The Alabama Legislature concluded its 21st legislative day with a productive three-day work week.
Senate Bill 252: This bill, addressing reimbursement for Alabama’s independent pharmacies, has passed both the House and Senate and is now awaiting Governor Kay Ivey’s signature. BCA collaborated closely with leaders in both the House and Senate to successfully remove the original private right of action from the final bill, ensuring strong protections against frivolous lawsuits.
House Bill 477: A proposal from the Alabama Farmers Federation to sell health care coverage was approved on the House floor. BCA worked with Alfa to ensure protections for employer-sponsored health plans, specifically by addressing concerns about potential risks to existing health insurance pools.
House Bill 535: Introduced in the House this week, this bill would provide unemployment benefits to employees who are locked out by their employer during a labor dispute. Currently, employees are disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits if they are part of a labor dispute, but this bill would create an exception for lockouts. BCA believes this could undermine the fairness of the unemployment system and potentially encourage disruptive labor practices.
Education Trust Fund Budget: The Senate has passed a record-breaking $10 billion education package, marking a major investment in K-12 and higher education. A key feature is the introduction of the RAISE Act, which creates a new, needs-based funding formula. It allocates resources using updated weights for four student groups: those in special education, low-income households, gifted programs, and English learners.
Following the success of initiatives like Rebuild Alabama, The Game Plan, Working for Alabama, and Connect Alabama, our state is positioned for strong economic growth. To maintain that momentum, energy security must remain a top priority.
This week, the Senate introduced the ‘Powering Growth’ legislative package—a strategic, pro-growth plan focused on strengthening Alabama’s energy infrastructure and driving private investment without raising taxes. The package includes three key bills:
Senate Bill 304 – Powering Growth Act: Establishes the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Bank under the State Industrial Development Authority to support economic growth and industrial development.
Senate Bill 311 – Energy Permitting Bill: Streamlines the permitting process for projects on state-controlled rights-of-way, with an emphasis on electric transmission.
Senate Bill 313 – Energy Funding Bill: Redirects existing state funds from the Alabama 21st Century Fund to energy infrastructure and economic development initiatives.
This approach is designed to eliminate regulatory barriers and power Alabama’s continued growth.
President Donald Trump has paused tariffs on most nations for 90 days, while increasing tariffs on Chinese imports to 125%. Although the specifics of the administration’s plans to ease tariffs on non-China trading partners remain unclear, BCA is actively engaging with key stakeholders—including Governor Kay Ivey’s office, the Alabama Congressional Delegation, the National Association of Manufacturers, and others—to stay informed. We will continue to keep our members updated as new details emerge.
House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen joined BCA to highlight the critical importance of fiscal responsibility in managing state revenue. He emphasized how maintaining a balanced budget is essential for ensuring Alabama is well-positioned to respond swiftly and effectively to any economic challenges that may arise.
We are pleased to have Secretary Greg Reed of the Alabama Department of Workforce join us on April 15 at 9:00 A.M. for our next briefing. We hope to see you there!
Bill: SB22
Sponsor: Sen. Merika Coleman
BCA Position: Monitor
Status: Passed Senate; pending action in House Ways and Means Education Committee
Additional Information: This bill further provides for the recapture of incentives for a company who is found guilty of human trafficking.
Bill: SB252
Sponsor: Sen. Billy Beasley
BCA Position: Monitor*
Status: Delivered to Governor Kay Ivey for signature
Additional Information: This bill would impose a $10.64 dispensing fee on all prescriptions, excluding specialty drugs, filled by independent pharmacies in Alabama.
Bill: SB187
Sponsor: Sen. Clyde Chambliss
BCA Position: Monitor
Status: Carried over on Senate floor
Additional Information: This bill would require app store providers to verify user ages, link minor accounts to parent accounts with consent, and notify users of significant app changes. It would mandate protection of age verification data and prevent enforcing contracts with minors or sharing personal data. Developers would be required to verify ages, notify users of app changes, and comply with age data regulations. The Attorney General would adopt rules and could take action for violations as deceptive trade practices.
Bill: SB228/HB418
Sponsor: Sen. Andrew Jones/Rep. Jamie Kiel
BCA Position: Opposed
Status: Pending action in Senate Banking and Insurance Committee; pending action in House Financial Services Committee
Additional Information: This bill would create a new private right of action that individuals and corporations can use to claim discrimination on a wide variety of subjective ideological grounds. The bill represents a significant government encroachment into how certain financial institutions, insurers, credit card companies, and payment processors assess risk and make business decisions, determinations that are already subject to numerous federal laws and regulations. Importantly, even if the Alabama Banking Department or Alabama Insurance Department investigates a discrimination complaint and finds no violation, this bill still would give a complainant the ability to seek and recover treble damages, attorneys’ fees, and injunctive relief in civil court.
Bill: SB304 – Powering Growth Act
Sponsor: Sen. Arthur Orr
BCA Position: Support
Status: Pending action in Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee
Additional Information: This bill would create the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Bank under the State Industrial Development Authority (SIDA) to provide financing for energy infrastructure projects that support economic development and industrial recruitment, accelerate deployment of long-lead time energy equipment, and create a Strategic Energy Infrastructure Development Fund to procure long-lead time equipment and fund site-specific infrastructure upgrades.
Bill: SB311
Sponsor: Sen. Josh Carnley
BCA Position: Support
Status: Pending action is Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee
Additional Information: This bill would streamline the permitting process for work on state-controlled rights-of-way, specifically for electric transmission projects. It sets firm deadlines for the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) permit approvals, allows automatic approval if deadlines are not met, and requires regular coordination between electric providers and ALDOT to improve efficiency and predictability.
Bill: SB313
Sponsor: Sen. Rodger Smitherman
BCA Position: Support
Status: Pending action in Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee
Additional Information: This bill proposes that any revenues in the Alabama 21st Century Fund not needed to pay debt service on the authority’s bonds shall be transferred to, and used by, the State Industrial Development Authority (SIDA) for the authorized purposes of the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Bank.
Bill: HB283
Sponsor: Rep. Mike Shaw
BCA Position: Monitor
Status: Received favorable report in House Commerce and Small Business Committee
Additional Information: This bill would allow consumers to confirm, correct, delete, or obtain a copy of their personal data and opt out of its processing. It would require controllers to provide a secure method for consumers to exercise their rights and establish an appeals process. Consumers could designate an authorized agent to act on their behalf. The bill would also regulate how controllers process personal and deidentified data.
Bill: HB291
Sponsor: Rep. Neil Rafferty
BCA Position: Opposed
Status: Pending action in House Committee on Commerce and Small Business
Additional Information: This bill would repeal the Alabama Uniform Minimum Wage and Right-to-Work Act.
Bill: HB477
Sponsor: Rep. David Faulkner
BCA Position: Monitor
Status: Passed House
Additional Information: This bill would allow a nonprofit agricultural organization to provide health benefits to its members and their families. The proposed bill explicitly authorizes a nonprofit agricultural organization to provide such benefits while maintaining that they are not in the business of health insurance.
Bill: HB543/SB300
Sponsor: Rep. Chip Brown/Sen. David Sessions
BCA Position: Support
Status: Pending action in House Ways and Means General Fund Committee/pending action in Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee
Additional Information: This bill would increase the market value threshold amount for which tangible personal property is exempt from the state ad valorem tax.
Bill: HB535
Sponsor: Rep. Ontario Tillman
BCA Position: Oppose
Status: Pending action in House Commerce and Small Business Committee
Additional Information: This bill would provide unemployment benefits to employees who are locked out by their employer during a labor dispute. Currently, employees are disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits if they are part of a labor dispute, but this bill would create an exception for lockouts.
* BCA has concerns with these bills as introduced, as they would lead to increased costs for employers and their employees.
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