House passes Sunset bills

By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter

Thursday, February 16, 2017, the Alabama House of Representatives met to consider a number of non-controversial pieces of legislation having to do with renewing state boards and agencies. Under Alabama law no board exists forever. They have to periodically be renewed by the Legislature or they will automatically “sunset”. This allows the legislature to review whether or not a board is performing its purpose or not and needs to be changed or allowed to disappear. Sun setting State boards and agencies is the responsibility of the House Sunset committees. They make recommendations to the full Legislature.

On Thursday, the House passed a number of these. State Representative Margie Wilcox sponsored HB114 which renewed the State Licensure Board for translators and transliterators.  It passed without much discussion.

Rep. Wilcox also sponsored HB1113, which renewed the state Board of Chiropractic Examiners. That also passed as did Wilcox’s HB112 which renewed the State Board of Instrument Dealers.

These sorts of boards are generally self sustaining as they normally generate enough money from the industries that they serve in order to generate the money necessary to fund the board.

State Representative Randall Shedd (R-Fairview) sponsored HB115 which renewed the state Optometrists Board. Shedd also sponsored HB116 which renewed the state Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners that passed as did Shedd’s HB 117, which renewed state licensing board for athletic trainers. The House also passed HB118 to renew the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board

HB119 also passed. It renewed the state board of registered Interior Designers. HB 119 was sponsored by state Representative Laura Hall (D-Huntsville).

Rep. Hall also was the sponsor of HB120 which renewed the State licensing board for behavior analysts. That passed as did Hall’s HB121 which renewed the Medical Examiners and Medical Licensure Commission.

The House voted to pass HB122 which renewed the Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapy. HB122 was sponsored by House Speaker Pro Tem Victor Gaston (R-Mobile).

Gaston also sponsored HB123, which renewed the State Board of Podiatry for another five years, and HB124 which renewed the Home Builders Licensing Board.

The Alabama Legislature will meet again on Tuesday, February 21, 2017.