The week started out marking the two-year anniversary of the coronavirus pandemic and ended looking forward to a legislative spring break.
Only seven legislative days remain in 2022 regular session. When the Legislature returns Tuesday, March 29, from its spring break, several tax cuts, including eliminating the minimum business privilege tax, have a good chance of passing.
On the front burner will be the state’s budget. This week, the General Fund went to conference committee to iron out differences between the House and Senate versions. Two lottery proposals are now in play in the final days of the session.
The House approved legislation modeled after the federal INFORM measure and its Senate companion cleared committee. Both seek to limit resale opportunities for stolen products online.
Keep reading for summaries of these and other issues of interest to retailers, plus this week’s top retail stories. Expect your next Retail Report on Friday, April 1. Nominations are now open for Retailers of the Year and Centennial Retailers.
For legislative and other news of relevance to retailers,
read This Week in Retail News.
THIS WEEK IN RETAIL NEWS
Eliminating $100 annual minimum business privilege tax being paid by 230,000 entities ready for final debate (alabamaretail.org)
House OKs bill modeled after federal INFORM legislation that seeks to stem tide of stolen goods on online marketplaces (alabamaretail.org)
Record $2.7B General Fund budget in conference committee (aldailynews.com)
Defining marketplace platform workers as independent contractors is on the governor’s desk (alabamaretail.org)
House OKs increasing optional standard deduction and individual income tax threshold (alabamaretail.org)
Senate panel OKs pharmacists prescribing vaccines/immunizations (alabamaretail.org)
PANDEMIC: Looking back, COVID pandemic closed down businesses, schools and sports and brought a sea change for health care (birminghamwatch.org)
- UPDATED on alabamaretail.org: COVID-19, Vaccination and Mask landing pages
Bills to regulate telehealth pending in Senate, House (aldailynews.com)
ECONOMY: Fed begins inflation fight with key rate hike, more to come (apnews.com) | National retail sales to grow between 6% and 8% in 2022 (nrf.com)
Senate OKs requiring three, rather than one, weekly work searches for unemployment claimants (alabamaretail.org)
ALCOHOL: Huntsville/Montgomery entertainment district expansion on governor’s desk; Fate of Lineville and Jackson draft beer rests with governor; and university alcohol production heads to the Senate (alabamaretail.org)
Immediate confiscation of unstamped tobacco products moves closer to final debate (alabamaretail.org)
Senate will get final say on allowing consumers to recover purchase price of bogus collectibles (alabamaretail.org)
Optic nerves: How a fight over eye care consumed the Alabama Senate (montgomeryadvertiser.com)
Dueling gambling proposals in House, Senate (aldailynews.com) | Alabamians play Florida lottery weekly (montgomeryadvertiser.com)
Store clerk charged after deputies seize THC products from Franklin County convenience store (WAFF.com)
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