Staff Report
MONTGOMERY, Alabama (April 4, 2013) – Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey signs two significant bills Thursday before going to Governor Robert Bentley to be signed into law.
Bill sponsors Senators Cam Ward and Vivian Davis Figures joined Lt. Governor Ivey to sign the Alabama Commercial Aviation Business Improvement Act (SB238).
“We want to encourage industry to continue to develop and grow in Alabama by cultivating a business-friendly environment that provides reasonable legal liability protection. This bill helps do that and make Alabama more appealing for businesses, like Airbus, to develop,” said Lt. Governor Ivey.
Airbus is breaking ground next week on its first U.S.- based production facility in Mobile, directly bringing 1,000 jobs to Mobile and 3,000 jobs during the construction phase.
The bill will protect the rights of Alabama citizens to bring suit against manufacturers, but will also protect manufacturers from out-of-state and foreign plaintiffs who may seek to file suit in Alabama simply because the manufacturer located its plant here.
“Lt. Governor Ivey and the Senate leadership have made job creation their number one priority, and I am glad to do my part to help in their vision,” said Sen. Ward. “This will do so much to even the playing field with neighboring states to help attract Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers to Alabama. It is common sense business legislation like this that I have focused on during my time in the Senate.”
“We are now set and ready to go towards realizing the thousands of jobs that Airbus suppliers will bring to Alabama. I enjoyed working on this legislation with the bi-partisan team to make this a reality. Coming together to work out all of the details with the leadership of Governor Bentley and others has been a joy knowing that Alabama will benefit greatly economically,” Sen. Figures said.
Also Thursday, Lt. Governor Ivey signed SB 192 sponsored by Senator Paul Bussman. The bill provides help for rural counties to raise funds needed for road and bridge repairs through the Rural Assistance Match Program administered by the Alabama Department of Transportation.
“As a member of the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (ATRIP) Advisory Board, I am pleased to see more rural counties have the opportunity to be eligible to receive financial assistance to improve roads and bridges in their areas. These projects play a vital role in the long-term economic impact of local communities and the state,” said Lt. Governor Ivey.
“The RAMP bill will go a long way in repairing much of the infrastructure in rural Alabama which will help transport farm to market products, ease traffic problems, and add to safety for school buses and other automobiles,” Sen. Bussman said.
SB 238 and SB 192 were sent to Governor Bentley Thursday for his signature. He signed SB 238 into law Thursday afternoon.
