The Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee (FRED) advanced two major bills from the Powering Growth legislative package this week.
The committee gave a favorable report to the Powering Growth Act (SB304), which creates the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Bank under the State Industrial Development Authority. This initiative aims to bolster Alabama’s energy infrastructure to boost economic growth and drive industrial development statewide.
Lawmakers also advanced the Energy Funding Bill (SB313), which shifts existing resources from the Alabama 21st Century Fund to support energy infrastructure and economic development projects.
The third measure in the package, SB311, focuses on energy permitting and remains under review in the Senate FRED Committee.
The House Ways and Means Education Committee gave a favorable report to HB379. This bill, by Representative Danny Garrett, would exempt remote workers from paying state income tax under certain circumstances.
We wrapped up our legislative briefing series for this year with Secretary Greg Reed for an insightful discussion on the work underway at the Alabama Department of Workforce.
Secretary Reed reflected on his transition from leading the Alabama State Senate to heading the newly established department. He outlined his key priorities and emphasized the need for strong cross-sector collaboration to grow and strengthen Alabama’s skilled labor force.
As the legislative session winds down, BCA has officially concluded our briefings for this year and will not host any additional legislative briefings. Thank you to all our members and guests who joined us each Tuesday—your participation helped make these sessions informative, engaging, and impactful.
Bill: SB22
Sponsor: Sen. Merika Coleman
BCA Position: Monitor
Status: Passed Senate; Favorable report 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: 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: SB252
Sponsor: Sen. Billy Beasley
BCA Position: Opposed
Status: Enacted by Governor Kay Ivey
Additional Information: This bill would impose a $10.64 dispensing fee on all prescriptions, excluding specialty drugs, filled by independent pharmacies in Alabama.
Bill: SB304 – Powering Growth Act
Sponsor: Sen. Arthur Orr
BCA Position: Support
Status: Favorable report 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: Favorable report 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: SB315
Sponsor: Sen. Bobby Singleton
BCA Position: Support
Status: Favorable report in Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee
Additional Information: This bill would allow the Alabama 21st Century Fund revenues to be used to pay other project costs and debt service on bonds issued by the State Industrial Development Authority (SIDA). This bill would also transfer $5,000,000 from the Alabama 21st Century Fund to the Alabama Department of Commerce to establish additional international offices, enhance rural development strategies, and cover operational and personnel costs.
Bill: HB283
Sponsor: Rep. Mike Shaw
BCA Position: Monitor
Status: 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: HB379
Sponsor: Rep. Danny Garrett
BCA Position: Support
Status: Favorable report in House Ways and Means Education Committee
Additional Information: This bill would exempt remote workers from paying state income tax under certain circumstances.
Bill: HB477
Sponsor: Rep. David Faulkner
BCA Position: Monitor
Status: Passed House; pending action in Senate Banking and Insurance Committee
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: Favorable Report 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: Opposed
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.
Capitol Briefing Legislative Update The legislature wrapped up its 30th and final day of the session late Wednesday night, just before midnight, by giving final approval to Governor Kay Ivey’s
Capitol Briefing ‘Powering Growth’ Package Advances to Governor Ivey for Signature The Alabama Legislature has completed its 28th and 29th legislative days of the 2025 session. During this time, the
Capitol Briefing House Passes Powering Growth Package The Alabama Legislature has made significant progress on the Powering Growth package, a forward-looking set of bills aimed at strengthening the state’s energy
