2024 Legislative Priorities

The Montgomery Chamber of Commerce monitors and engages in legislative discussion regarding:

Alabama 2024 Legislative Session ended with several notable pieces of legislation enacted and others falling short of final passage. Below are highlights of some of the bills introduced in this session. 

MILITARY STABILIZATION
The Alabama Military Stability Foundation, along with other local entities were able to pass substantive bills that support military men, women and their families. Legislation includes: exemption of all overseas deployment pay and National Guard state side mobilization from state income tax; dependents of military service to enroll in athletics outside of registration cycle; developing plan to address veterans’ behavioral health needs; concurrent state/federal jurisdiction for juveniles committed military installations; remote and early enrollment for special education services; parental notification prior to changing student IEP; Modernizes the AL Code of Military Justice; uniformity / conformance to federal standards for the provision of benefits under the AL GI / Dependents Education Benefit Act; Interstate licensure compacts for occupational and dietician professions.
 

• Establish Military Spouse Licensure Mobility compacts for their license and use “privilege to practice” in another state (based on a military assignment) for Massage Therapy; Dental Hygienist; Physician Associates; Social Work. – Dentist/ Dietitians/ Social Workers
• Codify an open enrollment policy for special needs military students when enrolling in a new school after a Permanent Change of Station. Special Education IEP Open Enrollment.
• Allow the federal government to cede jurisdiction to state court systems for offenses committed by juveniles on military installations. Concurrent Juvenile Jurisdiction.
• Provide in-state tuition rates for military dependents stationed in Alabama. Dependent In-State Tuition.
• Add military family status as a protected class in state education, housing, public utilities, and civil rights laws. Military Family Anti-Discrimination Status.
• Establish drug courts specifically for military veterans / active duty servicemembers in all Alabama counties.
• Allow military dependents who move into the state mid-season to enroll in High School Athletics. High School Sports Open Enrollment.
• Exempt deployed ALNG, active duty, and reserve component pay during overseas deployments; ALNG pay from state income tax during mobilizations for state and federal emergency response. 

“Working for Alabama” package. Statewide long-range planning for an economic development strategy was one of the bills. Reorganization of some state agencies and boards targeted at creating jobs and increasing workforce participation were a part of this package. Bills include those to address the current workforce shortage and other related challenges for businesses and potential employees to enhance Alabama’s workforce participation rate; a childcare tax credit program to assist childcare providers and employers who invest in increasing current childcare services. The intent is to make childcare more affordable and accessible. The $5 million annual housing tax credit program is a part of this package for qualifying housing projects targeted for those in the workforce. Several pathways are established for high school students to obtain their diplomas with a focus on career technical education.

EDUCATION / WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT / TALENT ATTRATION
Support policies / programs that focus on the goal of adding 500,000 new highly skilled / tech employees to the workforce by 2025, identified as critical to Alabama’s economic development and recruitment efforts.

• Support worker training initiatives that assist businesses in the recruitment / enhancement of current trained and re-skilled workforce for re-entry utilizing certifications/ apprenticeships (including new and existing businesses). 
• Increase Alabama’s labor force participation rate through closing the health insurance coverage gap, strengthening and preserving employer-provided health benefits and commercial health insurance market and affordable quality childcare.
• Expand the role of Alabama’s two year and four-year universities/institutions in developing/training a workforce through innovation, critical research, and leadership development.
• Support efforts to recruit and retain high-quality teachers including career coaches at both secondary and post-secondary levels.
• Ensure that student education and job training programs culminate in national, industry-recognized credentials specifically relevant to current skilled gaps and or targeted future jobs.
• Expand access to early childhood education, literacy, and computer science training.

INNOVATION / ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT / BUSINESS / INDUSTRY

• Support that gives the city and/or county authority to establish innovation districts that allow tax and other incentives to companies that focus on research and innovation leading to the creation of jobs in these sectors.  
• Efforts to provide increased opportunities for access to capital and incentives for startups and innovation driven companies.
• Efforts to encourage investment in early state, innovative, wealth-and job-creating businesses that will remain headquartered, along with most of their workforce in our community or Alabama.
• Effective implementation and utilization of Opportunity Zones and similar economic development programs.
• Efforts that support policies that encourage entrepreneurs and investors to build, and invest in, businesses that improve underrepresented communities and attract impact investors to Alabama.
• Efforts to recruit and retain college graduates from Alabama’s postsecondary and four-year institutions as an imperative investment in human capital and the workforce of the future.
• Increase awareness of and focus on resolving the challenges that threaten the economic viability of small and minority business, to include the process of applying for and receiving a business license.
• Establishing a small business revolving loan fund supported by tax credits for participating financial institutions.
• Funding mechanisms to enhance Montgomery’s Infrastructure, Workforce and Affordable Housing, Tourism Expansion, Downtown Development, Business industry and historical significance.
• Invest in health care, responsibly expanding coverage to the uninsured, and pursuing available federal funds for health care to support a healthy workforce which is critical to the State’s economic development and its ability to attract industry.

 
Labor organizations, employer's eligibility for economic development incentives conditioned upon employer refraining from certain practices relating to labor organizations, oversight provided

TAX AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILTY

• Reauthorization and extension of proven economic development incentives and tax credits.
• Effective and accountable proposals for economic development incentives for the recruitment and retention of business and industry.
• Reform state/county/city business license statues to provide a simpler and more uniform process for businesses to apply for and receive a business license.
• Tax incentives for childcare providers and businesses to increase the availability and affordability of quality childcare providers.

  
FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Sheron Rose at 334.240.9470 or  srose@montgomerychamber.com
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The Montgomery Area Chamber would like to thank its community partners and members who contributed their time and effort in formulating the 2024 Legislative Priorities

MONTGOMERY COUNTY DELEGATION:
Senator Will Barfoot | Senator Kirk Hatcher | Representative Phillip Ensler | Representative Kenyatte Hassell | Representative Reed Ingram | Representative Kelvin Lawrence | Representative Patrice McClammy | Tashina Morris | Representative Chris Sells