Mobile, HOUSE: (334) 242-7600 drafted a substitute that exempts those documents from the SENATE: (334) 242-7800 bill, thus retaining the integrity of credit reports. ARA E-MAIL: appreciates Rep. Gaston’s cooperation. Most representatives can be reached through the House The bill also gives the probate judge personal immunity for e-mail system by using the failure to comply through mistake or error. However, the following format: probate judge is responsible for having any error, mistake or firstname.lastname@ omission corrected promptly upon learning of it. alhouse.org. Those without e-mail addresses can be reached through the general e-mail House Government Operations Delays Consideration Again address: Bill Outs Businesses with Employees on Public Health Care [email protected] There is no general e-mail The House Government Operations Committee again carried address for senators. Click here for a roster of the state over HB 420 by Rep. Sue Schmitz, D-Toney, which requires senators with their applicants for publicly funded health-care benefits to disclose complete contact the names of their employers. information. ARA continues to w ork w ith the sponsor on a compromise to LINKS GO TO CONTACT INFO: clarify confusing language in the bill, make sure employees The link to each lawmaker mentioned in this are full-time workers before they are disclosed and ensure publication goes to their that any disclosures of franchise employers are specific. individual websites, which have contact information. This legislation would require any potential beneficiary of You can also find out whose such programs as the Children’s Health Insurance Program, legislative district you live or Medicaid and the Alabama All Kids program to identify his or work in under Find Your her employer, if that employer has 50 or more employees on Lawmaker in the Political Affairs section of public assistance. No later than Feb. 1 of each year, Medicaid alabamaretail.org.