Governor Kay Ivey will host a ceremonial bill signing for legislation passed during the 2021 Legislative Session later on Thursday.
The following bills will be ceremonially signed by the governor:
There are several bills in a military bill package. Ivey will put her signature on the bills included in Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth’s Military Bill Package:
- Senate Bill 80 – SB80 is sponsored by Sen. Tom Butler and relates to military land use planning. (Act 2021 – 114)
- Senate Bill 82 – Sponsored by Sen. Tom Whatley, SB82 authorizes the adoption of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact that allows licensed physical therapists to practice among compact member states. (Act 2021 – 115)
- Senate Bill 83 – SB83, sponsored by Sen. Tom Whatley, provides resident student status to minor children of military service members stationed in Alabama for the purpose of higher education tuition rates. (Act 2021 – 81)
- Senate Bill 84 – Sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, this act adds one senator and one representative from minority caucuses appointed by the lieutenant governor and speaker of the House. (Act 2021 – 82)
- Senate Bill 102 – This legislation, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, establishes the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to authorize licenses psychologists to practice on a limited basis among compact members states. (Act 2021 – 116)
- Senate Bill 103 – Sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, the “School Choice and Student Opportunity Act” authorizes charter schools on or near military bases to serve military dependents. (Act 2021 – 117)
- Senate Bill 104 – Sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, SB 104 provides lifetime hunting and fishing licenses to disabled veterans. (Act 2021 – 83)
- Senate Bill 106 – SB 106 by Sen. Will Barfoot expands the Alabama GI Dependents Scholarship program to include the dependents of guard members who die in the line of state-only service. (Act 2021 – 84)
- Senate Bill 124 – Sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, this bill allows temporary certificates of qualification and licenses to physicians and physician assistants who are relocated or stationed in Alabama under official military orders. (Act 2021 – 100)
- Senate Bill 130 – Sponsored by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, SB 130 establishes the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact to authorize licenses to practice among compact member states. (Act 2021 – 118)
The military bills are designed to make the state more attractive to active duty military members. It is hoped that by being military friendly that the state will be able to keep all of its military bases during the next phase of base realignments and closures. The state could also potentially pick up commands from other states in future realignments.
There are several other bills that will be signed today:
- Senate Bill 215 is sponsored by state Sen. Del Marsh and Rep. Danny Garrett, this Act creates the Alabama Digital Expansion Authority (ADEA) and the Alabama Digital Expansion Division of ADECA. This bill also allows for the creation of a statewide research and education network, “Connect Alabama Act.” (Act 2021 – 465)
- House Bill 411 – Sponsored by Rep. A.J. McCampbell and Sen. Rodger Smitherman, HB411 requires the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC) to create a database of certain information relating to law enforcement officers. (Act 2021 – 268)
- Senate Bill 117 – SB117, sponsored by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison and Rep. Chris England, allows expungement of criminal records to include convictions of certain misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, municipal ordinances and felony offenses. (Act 2021 – 286)
- House Bill 141 – HB141, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells and Sen. Tom Butler, would authorize the State Board of Health to establish and administer a community paramedicine program that authorizes paramedics to provide certain services to patients. (Act 2021 – 303)
- Senate Bill 79 – Sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger and Rep. Reed Ingram, this legislation adds additional representatives to the State Employees’ Retirement System Board of Control and adds diversity language for future board appointments. (Act 2021 – 484)
- House Bill 391 – HB391, sponsored by Rep. Scott Stadthagen and Sen. Garlan Gudger, prohibits K-12 schools from participating in athletic events where athletes compete against other athletes of different biological genders unless the event specifically includes both biological genders. (Act 2021 – 285)
- Senate Bill 294 – Sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones and Rep. Terri Collins, SB294 allows small licensed wineries to sell and transport their table wines directly to retailers and consumers. (Act 2021 – 440)
The ceremonial bill signing event is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
The next regular legislative session will begin in January 2022, though two special sessions dealing with prisons and redistricting are expected later this year.
