A May 24 primary with all legislative and constitutional offices on the ballot should inspire lawmakers to finish the fourth session of the quadrennium as quickly as possible. A surge in the coronavirus and the possibility of a special session inside the regular session could stretch it closer to full length. The last possible day for Alabama Legislature’s 2022 regular session, which began Tuesday, is April 25.
The big news for this week came from the U.S. Supreme Court, which Thursday blocked the vaccine or test mandate for private employers of 100 or more. Gov. Kay Ivey firmly opposes all federal vaccine mandates related to the coronavirus, while supporting vaccinations as the best tactic to beat COVID-19. She contends the legal challenges made by Alabama and other states are how to stop such mandates.
In the first week of Alabama’s regular session, 249 bills have been introduced, but only two received committee approval and none saw floor action. At this point, only three committee meetings have been scheduled for next week, all on Tuesday. Many lawmakers expect the governor to call a special session as early as Wednesday on how to spend $580 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to relieve the effects of the pandemic. If that happens, the Legislature would recess the regular session and reconvene in a special session, which can last up to 12 legislative days within 30 calendar days. It takes at least five legislative days for bills to make it all the way through the legislative process.
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
U.S. Supreme Court blocks enforcement of large, private employer COVID-19 vaccine mandate (alabamaretail.org)
Seasonal employment and eliminating sales tax on food among introductions (alabamaretail.org)
Drive-thru or walk-up beer and wine reintroduced in 2022 regular session (alabamaretail.org)
Alabama’s 2022 legislative session opens with potential record budgets, and a warning (montgomeryadvertiser.com)
Text of Gov. Kay Ivey’s State of the State address (apnews.com)
U.S. inflation reaches fastest pace in four decades (wsj.com)
Senate panel OKs leave for adoptive parents; pregnancy/breastfeeding accommodations bill returns (alabamaretail.org)
2nd election for Amazon workers in Alabama will be by mail (aldailynews.com)
Home COVID tests to be covered by private insurers starting Saturday (aldailynews.com)
Grocery store shelves emptied by resurgent COVID, winter weather (al.com)
COVID-19 boosters authorized for those 12-15 (alabamapublichealth.gov)
House GOP prioritizes bills in ‘Standing Tall’ agenda (montgomeryindependent.com)
House Democrats want COVID-19 funds spent on health care (al.com)
Where have all the workers gone? Alabama economy experts, business leaders analyze the current job market (montgomeryadvertiser.com)
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