2014 Legislative Agenda

On Dec. 6, 2013, the Alabama Retail Association board of directors approved its legislative agenda for the 2014 regular session of the Alabama Legislature. During the session (from Tuesday, Jan. 14, through or before Monday, April 28) Alabama Retail will monitor all bills with the potential to impact retailers. Alabama Retail members, please check your e-mail inbox for weekly updates on legislative action in your weekly Capitol Retail Report. If you are an Alabama Retail member who is not already on our e-mail distribution list and would like to receive the Capitol Retail Report, send your e-mail to ndennis@alabamaretail.org.

The ALABAMA RETAIL ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS

GENERAL BUSINESS

  • legislation to SIMPLIFY AND STREAMLINE the current BUSINESS LICENSE SYSTEM.

WORKERS’/UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

  • legislation designed to REDUCE FRAUD in WORKERS’ COMPENSATION and UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.
  • finding solutions to medical cost issues, including consideration of CHANGES TO THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION MEDICAL FEE SCHEDULE and evaluation of the NEED FOR AN OUTPATIENT SURGERY FEE SCHEDULE.

TAX

  • GeorgeWilderTheLockerRoomlegislation to LEVELIZE SALES/USE TAX collection and remittal between BRICK-AND-MORTAR RETAILERS and those that are INTERNET and/or CATALOG-BASED.
  • legislation to RAISE the average monthly SALES TAX LIABILITY THRESHOLD for businesses.
  • creation of the ALABAMA TAX APPEALS COMMISSION as an independent state tax agency headed by a judge with specific training in the area of state and local taxation. This legislation should also abolish the Administrative Law Division of the Alabama Department of Revenue.
  • the ALABAMA TAXPAYERS’ BILL OF RIGHTS II, an updated expansion of landmark legislation first enacted in 1992, which extends the appeal deadlines for taxpayers.

ALABAMA RETAIL OPPOSES

GENERAL BUSINESS

  • EXPANSION OF STATE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BENEFITS that result in increased taxes on Alabama business.
  • Gift Cards“CUSTODIAL TAKING” legislation that pushes unused gift-card balances to the state treasury when those balances go unclaimed.
  • Restrictions on the normal USE OF CUSTOMER INFORMATION obtained in the regular course of business.
  • MANDATORY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND WAGES.
  • TAXING OR BANNING PLASTIC BAGS.

LEGAL

  • legislation to eliminate or restrict CONTRACTUAL ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS.
  • any changes to the current ELECTION PROCESS FOR APPELLATE JUDGES.

WORKERS’/UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

  • any ATTEMPTS TO WEAKEN Alabama’s status as a RIGHT-TO-WORK STATE.

TAX

  • BAND-AID or QUICK-FIX TAX SCHEMES or singling out one particular industry or segment of business for punitive tax increases. Alabama Retail vehemently opposes any patchwork tax efforts.
  • required UNITARY COMBINED REPORTING for corporate taxpayers.

PHARMACY/HEALTH

  • making PSEUDOEPHEDRINE available by PRESCRIPTION ONLY.
  • MANDATORY HEALTHCARE BENEFITS that can further increase the price of healthcare coverage.
  • MANDATES ON THE PRICE for which retailers can SELL PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
  • RESTRICTIONS ON the SUBSTITUTION OF GENERIC or BIOSIMILAR DRUGS and PRODUCTS.

ALABAMA RETAIL WILL MONITOR AND/OR AMEND

ANY legislation on these subjects:

  • changes to the workers’ compensation statute.
  • electronics (E-waste) recycling.
  • changes to Alabama’s price-gouging statute.
  • bagginggroceriesdropalterations to taxes paid on groceries.
  • proposals to move Medicaid to a managed care system.
  • changes to pharmacy payments by Medicaid.
  • attempts to implement an Alabama healthcare insurance exchange.
  • changes to Alabama’s product liability laws.
  • campaign finance reform proposals.
  • restrictions to the sale of any products, especially:

tobacco
alcohol
printed or recorded materials
video games