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Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama House passes bill overhauling Birmingham Water Works Board
Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, speaks during a debate over a bill changing the make-up of the Birmingham Water Works Board on May 1, 2025. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns, R-Vestavia, passed the House over the objections of Jefferson County Democrats. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday to reorganize the Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB) over the objections of Jefferson County Democrats who called it state meddling in local affairs. SB 330, sponsored by Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, allows each of the following entities to appoint one member to the board of the utility: the City of Birmingham, Birmingham City Council, Jefferson County Commission, Blount County Commission, Shelby County Commission, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Governor. The governor's appointment is restricted to a resident of Jefferson County. The legislation passed the Senate last week unanimously. 'I say it's a miracle because I've been here a lot of years,' he said. 'Never, ever have I ever seen a bill where Jefferson County was involved that passed out of the Senate 30-0.' The legislation is broadly worded but effectively targets the BWWB, which supplies water to Jefferson County and surrounding areas has drawn criticism over rates and governance. Democrats in the Jefferson County delegation have long resisted efforts to reorganize the board, saying it would give officials outside Jefferson County power over a local resource. Critics have also noted the plans would give majority-white counties control of an asset in a county that is 67% Black. Jefferson County Democrats spoke on the bill for over two hours Thursday morning. 'For over a century, the Birmingham Water Works Board has provided safe, clean and reliable water to hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses across our region,' Rep. Patrick Sellers, D-Pleasant Grove, said. 'Their work is not only essential, it's exceptional.' While Carns said he would not take any amendments on the legislation, four members of the delegation tried. Sellers said the board should not be politicized by elected state officials being eligible for appointment. He offered an amendment that would prohibit any of the appointees from being a lawmaker. The amendment failed 70-28. Rep. Ontario Tillman, D-Bessemer, offered an amendment to return appointing authority for one seat on the board to Birmingham City Council instead of the Blount County Commission because there are fewer customers in Blount County than in Jefferson County. 'We are silencing the voices of Jefferson County when it comes to being able to control their own water, which is a very precious resource,' Tillman said. 'We are losing that because we allow an outside source that serves maybe 100 people in certain areas, maybe 8% outside of Jefferson County, to be able to control the water.' The amendment failed 70-28. Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, offered an amendment to limit the lieutenant governor's appointment to a resident of St. Clair County, which is served by the BWWB. He said he'd only ever support the legislation if St. Clair County was represented. 'We are a customer. We don't like to be treated that way, as if we are not important,' Hill said. 'If you think we're big enough, if you think we're important enough, if you think we ought to have representation on a board that we contribute $3 million in revenue to a year then let us have a seat.' The amendment failed 54-38. Hill abstained on the final vote. Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, offered an amendment to restrict the board's appointees from having ownership or interest in any sewer system located in the county the authorizing municipality is located. 'So any potential complications with this bill have not been fully considered, particularly considering the Jefferson County sewer system,' Rafferty said. The amendment failed 69-29. Rafferty began protesting the legislation as the House adopted the Special Order Calendar. He said the bill is an assault on local governance. 'Each of us in this chamber would be rightfully concerned if outside representatives attempted to dictate how water systems operate in our districts without consulting us or even including us at the table, or, hell, even the room where this legislation was created,' he said. Sellers said during debate that there are other issues with water supply and sewage in the state that are more important than restructuring the BWWB. 'Lowndes County, a significant portion of this majority black, low-income community, lacks proper sewer infrastructure, leading to raw sewage exposure in homes and public spaces,' he said. 'Why now? Why the Birmingham Water Works Board?' Rep. Kelvin Datcher, D-Birmingham, called the bill undemocratic after it passed 66-27. 'What happened is undemocratic, and it absolutely destroys the opportunity for us to continue to work together as a region,' he said. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey's desk to be signed into law. A message seeking comment from her office was sent Thursday afternoon. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama House passes ‘Don't Say Gay' expansion, drag performance restrictions
Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, speaking on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives in the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama, on April 17, 2025. Rafferty, the only openly gay representative, defended LGBTQ+ Alabamians Thursday. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama House of Representatives passed an expansion of the state's 'Don't Say Gay' law on Thursday. HB 244, sponsored by Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, would prohibit public school teachers at all grade levels from teaching or discussing gender identity or sexuality, an expansion from K-5. The legislation also prohibits the display of pride flags and insignia in the classroom. 'This bill will expand the existing prohibitions that are currently in K-5 schools on the classroom discussions of gender identity or sexual orientation,' he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The chamber adopted a committee substitute 76-8 that removed a portion of the bill that would prohibit educators from referring to students by their preferred gender if it conflicts with their assigned sex at birth. Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, objected to the measure, saying kids would be less receptive to learning if they did not feel welcome in a classroom. 'If they don't trust a teacher, if they think a teacher doesn't like them or use them differently or views them as unequal, they're not going to be as open to learning,' he said. Gidley rebutted, saying students could still confide in a teacher, but the teacher has to stick to the curriculum during instructional time. He said he has received complaints from a student that said their teacher could not teach without mentioning 'all things gay and transgender.' He did not say, and has previously declined to say, which school this happened in. 'That is not part of the curriculum, or what the parents signed up for, and not what the parents are paying for,' he said. Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, the only openly gay member of the House, used his debate time to address LGBTQ+ Alabamians. 'I want you to know you are not the problem. You are not broken, and you're absolutely not alone,' Rafferty said. 'They're not theories. They're not talking points, not threats to be neutralized. They're people. They're Alabamian, and they deserve better than what we are offering them right now.' The bill now moves to the Senate. The House also passed a bill that prohibits public schools and libraries from hosting drag performances in the presence of children without parental consent. HB 67, sponsored by Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle, passed 76-9 with no discussion. The legislation defines drag performances as 'a performance in which a performer exhibits a sex identity that is different from the sex assigned to the performer at birth using clothing, makeup, or other physical markers.' The bill now moves to the Senate. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama House approves tax exemption on baby formula, maternity clothing, hygiene products
Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, speaks to the House Ways and Means Education Committee on March 19, 2025, at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama. The House of Representatives unanimously passed Rafferty's bill that would exempt baby products and menstrual hygiene products from state sales tax on March 20, 2025. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama House of Representatives unanimously passed its fifth tax cut of the week Thursday with an exemption for baby products and menstrual hygiene products. HB 152, sponsored by Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, exempts baby formula, maternity clothing and menstrual hygiene products from state sales tax. Although the legislation passed unanimously, Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, said she was concerned about what clothes would be considered 'maternity.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'I'm not being critical. That's their choice,' Moore said of people who have 'restrictive' maternity clothes. 'What you consider to be maternity clothing may not be what they want to wear.' Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, offered an amendment to the bill expanding the exemption to adult diapers. It was adopted unanimously. 'You know I'm all about women, children and seniors,' she said to Rafferty on the floor. 'I have an amendment to include seniors with diapers.' The legislation would take $10.5 million dollars from the Education Trust Fund (ETF) before Shaver's amendment, but Rafferty said the amendment adds an additional $2.5 million in tax cuts. The ETF is $9.2 billion this year. Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, sponsored the tax passage that passed Tuesday. He supported the fifth tax cut for a majority of Alabamians. The four-bill package that passed Tuesday will reduce the ETF by $192 million. 'An additional $13 million in tax breaks for a broadbase of Alabamians,' he said. House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, applauded the tax cut after the House adjourned Thursday. 'We had five tax cuts this week alone,' Ledbetter said. 'So the people of Alabama are going to start seeing relief that they hadn't had, and certainly we're proud to be able to do that.' The bill now goes to the Senate. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
