Retail Report: Retail theft and sales tax related bills gain attention of the Alabama Legislature

The House Judiciary Committee this week strengthened legislation creating specific retail theft and organized retail theft crimes in Alabama. The bill, which received unanimous approval in the Senate last week, now goes to the full House.

SB206 allows retailers to sign out warrants for arrests without leaving their stores, gives convicted thieves and their organizers real jail time plus monetary consequences and provides for training for prosecutors and law enforcement agencies.

A bill that would give more than 3,000 retail businesses better cash flow is ready for final consideration and legislation to gradually reduce state sales tax on basic food prepared at home is expected to get its first committee hearing next week.

With only seven meeting days left in the 2023 regular session, both state budgets plus how to spend an education funding surplus remains undecided.

The Alabama House will convene at 1 p.m. and the Alabama Senate at 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 23, for the 24th day of the 2023 regular session.

at 1 p.m. For legislative and other news of relevance to retailers,
read This Week in Retail News.


THIS WEEK IN RETAIL NEWS

House panel strengthens legislation targeting retail thieves and organized retail theft (alabamaretail.org)

Bill ending sales tax prepayment for 3,100 businesses awaits final OK in Senate (alabamaretail.org)

Legislation to gradually reduce state sales tax on SNAP foods from 4% to 2% could be in committee next week (alabamaretail.org)

Psychoactive cannabinoids must be behind counter, in child-proof packaging & sold only to those 21 and older, under law (alabamaretail.org)

Gadsden CBD manufacturer gets temporary restraining order against state health department (gadsdentimes.com)

Allowing 18-year-old servers in hotel restaurants and online responsible vendor training on governor’s desk (alabamaretail.org)

Bill would credit workers’ comp for damages recovered from the employers’ uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance (alabamaretail.org)

Alabama House passes bill to increase tax exemption for 65 and older (al.com)

House OKs vape bill that adds e-liquids to oversight; Senate panel agrees to notify parents of underage vape possession  (alabamaretail.org)

House votes to let FBI handle background checks on ABC licensees; Helena entertainment districts ready for final OK (alabamaretail.org)

Motor fuel excise taxes could be excluded from gross receipts’ business licenses under bill OK’d by House (alabamaretail.org)

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for April 2023 were up from previous month and from a year ago (census.gov)

Unemployment hits new record low of 2.2% (aldailynews.com)

Alabama broke all six major economic records in 2022, state labor secretary says (labor.alabama.gov)

Alabama House passes bill requiring activated porn filters on cellphones, tablets; does NOT create cause of action for retailers (al.com)


Previous Alabama Retail Reports


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