Capital Pulse January 21, 2022

January 18-21, 2022

The Rundown

The Alabama Legislature reconvened Tuesday, January 18^th, starting their second week. Upon resuming, the 2022 Regular Session was paused when Governor Kay Ivey called a special session to allocate approximately $772 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. ARPA funds are to be distributed on expenditures such as assisting hospitals and nursing homes, building out water and sewer infrastructure, and expanding broadband internet which is primarily covered under the General Fund Budget. Although most of the bills that will be considered in the special session are not germane to education, AEA staff was still in full force this week at the Statehouse tracking legislation and working with legislators to ensure that all allocations are in the best interest of public education. The 2022 Regular Session is set to resume on February 1.

Even though the special session does not deal with education, the AEA Lobby Team was and will continue to be at the Statehouse working and meeting with legislators regarding the education budget, pay raises, retiree bonus checks, and other education issues expected when the regular session resumes.

CONTINUE TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TO ASK FOR MORE THAN A 4% PAY RAISE AND MORE THAN A $300 RETIREE BONUS! AEA staff is diligently fighting for educator and retiree pay raises, but YOUR VOICE is always essential! You can find contact information for your legislator here.

The bills listed below were introduced last week and are being tracked by AEA. For a complete list of the legislation AEA is currently tracking, go to myAEA.org and click on The Capital Pulse or check past issues of The Pulse for the weekly list of tracked legislation.

Watch These Bills

HB150, the Gender Therapy Prohibition bill by Rep. Wes Allen, would prohibit the performance of medical procedures or the prescription or issuance of medication, upon or to a minor, that is intended to alter the appearance of the minor’s gender or delay puberty, with certain exceptions. This bill would also provide for the disclosure of certain information concerning students to parents by schools.

HB173, the Grocery Tax Removal bill by Rep. Mike Holmes, would exempt sales of food from state sales and use taxes and replace it with a maximum deduction from federal income taxes.

HB174, the Food Tax Exemption bill by Rep. Mike Holmes, would exempt sales of food from the sales and use taxes beginning September 1, 2022. This bill endangers Alabama Schools as it removes the grocery tax, a primary revenue source for education funding in Alabama, and does not provide replacement revenue.

SB72, by Sen. Jack Williams, would allow local boards of education, and any other public educational entity that provide meals under the Child Nutrition Program of the Alabama State Department of Education, during an emergency or unanticipated event affecting public health or safety or causing supply chain disruptions, to purchase goods or services related to the program without advertisement or bidding if recommended by the State Superintendent of Education and approved by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts.

SB116, the Military Relocation bill by Sen. Tom Whatley, would establish a program to allow children of members of the military relocating to Alabama under military orders to enroll provisionally in a local public school in advance of arrival in the state without proof of residency.