MONTGOMERY – The Alabama House Ways and Means Education Committee met on Wednesday and approved bills concerning tax exemptions for nonprofits, college funding for veteran dependents, and support for living organ donors.
House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville), who survived after becoming the recipient of a kidney donated by his wife, presented House Bill 364 (HB364). The bill would prohibit insurers from discriminating against organ donors in the provision of disability, life or long-term care insurance coverage. HB364 would also require public sector employers to offer paid leave to employees who undergo medical procedures to donate organs and would provide a tax credit to private sector employers that grant paid leave to employees who donate organs.
“As you know, I've gone through this process as a recipient of a life-saving experience from my wife, an organ donor, and throughout that process, what we've found out about is that families incur a lot of debt and really don't have a whole lot of time to be taken off work in the recovery period,” said Daniels.
House Bill 377 by State Rep. Frances Holk-Jones (R-Foley) also passed committee. If passed, the bill would allow dependents of veterans receiving educational benefits in the medical field to roll over any additional funds from their college to use for further education in the medical field.
House Bill 452 would renew the historic tax credit and increase the ceiling for qualified rehabilitation expenses of certified historic properties.
House Bill 244 would exclude natural gas or electricity use or consumption taxes in commercial greenhouses, pivot irrigation systems and poultry houses. While it would benefit farmers, an amendment excluding cannabis or hemp from the program has been approved.
The only bill not approved by the House Ways and Means Education committee was House Bill 354, which would create a workforce talent recruitment program. State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) said the planning is in its early stages and that there are many complexities to work through.
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