The legislature is expected to begin a two-day work week by giving final passage to a package of 12 bills that will enhance quality of life for military families, bolstering the Chamber’s ability to grow the military and defense missions within the River Region.
Five of the bills in the package (SB 16, SB 82, SB 102, SB 130, and SB124) provide additional employment opportunities for military family members to become state certified educators and make it easier for Physical Therapists, Psychologists, Audiologists and Speech-language Therapists, Physicians and Physicians Assistants who are licensed in other states to transfer their license and practice in Alabama.
SB 83 and SB 103 make it easier for children of military service members to attend Alabama’s higher education institutions as in-state residents and allows for the formation of charter schools on or near military installations with a focus on serving military dependents, with the provision that non-military students may be accepted on a lottery basis for any additional capacity not utilized by military students.
SB 80 protects military installations against encroachment and development that may interfere with flying missions which is particularly important for the local Active Duty and Reserve flying missions at Maxwell Air Force Base and National Guard Flying missions at Dannelly Field.
SB 16, SB 80, SB 82, SB 83, SB 102, SB 103, SB 130, and SB124 were approved in the House. Senate bills 16, 82, 102, 103 and 106 return to the Senate for concurrence and final passage before proceeding to the Governor for signature.
This important legislation was passed through the partnered efforts of Gov. Ivey and Lt. Gov. Ainsworth, and our entire local delegation, as well as the Military Stability Foundation, Air University, the Public K-12 Education Partnership, Mayor Steven L. Reed, County Commission Chairman Elton Dean and Montgomery Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ann Roy Moore for their leadership on this issue
Remaining Legislative Schedule:
· This week and the Week of March 15 will be two-day work weeks
· Leadership plans to move the budgets by the week of March 15
· Legislative Spring Break is currently planned for the week of March 22
Based on this schedule, the Legislature will be more than halfway through the Regular Session before their leave for Spring Break.
