A PATH TO LEADING THE COUNTRY IN INNOVATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHCARE, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.
What can be accomplished in four years?
“Alabama can be a national model of growth and success. From the Gulf Coast to the Tennessee Valley, you’ll find small businesses to large corporations primed to succeed and expand. This is the path to economic prosperity that our hardworking citizens deserve. The Business Council of Alabama is here to make it happen.”
Helena Duncan
President and CEO, Business Council of Alabama
A PATH TO
Renewing Innovation
Promote Connectivity
Create guidelines and principles that promote and foster innovation and entrepreneurship in Alabama.
Develop a Reputation
Decrease unnecessary and prohibitive rules and regulations on innovative businesses to enhance Alabama's reputation as a state where companies can develop new innovative products and ventures.
Increase Opportunities
Oppose policy proposals that would discourage entrepreneurs and innovators from founding, relocating to, or expanding in Alabama due to the uncertainty or reduced longevity of economic development programs.
Innovation
Legislative Priorities
- Renew the Alabama Jobs Act incentives – The Alabama Jobs Act reauthorization passed in 2015 expires on July 31, 2023, making renewal an immediate priority in the 2023 legislative session.
- Renew the Growing Alabama Credit – The incentives outlined in the Growing Alabama Credit provide new flexibility for state and local economic developers to pursue growth projects involving the technology industry and minority and veteran owned companies.
Fund Working Programs
Maintain funding for seamless workforce training programs, including programs offered by the AL Community College System, AIDT, and the Alabama Technology Network, for new and existing industries and businesses to help employees advance on technical career paths, and ensure that adequate numbers of trainable workers are available to backfill existing jobs.
Streamline Solutions
Streamline the delivery of workforce development programs and activities, as necessary, into an efficient, focused, and responsive system of workforce education and training solutions such as certifications, apprenticeships, etc. which utilized the promotion of career coaches at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
Learn from the Experts
Support the important role that Alabama's four-year universities/institutions have in developing and training a workforce that is prepared to meet the needs of an advancing and evolving economy through innovation, critical research, leadership development, technology, and professional degrees and certifications.
A PATH TO
Renewing the Workforce
Fund Working Programs
Maintain funding for seamless workforce training programs, including programs offered by the AL Community College System, AIDT, and the Alabama Technology Network, for new and existing industries and businesses to help employees advance on technical career paths, and ensure that adequate numbers of trainable workers are available to backfill existing jobs.
Streamline Solutions
Streamline the delivery of workforce development programs and activities, as necessary, into an efficient, focused, and responsive system of workforce education and training solutions such as certifications, apprenticeships, etc. which utilized the promotion of career coaches at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
Learn from the Experts
Support the important role that Alabama's four-year universities/institutions have in developing and training a workforce that is prepared to meet the needs of an advancing and evolving economy through innovation, critical research, leadership development, technology, and professional degrees and certifications.
A PATH TO
Renewing the Workforce
A PATH TO
Renewing Healthcare Solutions
Protect Employer-Sponsored Healthcare
Support and protect employer-sponsored healthcare coverage through private insurers and self-insured/ERISA plans.
Fight for Free-Market Competition
Explore innovative solutions that increase employers' choices in purchasing affordable, quality health care and prescription coverage while decreasing health care cost through free-market competition without government interference.
Block Government Mandates
Oppose healthcare and insurance related mandates on employers and/or individuals because they increase costs without improving the quality of care.
Healthcare
Legislative Priorities
- Stop Government Mandates – There has already been talk of several government initiated mandate bills being introduced in the 2023 legislative session. These mandates increase the cost of doing business and ignore the flexibility of free market principles.
Support the Governor’s Game Plan
Renew effective and accountable proposals for economic development incentives for the recruitment and retention of business and industry.
Improve Infrastructure
Support policies and processes that responsibly and adequately fund the various facets of Alabama's infrastructure system in an effort to sustain and promote economic growth, job creation and public safety.
Compete Against Neighboring States
Reject policy proposals that would create uncertainty or instability for prospective businesses regarding the state's economic development initiatives and tax laws, and result in the weakening of the state's capacity to compete for and attract new jobs and industry.
A PATH TO
Renewing Alabama's Economy
Economic Growth
Legislative Priorities
- Renew the Alabama Jobs Act incentives – The Alabama Jobs Act reauthorization passed in 2015 expires on July 31, 2023, making renewal an immediate priority in the 2023 legislative session.
- Renew the Growing Alabama Credit – The incentives outlined in the Growing Alabama Credit provide new flexibility for state and local economic developers to pursue growth projects involving the technology industry and minority and veteran owned companies.
Support the Governor’s Game Plan
Renew effective and accountable proposals for economic development incentives for the recruitment and retention of business and industry.
Improve Infrastructure
Support policies and processes that responsibly and adequately fund the various facets of Alabama's infrastructure system in an effort to sustain and promote economic growth, job creation and public safety.
Compete Against Neighboring States
Reject policy proposals that would create uncertainty or instability for prospective businesses regarding the state's economic development initiatives and tax laws, and result in the weakening of the state's capacity to compete for and attract new jobs and industry.
A PATH TO
Renewing Alabama's Economy
Economic Growth
Legislative Priorities
- Renew the Alabama Jobs Act incentives – The Alabama Jobs Act reauthorization passed in 2015 expires on July 31, 2023, making renewal an immediate priority in the 2023 legislative session.
- Renew the Growing Alabama Credit – The incentives outlined in the Growing Alabama Credit provide new flexibility for state and local economic developers to pursue growth projects involving the technology industry and minority and veteran owned companies.
Current Priority Legislation
Sponsor: Rep. Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville)
BCA Position: Support
This bill would remove the state income tax on overtime pay for Alabama workers.
Sponsor: Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville)
BCA Position: Support
Under current law, every business in Alabama that generates a monthly average of $5,000 or more in sales taxes must make estimated monthly tax payments the following year. This bill would raise that threshold to $20,000, which would reduce “red tape” for more than 3,000 small businesses in the state.
Sponsor: Rep. Jamie Kiel (R-Russellville)
BCA Position: Support
This bill would expand tax deduction for health insurance premiums paid for employees who report no more than $75,000 of adjusted gross income ($150,000 if filing jointly) on their individual tax returns and work for qualifying employer with fewer than 50 employees. It would allow qualifying employees and employers to deduct 100% of the amount paid for health insurance premiums in connection with an employer provided health insurance plan. Additionally, it would provide support to small businesses and facilitate their provision of health insurance.
Sponsor: Rep. Chip Brown (R-Mobile)
BCA Position: Support
This bill would revise the structure of the amounts of the credits that may be claimed and expand the credit to allow port users to claim a jobs tax credit if the user increases their cargo base volume.
Sponsor: Rep. Chip Brown (R-Mobile)
BCA Position: Support
This bill would provide for the creation of brownfield redevelopment districts to further provide for the remediation and ultimate reuse of brownfields.
Sponsor: Sen. Greg Reed (R-Jasper)/Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville)
BCA Position: Support
Play 1 of The Game Plan renews and enhances the Alabama Jobs Act and Growing Alabama program, while extending their sunset dates to 2028. This legislation increases the Job’s Acts incentives cap by $25 million annually for five years, ensuring Alabama remains competitive for mega projects and increases funding for site development to $35 million to encourage development of new shovel-ready sites amid a shortage here in the state.
Sponsor: Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur); Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville)
BCA Position: Support
Play 2 of The Game Plan allows SIDA to facilitate the development of industry-ready sites and expands SIDA’s role in the preparation of industrial sites to accelerate their creation. This legislation also allows SIDA to issue grants to stimulate the creation of sites.
Sponsor: Rep. Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville); Sen. Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro)
BCA Position: Support
Play 3 of The Game Plan accelerates growth in Alabama’s innovation economy and supports underrepresented businesses and enterprises in rural areas. This bill establishes the Alabama Small Business Credit with the transfer of tax credits for accelerators and support for underrepresented businesses that operate in innovative industries to Innovate Alabama. It also makes $25 million per year available for the Innovating Alabama Tax Credit to meet increasing demands as new tech accelerators begin operations and programs for small businesses in innovative industries that are developed across the state.
Sponsor: Sen. Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman); Rep. Cynthia Almond (R-Tuscaloosa)
BCA Position: Support
Play 4 of The Game Plan amends the Jobs Act to require the Alabama Department of Commerce to publish certain incentivized project information on its website. Information for each incentivized project includes the name of the company, the estimated capital investment, the number of jobs being created, an estimated hourly wage, the estimated value of the incentives, and the project’s location.
Sponsor: Chris Elliott (R-Josephine)/Rep. David Faulkner (R-Birmingham)
BCA Position: Support
Existing law provides that any seller or furnisher of alcoholic beverages, such as a bar, restaurant, or retail store, can be held liable for civil damages suffered by an individual who is injured by an intoxicated customer or patron of the seller or furnisher. This bill creates a wider standard, with a server having to knowingly serve a visibly intoxicated person, and for that service to be the proximate cause of injury or death. This is in line with what other states require, brings fairness to restaurant and bar owners, and should help drive down the cost of liquor liability insurance.