Latest news with #HB581
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Entrepreneurial Center, Rescue Squad to expand with new funding
May 30—The Morgan County Legislative Delegation, the Morgan County Rescue Squad, and the Decatur-Morgan County Entrepreneurial Center will receive more funding after a local bill was passed May 14, the final day of the legislative session. House Bill 581, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, provides for the redistribution of in-lieu-of-tax payments in Morgan County from the Tennessee Valley Authority. It will roughly double the amount the Rescue Squad previously received, and the E-Center will receive in-lieu-of-tax funding for the first time. The local law takes effect Oct. 1. "We wanted to fund something that would grow revenue, and so we're moving that last percentage of the part that we delegate to the Entrepreneurial Center so that they can expand what they're doing around the county in different locations, not just in Decatur," Collins said. With the funding, the E-Center wants to open a location in Hartselle, the Rescue Squad plans to begin construction of a new station, and the legislative delegation plans to acquire a larger office space. "Our goal is to build a new station on the property that was donated and paid for by the county," Rescue Squad Chief Danny Kelso said. TVA makes in-lieu-of-tax payments each month because it is exempt from paying taxes as a government entity. The TVA pays out 5% of its gross profits from power sales each year to the states within its jurisdiction. Law dictates that the amount paid out to the counties exist in separate "pots." The state must split 75% of the payments it receives among the TVA-covered counties. An additional 3% is allocated to these counties per legislation from 2006. The section of the Alabama code dealing with these payments has changed several times to clarify wording and redistribute the money. Collins said HB581 allows for greater transparency about how TVA funding is being distributed within the county. "The main reason for working on that bill right now is it's very confusing how the language is. ... It's convoluted," Collins said. "Confusing is the best word, and we couldn't even understand it." In fiscal 2024, Morgan County received a total of $13.9 million in TVA in-lieu-of-tax funds. The "pot" referenced in the bill — the 3% increase from 2006 — amounted to $503,137.82. Julie Reeves, chief administrative officer of the Morgan County Commission, said that the amount the county receives varies greatly year to year, making it difficult to predict exact amounts for allocation. However, Reeves said fiscal 2025 has trended roughly 6% less than the previous year. If the trend continues, the amount the bill will redistribute starting with fiscal 2026 could total roughly $470,000. The Legislative Delegation will receive the largest portion of this money. HB581 increased its funding from 40% to 45%. Collins said this increase will help provide a larger office space for the delegation. The Rescue Squad will now receive 9% of the funds. In previous years, the squad received between $20,000 and $25,000. Rescue Squad Senior Board Member Tony Weikert said estimates for future funding have been closer to $45,000. The new station will be built on a 3-acre property on Mill Road that the Morgan County Commission helped the squad acquire. "Our station is out of date and not up to code," Kelso said. "It was built in the 1960s, and we've outgrown it." The Rescue Squad wants to break ground by the end of this year or early next year, Weikert said. He hopes a newer station will help the Rescue Squad appear more professional and attract more volunteers. After paying for the building, Kelso said funding would go to updating equipment. As a volunteer organization, Weikert said, the Rescue Squad didn't have any permanent funding to rely on. "We exist off of donations and annual requests from the city and the county and other places, but none of that is guaranteed money because you have to ask for it every year," Weikert said, emphasizing the difference the TVA funding will make. Weikert said he has been talking with state Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, about increasing the squad's funding for about a year. "Arthur Orr has always been a champion for us," he said. "... If it hadn't been for Arthur Orr, we wouldn't have any dedicated funding." A major change that HB581 makes from previous law is that the Decatur-Morgan County Entrepreneurial Center will now receive funding from the TVA payments. The E-Center could receive about $47,000 based on the fiscal 2025 payment estimates. "The thought of the delegation was: This is promoting small business job creation for Morgan County, and that's certainly a good thing that we wanted to support," Orr said. John Joseph, the executive director for the E-Center, said conversations have begun with Hartselle residents about adding a satellite office there. "Hartselle is a very creative, innovative community," Joseph said. "We would absolutely like to partner with them to deliver something that benefits their entrepreneurs and their innovators." Joseph said the E-Center will meet with Hartselle residents and review the services offered to determine the community's greatest need. "A lot depends on if there's additional funding that can come from other places or whether we need to work with what we have," Joseph said. The E-Center has developed connections with Hartselle through its CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) Program, which provides local high school students with real-life business experience. Collins is thankful that HB581 passed. The Alabama Legislature's 2025 session concluded with a Senate filibuster from Senators Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, and Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham. Collins said "the last day was very contentious in the Senate, and (Orr) was able to get both of our local bills on the calendar and through the Senate so that we could pass those bills this year," Collins said. HB581 passed in the House on April 29 and in Senate on May 14. — or 256-340-2437
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas lawmakers send bills banning sexually explicit AI-generated images of children to Gov. Abbott
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas legislators passed their first AI-related bill of the session to Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday, one with a specific focus on helping the state's laws catch up with technology. HB 581 would require AI tools and websites that can create sexually explicit images to ensure users and subjects are of legal age. An individual who is used as a source for the AI generation must have consented to the usage. March: Senate passes bills to fight AI-generated sexual images of children, non-consenting adults The Texas House of Representatives also passed SB 20 Thursday afternoon, which bans the possession of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. Legislators filed at least 68 bills related to AI this session, including HB 1265, to regulate AI use in mental health services, and HB 1709, the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA). Unless vetoed, HB 581 and SB 20 will take effect in September. Lawmakers in both chambers passed at least 25 AI-related bills; however, none of these bills have been passed by the other chamber. For instance, HB 366 would require politicians, political action committees and campaigns to disclose if they used AI-generated images in political ads. It passed in the Texas House of Representatives on April 30, but was never assigned to a committee in the Senate. HB 2298, which would have created a grant program for developing cancer-detecting AI, also shared this fate after it passed the House on May 8. The rest of the 25 bills, which represent the remaining AI legislation still in play this session, got committee assignments. Twelve are still in committee, including HB 421, one of the bills aimed at preventing nonconsensual AI-generated explicit images. Bills still pending in House committees have until Sunday before they can't be considered. Others in Senate committees have until May 28. Bills on the calendar for floor consideration in the Senate include: HB 149 would regulate bad faith use cases of AI and allow Texans to sue if an AI product uses their likeness or voice without consent; and, HB 449 would add AI-generated sexual images to the crime of unlawful production of sexually explicit images or videos. These bills have a deadline of May 28, after which they can't be considered further. In the House, three bills are on the calendar for consideration and another four (SBs 22, 441, 1964 and 2373) have yet to be placed. The other three bills include: SB 815 would block insurers from using AI to decide claims; SB 1188, which mostly focuses on a patient's biological sex in electronic health records, would require providers to disclose if they use AI; and, SB 1621, which relates to the prosecution and punishment of AI-generated CSAM. House Republicans include a 10-year ban on US states regulating AI in 'big, beautiful' bill Have a bill you want us to look into? Ask us using the form below: Submit a form. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What passed in the Alabama Legislature: May 14, 2025
Rep. Phillip Rigsby, R-Huntsville, sits alone in the Alabama House chamber during a lengthy recess on May 14, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House went into an extended recess on Wednesday, the final day of the 2025 regular session, as the Alabama Senate saw a filibuster from Democrats over local bills. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) Here are the bills that passed the Alabama Legislature on Wednesday, the final day of the 2025 regular session. House HB 199, sponsored by Rep. Travis Hendrix, D-Birmingham, allows the Board of Pardons and parole to electronically monitor a juvenile delinquent before their court hearing. The House concurred with Senate changes 101-0. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill on Thursday. HB 202, sponsored by Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, changes the standard by which law enforcement can claim immunity as they perform their jobs and gives them additional procedural protections during litigation. The House concurred with Senate changes 73-28; the Senate earlier on Thursday passed the bill 25-6. Gov. Kay Ivey signed it on Thursday. HB 581, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, revises the distribution of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in-lieu-of-tax payments in Morgan County by reallocating funds to support a legislative delegation office, the Morgan County Rescue Squad and local education. The House concurred with Senate changes 76-0. It goes to Ivey. Senate SB 171, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, prohibits the use of a motorized vehicle on land that is submerged below navigable waters. Violators would face a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 88, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, allows a judge to set a hearing on a petition for a criminal expungement even if a prosecutor or a victim files no objection. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 76, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, exempts nursing mothers from jury service. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 108, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, criminalizes mail theft, establishing penalties based on the number of addresses affected and the intent to commit identity fraud. Offenses range from a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, to a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. It passed 103-0 with a House substitute. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SB 42, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, allows landowners adjacent to abandoned state roads to petition state, county, or municipal governing bodies to deed them back to the original landowners when the road is no longer usable for its intended purpose. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 101, sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscambia, raises the medical age of consent from 14 to 16 with some exceptions. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 206, sponsored by Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Ino, establishes regulations for businesses advising or assisting individuals with veterans' benefits claims. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 142, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, removes the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) as an approved source for identifying voters whose addresses may have changed, requiring the use of the United States Postal Service's National Change of Address database and at least one other voter registration database. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 53, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, creates the crime of human smuggling as a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, if someone transports a person without legal status into the state of Alabama. It also allows local law enforcement to hold those suspected of living in the U.S. without authorization for up to 48 hours while their status is determined. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 511, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Brinyark, R-Windham Springs, consolidates Fayette County's tax assessor and tax collector offices into a single Revenue Commissioner position. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 512, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Brinyark, R-Windham Springs, increases the base salary of the Fayette County sheriff to $80,000 starting in 2027. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 496, sponsored by Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, grants Elmore County the authority to levy a 4.5% excise tax on wholesale vapor products in the county. The measure, a constitutional amendment, passed 22-0 and will be decided by voters on November 4. HB 463, sponsored by Rep. Van Smith, R-Clanton, authorizes the Board of Commissioners of Chilton County 911 to establish procedures for the director to make purchases using a credit or debit card. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 598, sponsored by Rep. Van Smith, R-Clanton, extends the corporate boundaries of the Town of Pine Level in Autauga County. The bill passed 27-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 78, sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, gives the presiding judge of the 28th Judicial Circuit the power to issue a standing order authorizing civil or criminal jury proceedings in any courthouse within the circuit, and provides procedures. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 544, sponsored by Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, authorizes Escambia County to appoint a medical examiner. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 586, sponsored by Rep. Tim Wadsworth, R-Arley, extends the corporate limits of the City of Cullman in Cullman County. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 395, sponsored by Rep. Ritchie Whorton, R-Owens Cross Roads, removes a specified area from the corporate limits of the City of New Hope in Madison County. The bill passed 25-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 495, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, restructures the board of directors of the Marion County Public Water Authority. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to the Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 343, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns, R-Birmingham, makes membership of the General Retirement System for Employees of Jefferson County mandatory for eligible full-time employees. The bill passed 26-3. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bryan County BOE rescinds decision to opt out of HB 581
BLACK CREEK, Ga. (WSAV) — Friday, the Bryan County Board of Education (BCBOE) voted to unanimously rescind their decision to opt out of HB 581. On April 1, 2025, Governor Kemp signed HB 92 into law. The bill allows for school districts who opt in to HB 581 to receive a sales tax exemption for qualifying construction materials used in capital outlay projects for educational purposes. The bill was passed and signed after the March 1 deadline to opt out of HB 581. After review of HB 92, the BCBOE decided the new legislation is a 'win-win' for county residents and schools. With more than $300 million in building and construction needs over the next decade, the BCBOE concluded potential savings of millions of dollars in a sales tax exemption will help offset some of the revenue losses from opting in to HB 581. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Savannah-Chatham County School Board votes to opt out of HB 581
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) has voted to opt out of House Bill (HB) 581. The bill, which has been up for debate in multiple nearby counties, allows Georgia public school systems and municipalities to consider a floating homestead exemption for property owners that would have impacts on tax revenue. The yea votes included school board members Denise Grabowski, Dionne Hoskins-Brown, Cornelia Hall, Paul Smith and Tonia Howard-Hall. The no votes included Shawn Kachmar, Roger Moss and Stephanie Campbell. David Bringman was not in attendance for the vote. The main reason for the school district's decision to opt out of HB 581, as articulated by School officials say that the 'pros for opting in are not the same in Chatham County as most other counties,' due in large part to the existing Stephens-Day Exemption. The Chatham County Board of Assessors describes Stephens-Day as 'A homestead exemption that is equal to the difference between the current year fair market value and the adjusted base year value (property's value in the year prior to the homestead application plus any improvements since the year of the application).' Stephens-Day has been in place for nearly three decades. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
