Legislative Update - Feb. 1, 2010

The House passed the PAC to PAC Ban 101-0, now let’s see if the Senate will keep the bill in its original form or water it down like they did last year. 

The constitutional amendment to allow for electronic bingo passed out of committee and the sponsor is waiting to get the votes to pass the bill before it is brought to the House floor.

The Senate is locked up in a filibuster on Sen. Barron’s bill to take $100 million from the Alabama Trust Fund for road and bridge repair.  If the bill makes it to the House floor, I will try to amend it to include funding for public transportation.

My bill to amend the state constitution to allow for road fees to go toward public transportation will come up for a vote in the committee in the next few weeks.  Check back here for the exact date.

The Constitutional Convention bill is still in the Senate.  Rep. D. Newton deciding to start the bill in the senate this year. 

My bill to establish a Housing Trust Fund will be introduced next week.

Small steps, miles to go

Reflections on the 2009 Alabama Legislative Session

Before I even set foot in Montgomery this year, I and many others knew from the problems that our District 54 (and beyond) faced in the wake of a weakened national economy, a housing crisis, rising poverty and our own troubling Jefferson County sewer debacle, that the 2009 Alabama Legislative Session was going to be busy, controversial and stressful for many.  Truly, we were not wrong.

At the outset of this session I committed to the sponsorship of a dozen or so bills and co-sponsored many more, all of which I’m very proud of.  They addressed issues ranging from poverty and ethics reform to establishing an Alabama Housing Trust Fund and a call for the removal of sales tax on groceries.   These bills, available for review on the Alabama Legislative Online System reinforce my ongoing commitment to improving the lives of the individuals and families in House District 54 by supporting strong healthy families and strong, healthy communities.

Making progress.  You may recall that my legislative focus in large part has been around the complex issues of poverty.  It is imperative that we bring the issues and realities of poverty to the forefront of our State conscientiousness so that together we can constructively come to develop public policies that are effective, innovative and equitable.  I’m proud to say that my bill [HB131] to create a permanent Alabama Commission on Poverty was passed by the House and Senate and now awaits the Governor’s signature.  The Commission will now begin work to identify programs that move low income individuals up the economic ladder and propose legislation that will help reduce dependence on government assistance.  This moves us all forward, for we are all—whether we know it or not—affected by poverty.  Small step; great step.

Transportation is no doubt a keystone in our efforts toward addressing and abating poverty. To this end I had prepared to sponsor a bill that identified a dedicated funding stream for public transportation—critical for all of us, but particularly for those living at or below the poverty level.  In the course of negotiating behind the scenes in the movement of this draft bill it became apparent to me that my ultimate goal of moving the reality of public transit forward would best be served by supporting a resolution to pursue a statewide transit authority commission who could recommend funding stream(s) for the 2010 session.  I’m pleased to report that this effort was successful and a statewide transit authority commission has been approved.  Small step; good step.

I am also pleased that on the last day of the session, we were able to pass three additional bills that I either sponsored or cosponsored and that had been recommended in the Final Report of the Poverty Commission Task Force of which I had the privilege of co-chairing:

sAuthorized the formation of Individual Development Accounts         where low income families can save up to $2,000 and these funds would be matched by either a nonprofit fund or the state to pay for purchasing a home, starting a business, or to pursue an education.

Authorized the provision of liability coverage to physicians and dentists who volunteer at the thirteen free medical clinics around the state.

sEstablished a State Land Bank Authority so that vacated properties can be sold and used for affordable housing.

Together these bills—all passed—represent a tremendous achievement that will bear great fruit in the coming months and years in District 54.  Small steps, great steps.

Miles to go.  Of course despite this progress forward, the Session left us with many disappointments. For me, three of these top the list as unacceptable failures for which we must do better:

Failure to remove the State sales tax off of groceries, [HB116].  Unfortunately what should have been a united vote to remove such a regressive tax from this State turned into a partisan folly of bickering and disappointment.  On the fourth vote, we lost this by just one, single vote and the Republicans were able to hold their ranks together to kill the bill one final time.  This is not only a shame, but it is evidence that we have miles to go.

The General Fund was similarly a huge disappointment, in two specific ways: first the Senate version of the General Fund bill cut $9 million dollars out of the Department of Corrections’ budget and the House eventually reduced that cut to $4 million dollars—not much better.  To the majority of legislators it made perfect sense to compromise public safety and cut our Department of Corrections but ensure that local pork projects like festivals and pet projects were included in the budget, instead.  Secondly, the General Fund bill was passed with a 50% cut to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program jeopardizing the health of those living with HIV who cannot afford the cost of the medicines necessary to ensure their long term health.  With this cut, Alabama stands to lose millions of federal match funds and will, most likely, see a waiting list for drugs perhaps as soon as the end of next year. Miles and miles to go.

Perhaps no other issue during this Session, outside of the Grocery Tax, generated as many phone calls and emails to me than that of the Jefferson County Occupational Tax.  The fate of the Jefferson County Occupational tax was held by Rep. John Rogers, who was the primary sponsor of the only viable bill [HB811] in play at the end of the Session.  Rogers’ bill would have continued the tax and expand its coverage to include “professionals” presently not subject to occupational taxes.  Unfortunately, once the Senate stripped the “professionals” provision of the Bill and returned it to the House for reconsideration, Representative Rogers refused to do so and the bill effectively died.   We have been advised that the Governor might call a Special Session to reconsider this issue in addition to another bill to free up revenue for the sewer crisis.

Moving forward.  If not for the release of federal stimulus funds, Alabama would be in much worse shape.  And so we much begin anew, here and now in the worst of times, to critically look at tax reform in Alabama.  With one of the most regressive tax structures in the entire nation we must continue the work of coalition building with those willing to work for real change.  We must equitably rebuild our revenue streams while always being mindful of opportunities for reducing waste in governmental spending.  Our funding must rise to meet the challenges and demands that we each place upon it and we must do so through Constitutional Reform.

Of course there were many good bills that died without final action, but they will be introduced again in the next session; those of us committed to serving others with real solutions and excellence in public policy are patient and persistent.  It’s no secret that the Alabama Legislature often takes four to five years to pass a bill, so our journey is often slow; what is important is that we continue to take important steps no matter how small and that we continue the great work before us with resolve and renewed enthusiasm.

We may not always agree on every idea or every method of achieving progress, but I hope you know that I continue to work always with the greatest respect and care for all whom I am privileged to serve.  Call me or email me anytime and share with me YOUR opinions, concerns and good ideas for moving us forward. 

My door remains open to you as I remain grateful for the stewardship of this District that you have entrusted to me.

 

 

Representative Patricia Todd

House District 54

 

Rep. Todd

LISTENING
SESSION

Thursday, March 11

YWCA

6:00 p.m.