Utility Tax Exemption Vote Expected | | Bill sponsor Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, (standing) requested passage of HB 244 by the House Ways & Means Education Committee Feb. 18. The bill was reported favorably out of committee and is scheduled for debate on the House floor next week. | | |
Lawmakers in the Alabama House are expected to vote on legislation to ease the financial burden on farms Feb. 24.
HB 244 by Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, would amend Alabama’s utility gross receipts tax and utility service tax statutes to exclude the use or purchase of natural gas and electricity consumed as fuel or energy in commercial greenhouses, pivot irrigation systems and poultry houses from these taxes. The bill was reported favorably out of the House Ways & Means Education Committee Feb. 18.
Rep. Crawford spoke to the committee saying, “this is just a little help for our farming community.
“Every year, we see sales where people are selling out, and they can’t make it,” Crawford said. “The prices are terrible, and inputs have gone up so much. This is just a little bit to help them.”
A companion bill, SB 159 by Sen. Jack Williams, R-Wilmer, was given favorable report in the Senate Finance & Taxation Education Committee Feb. 18.
The Alabama Farmers Federation supports this legislation and encourages farmers to reach out to lawmakers to request passage.
| | Mandates Undermine Affordable Care | | Above: Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-Indian Springs, (left) spoke to the House Ways & Means General Fund Committee Feb. 18 against continued passage of bills mandating health care coverage. Below: Tallapoosa County Farmers Federation Vice President Sid Phelps spoke to the committee regarding the need for affordable health care. | | |
Legislatively-imposed mandates continue to create risks to health care coverage affordability through 14 days of the legislative session.
HB 400 by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, would require health care providers to pay a set amount to ambulance companies for services provided. A vote on this bill is scheduled in the House Ways & Means General Fund Committee for Feb. 25.
Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-Indian Springs, raised issues with this bill and a host of other legislation that would require health care coverage providers to offer specific services, with the costs often shifted to customers.
“We have had more mandate bills come through in 13 days than any time in the 12 years I’ve been serving,” Mooney told the committee. “I can’t in good conscience not ask the question, are the people that we represent, who elect us and put us in office, are we not going to be concerned about what effect this is going to have on their health care costs? This is going to increase their health care costs.”
A companion bill, SB 269 by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, is expected to be up for vote in the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee Feb. 25.
Tallapoosa County Farmers Federation Vice President Sid Phelps spoke against health care mandates during a committee meeting Feb. 18.
“As a self-employed business owner, insurance is one of my largest annual expenses,” Phelps said. “Having affordable, dependable options is something we all depend on in managing our budgets as operators. Using the Alfa Health Plan resulted in about a 25% saving for me personally. When prices are fixed or mandated, the cost is ultimately passed down to the consumer.”
Alabama Farmers Federation External Affairs Department Director Brian Hardin said mandates in these bills and others introduced this session could increase the costs of Alfa Health Plans and health insurance.
“Each mandate is a tax on Alabama families,” Hardin said. “There are seven ‘small’ bills that ultimately pass significant cost increases to the individuals. This doesn’t just affect Alfa Health Plans; these costs are passed on to almost all insurance plans and providers in the state. Voters are asking for affordability, and these bills provide the exact opposite: higher costs."
Two bills approved by the House this week – SB 19 by Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, and HB 300 by Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley – would require health coverage providers to assume the costs of prostate and breast cancer screening. These bills, while preventative in nature, actively force providers to shift the additional costs on to policyholders threatening the affordability of health plans. These two bills are part of a growing list of mandates being considered by Legislature that continue to oppose health care affordability.
The Federation does not support mandates on health providers due to the increased cost on policyholders. Members are encouraged to contact their legislators and ask them to vote against these bills and in favor of affordability.
| | |
Members of the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee:
Chairman Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville
Vice-chair Jack Williams, R-Wilmer
Ranking Minority Member Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham
Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road
Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Ino
Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Birmingham
Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine
Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery
Sen. Jay Hovery, R-Auburn
Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre
Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab
Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro
Sen. Randy Price, R-Opelika
Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook
Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro
Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills
| | |
Members of the House Ways & Means General Fund Committee:
Chairman Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville
Vice-chair Chris Blackshear, R-Phenix City
Ranking Minority Member Laura Hall, D-Huntsville
Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Saraland
Rep. Brett Easterbrook, R-Fruitdale
Rep. Donna Givens, R-Loxley
Rep. Bill Lamb, R-Tuscaloosa
Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan
Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Linden
Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-Indian Springs
Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville
Rep. Jeff Sorrells, R-Hartford
Rep. Bubba Underwood, R-Tuscumbia
Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee
Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest
| | Sound Science Legislation Enacted | | Rep. Troy Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, (left) discussed the positives impact SB 71 will have on the agriculture community with Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens. | | |
Legislation requiring state environmental regulations to reflect sound science-based standards and evidence passed the House Feb. 17 and was signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey Feb. 19.
Act #2026-81 by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, will restrict state agencies from adopting environmental protection rules more stringent than federal standards. A companion bill, HB 162, was carried by Rep. Troy Stubbs, R-Wetumpka.
Stubbs, who championed the legislation in the House, defended the bill's positive agriculture impact from the floor.
"SB 71 is a bill related to regulatory rules and specifically provides a framework by which the state of Alabama can operate to provide stability for our businesses, our farmers and others," Stubbs said. "When we have a regulatory body in the state or federal government that continually changes the rules or is changing regulations, those industries have to adapt, then it makes it very difficult to be successful both in industry and agriculture."
Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, who chairs the House Agriculture & Forestry Committee, spoke in favor of the bill during the House vote.
“This bill, from the agriculture community, is very positive,” Crawford said. “There are always things added on – more regulation – and this is a potential less-regulation bill and something that we needed."
| | Lee Named Majority Leader | | |
Republican members of the Alabama House voted Wednesday to elect Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, as majority leader.
Alabama Farmers Federation External Affairs Department Director Brian Hardin congratulated Lee on his election.
“Rep. Lee has been a great friend to farmers in the Wiregrass and across the state, and we know he will continue to be in this new role,” Hardin said. “We appreciate his support for the Alfa Health Plans legislation last year and are ready to work with him to promote agriculture in Alabama.”
Lee, pictured with Houston County farmer Gloria Jeffcoat, recently joined the Alabama AgCast to discuss the Taste of Alabama Legislative Reception and importance of agriculture.
“One of my favorites is getting to see all the things why the little cities, the big cities and the regions are doing well because of their farming activity,” Lee said. “I grew up and my dad was a farmer, and my grandparents were farmers. I had cows until I got into politics, and I enjoyed it but made some dear friends and still have family members that are involved with it. I see the struggles that they go through. It’s a challenge. If you want to be a farmer today, you want to be a farmer.”
Lee was first elected in 2010 and chairs the House Health Committee.
| | Federation Leader Honored | | |
Longtime Alabama Farmers Federation leader Jake Harper was honored by Gov. Kay Ivey Feb. 18.
Ivey signed HJR 29 by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, which honored Harper for his years of service to the state’s largest farm organization and as servant-leader to his family and community.
Harper served as the Federation’s Southwest Area Vice President since 2003 before being term limited in 2025. Harper also serves as the Wilcox County Farmers Federation president, a position he’s held since 1981.
The resolution was passed by the House Jan. 27 and by the Senate Feb. 12.
Harper is pictured with his wife, Pam, and Gov. Kay Ivey.
| | Autauga County farmer Mike Parmer testified in opposition of HB 414 in the House Judiciary Committee Feb. 18, citing the negative impact of feral hogs across the state. | | |
Off-Road Vehicle Regulation: SB 303 by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, would authorize the operation of off-road vehicles on certain public roads in unincorporated areas. This bill requires the vehicle to meet safety and equipment requirements and limits speeds on public roads to 45 mph. SB 303 passed the Senate Feb. 19. The bill contains exemptions for agricultural use and for the use of off-road vehicles on private property. The bill awaits action in the House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee.
Agriculture Authority Boards Update: SB 288 by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, would amend the Alabama Code to allow agriculture authority boards to appoint successors for directors. This bill aims to enable authorities to procure goods and services through national or regional cooperative purchasing programs. SB 288 passed the Senate Feb. 19. The bill awaits a full Senate vote.
Commissioner of Ag and Industries Updated Role: HB 444 by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollinger's Island, would authorize the Alabama commissioner of agriculture and industries to conduct compliance testing on seafood country-of-origin labeling at food service establishments. The bill was passed by the House Health Committee Feb. 18 and re-referred to the House Ways & Means General Fund Committee.
Feral Swine Transportation: HB 414 by Rep. Brett Easterbrook, R-Fruitdale, would remove criminal penalties associated with the transportation of live feral swine. A public hearing was held for HB 414 in the House Judiciary Committee Feb. 18. Autauga County Farmers Federation member Mike Parmer spoke against the legislation. A vote is expected by the House Judiciary Committee Feb. 25. The Alabama Farmers Federation opposes this legislation.
Logging Efficiency Fund: SJR 36 by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, aims to increase the fund which was established in 2023 by the Rural Logging Efficiency Act to assist counties and local governments with the maintenance, repair, replacement and construction of rural bridges critical to the forestry supply chain. The joint resolution introduced in the Senate Tuesday would urge Alabama’s Congressional delegation to identify and provide federal funding to the state’s Logging Efficiency Grant Fund. SJR 36 was approved by the House Feb. 19.
| | Meetings of the Alabama Legislature are livestreamed during the session. Click the link below to view committee meetings, the House chamber or Senate chamber. Then, use the dropdown menus to select the location or meeting name. | | | | |
