The controversial series of innovation district bills, a late addition to Alabama leadership's "Working for Alabama" workforce package, are likely dead in the legislature after lawmakers raged against the proposal.
Alabama House leadership boasted of its passage of the Working for Alabama package on Thursday.
The package of bills includes changes to the Department of Labor, workforce diplomas, new housing tax credits, allowing cities and counties to partner to provide companies with local incentives and childcare tax credits.
SEE: House passes bill package aimed at bolstering workforce development.
Gov. Kay Ivey joined lawmakers in rolling out the "Working for Alabama" package in March. The package is designed to solve one of Alabama's most significant economic challenges, its labor force participation rate, which is one of the lowest in the country. Almost half of the state's working-age individuals are neither employed nor seeking jobs.
The House's list of bills in the package did not include a series of bills to establish so-called innovation districts.
One bill, carried by State Rep. Neil Rafferty (D-Birmingham) and State Sen. Dan Roberts (R-Mountain Brook), would propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022 to authorize the Legislature to allow counties and municipalities to provide for the incorporation of innovation districts as public corporations and provide for their powers and to exempt innovation districts from certain laws. The bill would allow the Legislature to authorize the state and political subdivisions of the state, without an election, to provide for the use of public funds, revenues, property, and services to, or for the benefit of, innovation districts.
The other bill, carried by State Rep. James Lomax (R-Huntsville) and Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro), would allow for the district to have eminent domain powers and be exempt districts from competitive bid laws.
Both bills passed committee, and the Senate versions stalled in the Senate after vigorous pushback.
Lawmakers tell 1819 News that the bills' issues are too numerous to address in the seven legislative days remaining in this session.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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