January - A Productive Start to the 2010 Regular Session
January 25, 2010
The Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature has begun and thus far we are seeing a fair share of productive work sessions and meaningful debates. This week, a $1 billion highway jobs program was introduced and Senate committees passed bills that crack down on illegal immigration and sexual predators. In addition, the Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability committee (of which I am the Chairman) held a Public Hearing concerning SB162, a bill I have introduced that offers a reasonable and responsible solution to the ailing PACT (Prepaid Affordable College Tuition) Program.
The highway jobs program can create 30,000 new construction jobs impacting every county in this state. At the same time, this program will pave the way for new economic development because new roads and bridges attract new jobs. And we can do all this without raising taxes on the families of Alabama. The plan calls for a constitutional amendment that will withdraw $1 billion ($100 million per year) from the Alabama Trust Fund over 10 years to build highways, roads and bridges in every county of Alabama. The annual $100 million investment will boost the economy by $350 million in the decade after the roads and bridges are complete. Under the constitutional amendment, all of Alabama will share in the funds.
Two illegal immigration bills passed in the Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability committee, legislation that revokes the business license of those who violate federal law by hiring illegal workers and a bill that prevents anyone receiving a state contract from hiring illegal workers. This will ensure that state contract jobs and state wages are going to Alabamians and not illegal workers.
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed legislation that cracks down on sexual predators who use the Internet to attract children, continuing our long battle to fight sex offenders in Alabama. Also announced was a new agenda item that requires immediate termination and loss of future pay and benefits of any Alabama educator or education employee convicted of a felony or sex offense involving a child. The legislation is in response to the case of a teacher from Washington County who was removed as a teacher in 2007 and convicted in February 2008 of federal charges involving sex with a 14-year-old student. Alabama law gives tenured teachers the right to challenge dismissals in front of an arbitrator, but an arbitrator cannot hold hearings until her appeals and other criminal charges have been resolved. Therefore, she continues to be paid upwards of $140,000 prior to and since conviction. This legislation would prevent incidences such as this from ever happening again.
Senate Bill 162 will be in committee on Tuesday, January 26th and is expected to receive a lot of attention. SB 162 as introduced appropriates from the Education Trust Fund to the PACT Trust Fund from 2014 to 2021 for a total of $236,100,00 in order for the financial status of the program to be restored so that all premium paying contractees (or contractees who have paid up their tuition plan) all be protected. It is my opinion this is a moral obligation that the State of Alabama must stand behind, but likewise feel that the program should not be reopened, but to the contrary: that legislation should be introduced to terminate this program for future purposes.
As your State Senator, I continue to look for ways to improve the overall quality of life for all East Alabamians and take your thoughts and concerns extremely serious. Please keep all of our legislators in your thoughts and prayers as we seek wisdom in making decisions that affect us all.
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