Latest news with #SB90
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama House and Senate clash over local legislation as session nears end
Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro (left) looks at the phone of Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, on the floor of the Alabama Senate on May 7, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Senate saw two filibusters on Wednesday: one from Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham that would have allowed the governor to appoint members of the governing board of the Alabama Department of Archives and History without Senate confirmation; the other from Singleton in protest of the House not taking up a bill he considered important for his district. The Alabama Legislature ground to a halt on Wednesday afternoon amid a dispute between the Alabama House and a senator over a gambling bill for Greene County. The stand-off on the next-to-last legislative day of the session punctuated a tense day in the chambers that saw another filibuster on a bill that would change the governance of the Alabama Department of Archives and History and two Republican representatives getting into a shouting match on the House floor. 'The question about ending it today was the right decision, I believe, so that everyone stopped, we had a clean break, and then we're going into the last legislative day, knowing exactly what's in front of us,' said President Pro Tempore Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, after the Senate adjourned, adding that cloturing the Democratic filibuster would 'create a little bit of animosity towards each side of the aisle, and we don't want that.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The disputes left the fates of high-profile legislation and dozens of local bills for individual districts up in the air. The last day of the session is May 14. '[Next week] looks slow because I'm settled in They've got 40 more House bills,' said Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, who filibustered a Senate calendar for most of the afternoon. 'I'm willing to talk 40 more hours.' Singleton wanted the House to pass a SB 90, a bill for Greene County that would update the distribution of local gambling revenue in the county and change the appointing authority for Greene County Racing Commission members from the governor to the legislative delegation. Wednesday was the last day for lawmakers to get bills to the governor's desk before Gov. Kay Ivey can wield a pocket veto over legislation. Singleton said Ivey's staff said she wasn't going to sign his bill, and that a Senate agenda of 10 bills taken up by the chamber on Wednesday 'needed to get out' because 'she's not going to sign the bills.' 'The governor has said to leadership that there were certain bills that she was not going to sign … That's why you saw all those bills because they needed to get out today, so that therefore they could override the veto on the last day if she decided to veto them,' Singleton said. Gina Maiola, a spokesperson for the governor, wrote in a text message Wednesday 'that's not necessarily true regarding issues with local bills,' saying that the governor met with leadership to discuss the final days of the session and agree to a final schedule. Singleton filibustered the local calendar but allowed the first five local bills on it to pass. The House did not put Singleton's bill on a calendar on Wednesday, likely dooming it for the session. In the House, Rep. Curtis Travis, D-Tuscaloosa, requested to bring SB 90 to the floor out of order, a move that requires four-fifths of members present to approve. After an hour and 45 minutes of debate, Travis withdrew the motion. House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, said after the House adjourned that all gaming bills must be brought to the floor on a special order calendar, regardless if they are local legislation or statewide bills. '(Singleton) was really adamant about getting on the floor, and gave a chance for Rep. Travis to have a conversation about it,' Ledbetter said after the House adjourned. 'And I think that's what he wanted to do. And unfortunately, our rules and rules in the Senate aren't the same. And anything that's got to do with gaming in the House, it's got to be general and going to the House floor.' Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, who co-sponsored a comprehensive gambling package last year, supported the motion saying Alabamians gamble anyway. 'I do feel that we failed our citizens last year by not voting on a comprehensive gaming package,' Whitt said. 'This is a great demonstration of what happens when we let this patchwork gaming happen all across the state, and it will continue to happen. If you don't think gambling and gaming is happening in your communities, you're all wrong.' The House had its own internal drama Wednesday when Reps. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, and Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, had a heated discussion on the House floor over an amendment to SB 82, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur. The bill requires municipal court magistrates and circuit court clerks to annually audit and recall outstanding warrants for Class B and Class C misdemeanors and violations that have not been served within 10 years. Faulkner's amendment allowed the presiding judge to decide if a warrant would be recalled. Simpson asked Faulkner to change his amendment to also alert the prosecuting attorney. 'We're not amending the amendment,' Faulkner said. 'You can amend the bill.' Simpson argued Faulkner could not do that. 'I can have this debate with you right now because I'm asking to amend the amendment,' Simpson said. 'Let's let the body ask to amend the amendment.' The pair got heated, then the bill was carried over to the call of the chair. The pair continued their debate away from the podiums on the House floor, then moved to a side room for about an hour. They emerged, but the bill was not brought back up. Both chambers of the Legislature will return on Wednesday afternoon, but the battle between the chambers may not ease. Ledbetter said Singleton's bill will not be on the calendar when the House returns. But Singleton said after the Senate adjourned that he still wants his bill passed 'like all other local bills.' The Senate minority leader noted the Senate still had to pass about 50 local bills and approve confirmations, and warned that he was willing to filibuster most if not all of them. 'That's where we will be. If that's what game they want to play, I'm willing to play, and I think most of you know that I can play that game,' Singleton said. 'We probably have another 25 confirmations out there. Somebody's not going to get confirmed, and some local bills will die.' The impasse could also threaten high-profile state bills, including a bill broadening police immunity that Ivey called for in her State of the State address in February. A bill to change the governance of the Alabama Department of Archives and History also stalled after Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, objected to the bill removing Senate confirmation of board members. The bill will go to a conference committee. 'As of right now, the local legislation is my main priority because all politics is local. We want to make sure that we try to take care of our members here and the members in the House,' Gudger said after the Senate adjourned Wednesday. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate Taxation Committee moves major property tax bills to Senate floor
The door to the Senate Chamber at the Montana Capitol. (Micah Drew/Daily Montanan) The Senate Taxation Committee made headway on the property tax debate by moving several bills originating in the House through the committee on Wednesday morning, despite reservations by several legislators. Gov. Greg Gianforte's favored bill, House Bill 231, brought by Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, moved on, as did House Bill 155, which has become a flagship bill from Democrats in both chambers. Some Republicans also feel rebates are the way to provide tax relief, while the HB 231 camp and the Democrats try and adjust tax rates. House Bill 528, which was a late, under-the-radar and bipartisan bill from Rep. Ed Bryne, R-Bigfork, was tabled in the committee. A motion to reconsider House Bill 154, a renter tax credit Democrats had previously hinted wasn't dead, also failed to move to the floor. Senate Bill 90, a bill favored by Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, and conservative members of his caucus, continues to hang around as a property tax option in the House. SB 90 is a tax rebate that Democrats say does not provide enough relief. SB 90 has been added to HB 924, which includes a property tax credit. That legislation that would create a $1 billion trust that serves multiple interests, including childcare, infrastructure and disaster resilience. 'Senate Bill 90 is alive and well,' Sen. Greg Hertz, chair of Senate Taxation said during the meeting. His words were foreshadowing — Rep. Katie Zolnikov, R-Billings made a reconsideration motion on SB 90 during the House's floor session. Around a dozen House members rose to speak during discussion on the blast motion, which ultimately failed by one vote. The committee made several amendments on both HB 155 and HB 231. For HB 155, brought by Rep. Mark Thane, D-Missoula, the amendment included language to roll back property tax rates to 2024 and provide a homestead exemption on the first $50,000 of a home, bringing some Democrats into opposition because of those changes. '155 now is different. It's changed,' Sen. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena said during the meeting. 'I went from a yes to a no. It's changed that much.' Amendments to HB 231 included pushing the effective date back, as the bill was originally looking to be passed in March, and adding language to help fix a major hurdle for much of the property tax legislation — issues with charters in several cities that could see an increase local property taxes with the bill as introduced. Language in HB 231 was amended to give local governments the option to switch from a mill-based levy to a dollar-based levy should they so choose. There was also some debate over whether reimbursing cities with charters that conflict with state money could be a realistic option. Hertz said he thinks telling cities to ignore their charters is unconstitutional and had little doubt it would be challenged in court. HB 155 and HB 231 will now head to the Senate floor for the full Senate to consider. Property taxes remain a major hurdle for the Legislature as the end of the session nears and Montanans face another jump in property values. 'I committed to Representative Jones to get this bill out of here,' Hertz said of HB 231. 'I don't like it. It's more or less a Frankenstein bill now, but I hope we can get this bill out of here so we can have the discussion on the floor.'
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senator said he hopes property tax credit in ‘popular' bill will increase
Photo illustration by Getty Images. A property tax bill that faced an onslaught of fierce opposition at its first hearing saw nothing but support Thursday in the House Taxation committee — after passing unanimously out of the Senate. 'It's getting kind of popular,' said Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, bill sponsor. Property taxes are a significant priority for this Montana Legislature because residential values have increased in the state, and property tax bills have followed suit. Senate Bill 90 would allow property taxpayers to apply for a credit on their bill, currently estimated at $240 a year. The money would come from lodging and car rental tax revenue, which goes into the general fund. Thursday, however, Glimm said the goal is to bump up the credit to $500 or so, possibly with other legislation. In support of the bill, Bob Story, with the Montana Taxpayers Association, said more increases are projected in the coming reappraisal cycle, an estimated 20% on average for residential properties across the state, and called SB 90 'a great tool.' Representatives from the Montana Chamber of Commerce, cities of Bozeman and Missoula, and the Montana Economic Developers Association were among those who spoke in support of the bill Thursday. Proponents said they appreciated the simplicity of the bill and its acknowledgement of the costs of tourism on local infrastructure. Dan Brooks, with the Billings Chamber of Commerce, said his organization had done an 'about face' on the bill, and several former opponents thanked Glimm for listening to their concerns. The bill drew opposition early on because it stripped money from Department of Commerce programs, including ones focused on tourism, culture, agriculture and history. Now, the credit comes from the general fund. Members of the committee asked questions to ensure the process for property taxpayers wouldn't be too cumbersome, such as if multiple bills pass that require homeowners fill out an application to receive the credit. A spokesperson for the Department of Revenue said if similar bills pass, he anticipated the application forms could be consolidated. He also said property taxpayers don't have to apply for SB 90 every year; the bill spells out the criteria that would require renewal, such as if a property is no longer used as a primary residence. The committee didn't take immediate action on the bill Thursday. However, Glimm said he has received feedback that counties that have high value growth, such as Gallatin, Flathead and Missoula counties, also want more of their residents to qualify. In response, he said he plans to present an amendment to increase the limit on properties that receive the credit to those worth up to $2 million. That way, he said, as values increase, the limit doesn't need to be adjusted right away. Generally, Glimm said, the bill is addressing a problem Montanans have talked about for probably decades. 'It's a hot topic,' Glimm said.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Montana Senate unanimously passes property tax bill to credit residential payers
Photo illustration by Getty Images. In an outcome that surprised even the sponsor, senators voted unanimously Wednesday to support a bill that takes $56 million paid by tourists and returns it to property taxpayers. Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, sponsored Senate Bill 90 and said he believes the unanimous support indicates the strong appetite this session for property tax relief, although he said he wasn't expecting to get approval from all 50 senators. 'This is what people sent us here to do, was to fix property taxes,' Glimm said. The bill was harshly criticized in its original form in committee because it took money from programs that support specific culture and tourism activities, but the committee amended it so the dollars come out of the general fund instead. The committee also reduced the amount of money going to residential property taxpayers. A fiscal note said the $56 million would come from the 75% of the lodging and rental taxes that goes into the general fund. 'With my bill, tourists would be helping pay for things like road infrastructure by taking some of that burden off property taxpayers. And the traveling Montana soccer mom paying the lodging tax at a hotel would get her money back, and much more, via property tax relief,' Glimm said in a statement. The bill will go to the Finance and Claims committee, where it will be considered alongside other proposals, but Glimm agreed the unanimous vote from the Senate, which has 32 Republicans and 18 Democrats, should lend it weight there. Before the Senate approved it, President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, successfully proposed an amendment to have the bill apply only to homes worth less than $1 million. It passed with 45 votes and just five Democrats against it. 'Senate Republicans are focused on providing property tax relief to people across the state,' Regier said in a statement. 'I look forward to advancing SB 90 and other bills that create a fairer and more effective tax system in Montana.' Sen. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena, supported the bill, but she opposed the amendment because of escalating home values. 'You don't have to look far to find a home in certain housing markets that's over $1 million,' Dunwell said. Glimm said the amendment meant the amount of average money to be credited to property taxpayers would increase some from an estimated $236 prior to the change. A precise amount was not immediately available. Property tax reduction is a bipartisan priority for the Montana Legislature this session, although different legislators have different ideas about the best way to make it happen. Several proposals advanced this week in both chambers. Glimm said the amount to be credited in SB 90 used to be even more, an estimated $400 before the bill was amended. In support of the bill, he said the session started with a surplus of some $2.3 billion. 'Just let that sink in because that's a lot of money,' Glimm said. Sen. Dave Fern, D-Whitefish, described a couple of proposals heard Wednesday as 'audacious,' including SB 90. He said he knows that Montanans like collecting money from visitors because he represents a couple of tourist communities. 'What I like about this bill is it's predictable. It doesn't really need modeling,' Fern said. Some bills can affect counties differently based on the industries and residential payers that make up their tax bases, and number crunchers 'model' those impacts so legislators can see if the effects are disproportionate. Dunwell said the fiscal note is 'a little steep,' but she said the residential taxpayers paid $80 million more than they should have each year of the most recent biennium because of inequities among classes of taxpayers, and the state kept it. 'Those taxpayers shouldn't have had to pay that. This helps give some of it back,' Dunwell said. With some bills, Glimm said people talk about winners and losers, but this one is different. 'Everybody is a winner here.'
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers advance bill increasing sentences for certain undocumented people who commit crimes
The Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Utah lawmakers advanced another bill on Monday targeting people living in the state without legal status who commit crimes. Sponsored by Sen. Calvin Musselman, R-West Haven, SB90 would require a judge to impose a mandatory jail or prison sentence for crimes committed by a person who has already been deported, then charged with felony reentry to the U.S. If a migrant is deported back to their country of origin, illegally re-enters the U.S., commits a crime in Utah and is found guilty of that crime, they would face a mandatory sentence, with no early release. For misdemeanor offenses, which are typically the type of crimes that can result in more leniency from judges, the law would require a mandatory 360-day sentence for a class A offense, 180 days for a class B and 90 days for a class C. Musselman claimed that most people who repeatedly enter the U.S. after being deported have connections to organized crime, calling his bill 'very targeted, very specific.' Republicans begin rolling out public safety and immigration bills ahead of session 'It's very expensive to come across the border multiple times and most individuals can't afford to do that,' he said on Monday. 'But if you're in the system then you can rotate in through, almost like a revolving door.' Per Musselman's bill, a person serving one of these mandatory sentences would not be handed over to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, or ICE, until their sentence is complete. 'The idea is to try and stop that revolving door of individuals that are coming in and committing lower-level crimes, which they know they're not going to have any jail sentence or prison sentence, then they get deported again and go right back to the same thing,' Musselman said during a Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee meeting last week. It passed the Senate on Monday with unanimous approval. With only two weeks left in the legislative session, it's unclear whether it will advance to the House floor. SB90 is one of a handful of bills lawmakers are working on this legislative session to facilitate the Trump administration's immigration agenda, which includes ramping up deportations. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and leadership in the state's House and Senate have said they are focusing efforts on deporting people convicted of crimes. Lawmakers have sponsored bills to increase penalties for crimes they say are linked to drug cartels, extend the maximum sentence for class A misdemeanors to facilitate deporations, compel employers to verify whether their employees have legal status and more. These bills haven't passed yet and are all still moving through the legislative process. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
