‘Working For Alabama’ bills pass Senate, but not without bumps

Workers prepare an area for Alabama legislators to introduce a "Working For Alabama" package on March 21, 2024 at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. The package will aim to improve the state's low workforce participation rate. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

A package of bills aimed at improving workforce participation passed the Alabama Senate Tuesday, but not before being heavily amended and drawing some criticism from senators.

The package, called “Working for Alabama,” aims to raise Alabama’s workforce participation rate. While Alabama has lower unemployment than the rest of the nation, its workforce participation rate in January was 57.1%, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve. The national rate was 62.5%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s participation rates have trailed the nation’s at since at least 1976.

Experts cite transportation, training and child care shortages for the low rate. The package, which has the backing of Gov. Kay Ivey and legislative leaders, aims to address a number of factors that may contribute to the issue, including child care and housing.

One bill, SB 242, aims to create so-called “innovation districts” as public corporations with certain powers. As filed, the bill lacked definitions of an innovation district, and Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said Tuesday that it would create something the Legislature could not control.

“I know there’s a sub floating around that I got about an hour ago,” said Orr. “Let me say this: It’s about the worst bill, one of the worst bills I think I’ve ever seen.”

Orr named specific issues with the bill, such as eminent domain power.

“Once you let this genie out of the bottle, the local governing body can’t do much about it at all,” he said.

The Senate did not vote on the bill or a proposed constitutional amendment, SB 243, sponsored by Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook on Tuesday. Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, the sponsor of SB 242, said they had created a substitute. He said there were some items in the bill that were broad, but they were trying to create economic development and build workforce.

“That’s why we’ll carry it over is to continue to work on it, to make sure that we get rid of all those things we’re not intending to do,” he said.

Other bills in the package were amended.

• SB 252, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed, R-Jasper, which creates the Alabama Growth Alliance, a public corporation that will support economic development. One amendment added legislative minority leaders to the list of ex-officio members. Another changed the number of at-large members to five. A third amendment included changes such as making the Board members subject to the Alabama Ethics Act. A fourth amendment outlined when it can enter into agreements. A final amendment also impacted the make-up of the at-large members and outlined cooperation with the Joint Legislative Advisory Committee on Economic Incentives. The bill passed 34-0.

• SB 247, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, renames the Secretary of Labor and Department of Labor the Secretary of Workforce and Department of Workforce and expand the duties under them. An amendment was added that addresses employees and the state merit system. Another amendment added Senate confirmation to the process. The bill passed 34-0.

• SB 253, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, creates an alternative diploma pathway for students focused on career education. An amendment was added that said the students’ academic achievement could not be considered in a school letter grade until an alternative assessment was created. Another amendment removed language around students not planning to attend a postsecondary institution. A third amendment said that students with the alternative diploma would be eligible for admission to public higher education in the state, but institutions can set their own requirements. The bill passed 34-0.

SB 280, a bill sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman that would create a tax credit to incentivize businesses to offer child care, did not appear on the floor, nor did SB 250, sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, that aims to encourage housing construction through tax credits.

Reed said to reporters after the Senate adjourned that those bills would be starting in the House of Representatives.

SB 252, SB 247 and SB 253 move to the House of Representatives.

The post ‘Working For Alabama’ bills pass Senate, but not without bumps appeared first on Alabama Reflector.