Special Session Day 2

The Senate convened for fourteen minutes this morning and will return tomorrow evening at 5:00 pm CT.

The House Jefferson County Delegation met this morning at 10:00 am at the Alabama State House. In a standing room only meeting the delegation passed out of committee HB13 and HB16 with substitutes.

HB13, proposed by Representatives Rogers, Moore, Coleman, Robinson, Hilliard, Todd, and Scott, would enact a .0045 percent occupational tax on the net income of all business activity conducted in Jefferson County. This fee cannot be increased without the approval of the Alabama Legislature. HB13 calls for a vote by the people in 2012 and if the people vote to end the occupational tax it will phase out in 5 years with a 20% reduction each year.

During the meeting Representative Rogers said that this bill has been reviewed and approved by many lawyers and it does not include any pork projects. Rogers also noted that if any part of HB13 is found unconstitutional then the other facets will remain intact. If signed into law the tax will take effect immediately and will come up for a referendum vote in June 2012.

HB16, the Jefferson County Accountability Act, proposed by Representative DeMarco and others would create an office of comptroller and would require the county commission to designate the comptroller as the county officer responsible for issuing warrants on the county treasury. According to DeMarco, this bill would provide much needed transparency and accountability for the county commission.

Representative Jack Williams offered HB2 that in his words was a “just in case” occupational tax bill to which Representative Mary Moore said was absolute insanity. The House will meet this evening at 5:00 pm CT and the House Jefferson County Legislative Committee will convene again tomorrow at 9:00 am.