Yellowhammer Times

Several important bills for small businesses are advancing in the Alabama Legislature. The Senate has unanimously approved SB 233, proposed by Sen. David Sessions from Grand Bay. This bill seeks to add two consumer members to the Ad Valorem Advisory Committee. These representatives will be appointed by the Alabama Revenue Commissioner to advocate for taxpayers. The House is also reviewing a similar proposal under HB 426 by Rep. Chris Sells from Greenville.

SB 248, another measure passed unanimously by the Senate, is sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr from Decatur. This bill mandates Alabama courts to interpret laws and regulations without defaulting to state agency opinions. The judges are expected to use standard legal methods first, in line with a precedent set by a significant U.S. Supreme Court case known as Chevron. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has also been active in another national case, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Gina Raimondo, addressing agency overreach.

Additionally, HB 505, again sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, has received strong support. It proposes to extend the period within which taxpayers can appeal a tax assessment. The appeal time would increase from 30 to 60 days, as recommended by the NFIB’s Tax Advisory Committee. This bill was approved by an important Senate committee recently.

There is also progress on consumer data protection with HB 283, sponsored by Rep. Mike Shaw from Hoover. The House passed an amended version that requires businesses to give consumers a secure option to opt out of their database. Originally, the bill posed significant financial and compliance challenges for small businesses. However, NFIB's advocacy resulted in exemptions for businesses with 500 or fewer employees that do not sell customer information.

Finally, to coincide with National Small Business Week from May 4-10, 2025, the Senate approved Senate Joint Resolution 79. Introduced by Sen. Jabo Waggoner of Vestavia Hills, the resolution emphasizes the vital role small businesses play in the Alabama economy.