The 2020 Alabama Legislative Session kicked off last week in Montgomery with Governor Kay Ivey delivering her State of the State Address on February 4. She addressed various issues, which included the state’s criminal justice system, education, and her budget request includes a 2% pay raise for state employees.
Both the Alabama House and Senate will kick off week two of the session Tuesday, February 11 at 2 p.m. And while at this time there are no major issues affecting agriculture, there are a couple of bills of interest. One of those in the Senate, SB89, allows licensed wineries that produce locally sourced wines below a certain size, known as “farm wineries” to self-distribute their table wines to retailers or sell directly to consumers. The other in the House, HB133, prohibits individuals from transporting animals in a flatbed truck while traveling on public roadways. Both of those bills are currently in Committee.
And there is one big event coming up this week, as the Alabama Agribusiness Council (AAC) will hold its annual Legislative Reception Tuesday, February 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at RSA Plaza Terrace in Montgomery. For more information, go to the AAC website.