BIRMINGHAM, AL – On Tuesday, the Alabama House passed two important bills out of their chamber, demonstrating Republicans’ commitment to passing legislation that will help put more Alabamians to work.
The ‘Heroes for Hire’ Tax Credit Act, House Bill 152, sponsored by Representative DuWayne Bridges of Valley, will offer a $2,000 tax credit to businesses which hire veterans who have recently returned from being deployed.
“What a wonderful way to reward the men and women in uniform who daily risked their lives for our country, as well as help businesses in our state put more of our citizens back to work,” said Bill Armistead, Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.
The Alabama Job Creation and Retention Act, House Bill 160, sponsored by Representative Barry Mask of Wetumpka, is part of the Alabama Job Creation and Retention Act package. It also passed out of the House yesterday, however its companion bill, House Bill 159, a bill that gives tax incentives to job creators in Alabama, will be reintroduced at a later date, as Alabama Democrats have indicated their intent to roadblock the bill.
“Once again Alabama Democrats are trying to obstruct the progress that is being made by our first Republican led legislature in over 100 years. The Alabama Democratic Party sent out an email calling upon their legislators to oppose House Bill 159 merely for political purposes and to please the AEA which is working to defeat this bill.
“I was also disappointed to learn that three Republican House members voted against House Bill 160, which is a pro-job creation piece of legislation. I know that Republicans will not be unified on every bill but this is a basic job creation bill that all Republicans should have supported. I have served in the Alabama Senate and I know that the pressure from special interest groups can get intense, but we must never compromise our philosophy in order to please these special interest groups.”
The Alabama Senate also passed through legislation to help improve the economy and create more transparency in government. Senate Bill 30, which was sponsored by Senators Arthur Orr of Decatur and Bill Holtzclaw of Madison, will create a statewide database of bid requests for public contracts with the state.
“This bill will give Alabama companies the opportunity to learn about and bid upon state contracts, helping to ensure that more Alabamians will be put to work,” added Armistead. “Alabama Republican leaders promised to focus on jobs and the economy, and just like last session, they are keeping their promises.”
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