Friday evening, the Alabama Legislature ended what many veteran lawmakers and observers described as the most grueling regular session in memory. In the final day alone, 100 bills traveled through the hopper of one of the two legislative chambers. Included in that final day group was the $7.1 billion education budget and a $2.1 billion general operating budget.
Close to 20 bills that the Alabama Retail Association has been tracking throughout the three-month session were sent to the governor in the final week. The governor has 10 days to either sign or pocket veto any legislation that passed in the final five days.
And though the regular session is done, the Legislature’s work for the year is not. Lawmakers are expected to meet in special session on prison and sentencing reform sometime in the fall. The Alabama Legislature’s 2020 regular session begins Feb. 11.
To learn about issues of importance to retailers that await the governor’s action, died or became law in the session’s final days, continue reading. Expect a more complete summary of the 2019 regular session sometime in the next two weeks.
For legislative and other news of relevance to retailers,
read This Week in Retail News.
THIS WEEK IN RETAIL NEWS
Alabama would become 49th state with pay equity law, if governor signs bill (alabamaretail.org)
Delivery license is per business, not per vehicle (alabamaretail.org)
House never addresses franchisee protection; LLC partnership changes retroactive; business entity changes effective next year (alabamaretail.org)
Bill to prevent cities from adopting new occupational taxes dies in the House (alabamaretail.org)
Exorbitant increase in fines for failure to display human trafficking poster dies on final legislative day (alabamaretail.org)
Infused liquor legislation on governor’s desk (alabamaretail.org)
Legislature votes to create a medical marijuana commission (montgomeryadvertiser.com)
Hoover Sunday brunch bill now law; 3 cities await governor’s signature for draft beer; entertainment district expansion and a small, craft breweries bill also on governor’s desk (alabamaretail.org)
Bill creating penalties for misrepresenting pets as service animals awaits governor’s signature (alabamaretail.org)
Veteran state lawmaker Jimmy Martin dies (montgomeryadvertiser.com)
Previous Alabama Retail Reports
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