Casinos, sports betting, lottery – oh my! A proposal to legalize gaming in Alabama got the most attention in the first week of the Alabama Legislature’s 2024 regular session.
By the end of the third legislative day, 242 bills had been introduced, including gaming and school choice, both endorsed by the state’s governor. In her state-of-the-state address Tuesday, Gov. Kay Ivey also encouraged the state’s voters to go to the polls March 5 in the Super Tuesday primary.
She has proposed a $3.3 billion general operating budget and a $9.3 billion education spending plan for 2025. In budget presentations early in the week, fiscal expects revealed that there is not enough growth the education budget to allow for another 1-cent reduction in the state’s tax on groceries this year.
The Alabama House will convene at 1 p.m. and at Senate at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, for the fourth day of the 2024 regular session.
Your Alabama Retail Association will keep you informed throughout the session as issues of interest to retailers arise. Keep reading for this week’s top stories.
For legislative and other news of relevance to retailers,
read This Week in Retail News.
THIS WEEK IN RETAIL NEWS
Gambling legislation, including criteria for lottery retailers, could get public hearing next week (alabamaretail.org)
Details released on casino-style gaming, limited sports betting and state lottery proposal (aldailynews.com)
Ivey says ‘now is the time’ for a statewide vote on lottery and gambling bills (apnews.com)
Poll shows support for gambling, school choice proposals as session begins (aldailynews.com)
Proposal to raise flat tax rate for remote sellers introduced; more bills expected (alabamaretail.org)
Grocery tax study group to meet Monday; further reduction in grocery tax not expected this year (alabamaretail.org)
Alabama’s state sales tax on food won’t drop another percentage point this year (al.com)
Baby, maternity and menstrual product exemption and elimination of eligibility to work form for 14- and 15-year-olds among introductions (alabamaretail.org)
Fish and shrimp country-of-origin labeling proposed for restaurants and grocery stores (alabamaretail.org)
Senate panel seeks more info on excluding excise taxes from gross receipts business licenses (alabamaretail.org)
Mixed Spirit Beverage Task Force to meet next week (alabamaretail.org)
Alabama lawmakers briefed on new ‘ALL Health’ insurance coverage expansion plan (aldailynews.com)
Governor makes education savings account bill her top legislative priority (governor.alabama.gov)
Ivey’s school choice bill allows for $7,000 tax credit for private school education (aldailynews.com)
Alabama Retail names 2024 officers and directors (alabamaretail.org)
Alabama Bankers Association shares top five tips to protect your business from check fraud (alabama.bank)
Task force to promote responsible use of generative artificial intelligence in state government (governor.alabama.gov)
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