Grocery tax, school bills, suicide hotline funding still pending near end of legislative session

The Alabama Legislature has only three days left in the 2023 session, with some much-discussed bills still pending.

A bill takes five days to pass, and the bills below can still technically be passed in the final three days of the session this year.

House bills

HB 479, sponsored Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, would reduce the state sales tax on SNAP-eligible groceries from 4% to 3% on Sept. 1, and lower it to 2% in 2025 if the Education Trust Fund continues to grow. The bill also freezes local sales tax rates on food. 

The bill passed the House last Thursday and is in the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee. As of early Tuesday evening, it was not on the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee’s Wednesday agenda. It needs two days to pass.

HB43, sponsored by Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, which would require students to show “first-grade readiness,” including with kindergarten, before beginning first grade. 

The bill passed the Alabama House on April 18 and got Senate committee approval last Wednesday. The bill needs one day to pass.

HB64, sponsored by Rep. Ron Bolton, R-Northport, which would prevent undocumented immigrants or people with nonimmigrant visas from legally having firearms. 

The bill passed the Alabama House last week and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday. The bill needs two days to pass.

HB363, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, would make changes to the laws around charter schools, including the state Alabama Public Charter School Commission. Among other measures, it would change the nomination process to the commission; require school districts authorized to approve charter schools to undergo a review every five years and allow charters to designate priority areas for enrollment. 

The bill passed the House on May 11 and got approval from a Senate committee last Wednesday. It needs one day to pass.

HB 375, sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, would remove the sales tax on gun safes and gun safety devices. The bill passed the Alabama House on May 17 and is currently in the Senate Finance and Taxation Education committee. The bill was not on the committee agenda posted early Tuesday evening. It needs two days to pass. 

HB 473, sponsored by Rep. Donna Givens, R-Loxley, would expand the Safe Haven Law to allow someone to surrender an infant up to 45 days old at hospitals and fire stations and allow an emergency service provider or hospital to install baby surrender boxes. It would also require law enforcement agencies to investigate whether the surrendered child has been reported missing. There are 10 surrender boxes planned to be installed in fire stations near college campuses if the bills passes. 

The bill passed the Alabama House last Wednesday and got Senate committee approval on Thursday. It needs one more day to pass.

Senate bills

SB 196, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would set new requirements for public agencies to public respond to open records requests, including requiring an acknowledgment by no more than 10 days. By no more than 20 days, the public record officer should provide information on accessing the records in a way that is mutually agreeable, an estimate of costs, full denial, partial denial with the access information or cost of rest, denial with information on the correct public officer to contact or denial in whole or part due to the information not being a record within the agency.

The bill passed the Senate on May 11. It is scheduled to be in the House Ethics and Campaign Finance committee Wednesday. It needs two days to pass.

SB263, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, would expand the Alabama Accountability Act to increase the number of schools covered by the act and raise the maximum income for families to be eligible for scholarships. The identified schools would have their names changes from “failing” to “priority” and would be identified report grade rather than testing. 

The bill passed the Senate last Wednesday and got approval from a House committee on Thursday. It is scheduled to be taken up by the Alabama House on Wednesday.

SB143, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, which would lead to more severe criminal penalties if a person is deemed to be part of a “criminal enterprise.” 

The bill passed the Alabama Senate last Wednesday and was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The committee has a hearing on the bill scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. It needs two days to pass.

SB 328, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, would create a fund state operation of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Call hotline and related crisis services. It would also require the Department of Mental Health to develop, coordinate, and administer Alabama’s mental health care initiative, which includes supporting the 988 line. The legislation sets a 98 cents fee beginning Oct. 1, 2024. The bill that was initially introduced would have allowed the 988 commission to establish the fee on a yearly basis anywhere between 98 cents and $3. 

The bill was voted out of Senate committee on May 17 and awaits a Senate floor vote. It needs three days to pass.

Ralph Chapoco and Alander Rocha contributed to this report.