The Week Ahead | January 5 – 9, 2026

  • Published: January 5, 2026

    • ACCA requests extension for defendants to intervene in SSUT lawsuit; Counties urged to recruit as many additional cities as possible by Jan. 15
    Attention, All 67 Counties! The Association has requested an extension of the deadline to intervene as a defendant in the lawsuit challenging Alabama’s Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT) program. Pending the court’s response, counties are urged to move forward as if the extension will be granted, making these next few weeks our final opportunity to recruit as many remaining municipalities as possible to join us. Here’s what county leaders are asked to do now:

    1. Reach out immediately to every municipality in your county that has not yet adopted this resolution and invite them to participate as defendants.
    2. Then, ensure those municipalities adopt this resolution and email an executed copy to afitzpatrick@alabamacounties.org by January 15.

    Once again, ACCA will handle the consolidated filing and its associated costs; no separate legal counsel will be needed. You can click here to view a complete list of the municipalities that have already joined our efforts.

     

     

    2026 educational courses for County Commissioners, Employees to be held at new location
    With the start of the new year comes an exciting change to the ACCA education programs! As a reminder, all education courses will now be held at their new home: 17 Springs, a state-of-the-art facility in Elmore County. This means classes will no longer take place at the Marriott Prattville Hotel and Conference Center. The move marks a significant step forward in enhancing the learning experience for county leaders — offering a modern, accessible and collaborative environment for training and growth. To view this year’s schedule of classes for the Buddy Sharpless Education Institute and the County Government Education Institute, click here.

    PLAN 2026 to meet this Friday with state leaders in child advocacy
    Members of the Passion, Leadership, Accountability and Networking (PLAN) 2026 program will gather in Montgomery this week to advance their collective Passion Project focused on child advocacy and protection. During their time together, members will refine strategies, set actionable goals and strengthen their vision for creating a lasting impact across the state. A key part of this effort includes meeting with leadership for the Alabama Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers to explore collaborative opportunities and gain deeper insight into the critical work being done to protect children and provide them with essential resources.