As you know from the weekly report distributed on Friday, there is lots of important committee activity this week – and counties need to make contact with local legislators as soon as possible to ask for support of county government on several pending matters. The following is a recap of actions that should be taken on bills important to counties that will be considered in committee this week:
Excess Payments from Tax Sale
HB 177 by Rep. Clouse, one of ACCA’s priority bills for 2012, is scheduled for consideration by the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday at 9:00. A substitute with language agreed to by bankers and other interested parties will be offered in committee.
Please ask committee members to support the substitute version of this bill in committee.
Committee members are: Clouse, chair; Vance, Black, Bridges, Galliher, Hurst, Long, McClammy, Oliver Robinson.
While not yet posted, we are hopeful that the Senate version of this bill will be included on the agenda for Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund on Wednesday as well (SB 177 by Sen. Ward). Please contact members of that committee as well asking for support of the substitute version of SB 177 by Sen. Ward. Committee members are: Orr, chairperson; Beasley, Bedford, Brewbaker, Dunn, Holtzclaw, Pittman, Sanford, Singleton, Ward, Waggoner, Williams.
Purchase Price of Property
SB 216 by Sen. Irons will be on the agenda in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Another ACCA bill, this negotiated legislation will require persons to submit a form setting out the value of property when presenting deeds, bills of sale, or other instruments for filing with the probate office. An overview of this bill is also attached. Please contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to support this legislation which has been worked out with realtors, bankers, and Alabama Power. The members of the committee are: Brooks, co-chairperson; Ward, co-chairperson; Coleman, Fielding, Keahey, Orr, Smitherman, Taylor, Whatley, Williams, Brewbaker.
Enforcement of Severance Tax on Sand and Gravel
The House County and Municipal Government Committee will consider HB 364 by Rep. Thomas on Wednesday afternoon. This bill is designed to provide counties with information related to entities paying this tax, which should allow counties to assist with proper enforcement. Please contact the following committee members to ask for their support of this ACCA legislation: McMillan, chair; Wood, Demetrius Newton, Bandy, Boothe, Bracy, Sessions, Oden, Todd, Dan Williams, Wallace, Grimsley, Drake.
Tax Court/Taxpayer Bill of Rights
Legislation to create a tax court and to make sweeping changes in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights is scheduled to be considered by the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. The supporters of this bill have worked extensively with ACCA staff over the last few weeks to address the many concerns raised with this legislation. Please contact members of this committee and ask that they only vote for this bill if the committee adopts the changes requested by counties, which should be included in an “omnibus” amendment to be offered in committee. The members of this committee are: Paul DeMarco, Chair; Howard Sanderford, Thad McClammy, Paul Beckman, Mike Ball, Allen Farley, Greg Burdine, Chris England, Juandalynn Givan, Todd Greeson, Wayne Johnson, Mike Jones, Bill Poole, John Robinson, Allen Treadaway.
Action Needed by Rules Committees
In addition to these subject matter committees, work is also needed in both the House and Senate Rules Committees to help get ACCA bills on the special order calendar – and to keep a few danger bills from being included on a calendar.
Members of the House Rules Committee are: Blaine Galliher, Chair; Ron Johnson, James Buskey, Barbara Boyd, Craig Ford, Victor Gaston, Lynn Greer, Mary Sue McClurkin, Mike Jones, Richard Laird, John Merrill, Kerry Rich, Oliver Robinson, Alan Harper, Randy Wood. Please contact these members and ask that they select the following bills for the next Special Order Calendar:
HB 74 by Rep. McMillan, dealing with subdivision regulations within a municipal planning commission
HB 319 by Rep. Wood, dealing with technical changes to the election expense reimbursement law
Please also ask House Rules Committee members to block HB 71 by Rep. Roberts from being placed on the special order calendar. This is the bill that would require all governmental entities to make final payments on construction projects within 30 days of completion or face steep interest accruing daily.
Members of the Senate Rules Committee are:
Please contact these members and ask that they select the following bills for the next Special Order Calendar:
SB 236 by Sen. Sanford, dealing with subdivision regulations within a municipal planning commission
HB 319 by Rep. Wood, dealing with technical changes to the election expense reimbursement law
Thanks for your help! It makes all the difference!