SB29 - Municipal public housing authorities, exercise of power of eminent domain with approval of municipal council, Sec. 24-1-28 am'd.

Sponsor(s): Senator Orr

Summary/Synopsis: This short bill adds to section of the code that gives the power of eminent domain to municipal housing authorities, the phrase, with the authority of the municipal council.
League Action and Justification: LWVAL is monitoring SB29. This bill addresses the fundamental right of citizens to control their city though elected officials. It goes directly to citizens’ rights and city accountability.

Bill Progress in Legislature: 2/7/2012: First reading and referred to 02/21/2012: 2nd reading and placed on calendar; pending 3rd reading and favorable from Govt. Affairs.
5/09/2012: Indefinitely postponed.

SB59 and SB263 - Contract Review Permanent Legislative Oversight Committee, emergency contracts treatment, Secs. 29-2-41.1, 41-16-72 am'd.; Act 2011-577, 2011 Reg. Sess. am'd.

Sponsor(s):
SB59 - Senators Holtzclaw, Sanford, Orr and Pittman
SB263 - Senators Holtzclaw, Sanford, Orr and Irons

Summary/Synopsis: Under existing law, the Contract Review Permanent Legislative Oversight Committee reviews contracts of state departments for personal or professional services with private entities or individuals to be paid out of appropriated funds. Contracts let in specified emergency situations may be let for 60 days without committee review, but a succeeding contract is subject to review by the committee. Personal and professional service contracts let by competitive bid are excluded from review.

This bill would clarify that all emergency contracts excepted from legislative committee review, irrespective of the emergency circumstances, would have a term of no more than 60 days and a second identical or substantially similar emergency contract for those particular services could not be let within one year of the commencement date of the initial emergency contract.
League Action and Justification: LWVAL is monitoring SB59 and SB263. The legislation is attempting to maintain legislative oversight by closing a procedure by which the executive branch has circumvented legislative review of contracts.

Bill Progress in Legislature:
SB59 - 2/7/2012: First reading and referred to
SB263 - 2/9/2012: First reading and referred to the 02/16/2012: 2nd reading and place on calendar with one FR&A amendment (136840-3); pending 3rd reading and favorable from FR&A.
Note: Amendment clarifies procedures between the quadrennium and when no committee has been appointed.
02/23/2012: 3rd reading passed; FR&A amendment offered; Holtzclaw Motion to Adopt adopted; Motion to Read a 3rd Time and Pass adopted (31-0-0); Engrossed
02/23/2012: Read for the first time in the House and referred to the 03/08/2012: Read for the 2nd time and placed on calendar; pending 3rd read and favorable from State Govt.
5/08/2012: 3rd Reading passed; Motion to Read a 3rd Time and Pass adopted (99-0-2).
5/09/2012: Senate – Passed 2nd House; House – Signature Requested; Senate – Enrolled; Delivered to the Governor at 2:57 p.m.

HB526 - Legislative standing committees, granted subpoena powers, authority to administer oaths, immunity, penalty

Sponsor(s): Representative Mitchell

Summary/Synopsis: Existing law does not provide for a comprehensive method for legislative committees to subpoena witnesses and documents. This bill would provide standing committees of the House of Representatives and standing committees of the Senate with the authority to subpoena witnesses to testify before the committees and to subpoena documents as needed to conduct the business of the respective committee. This bill would further provide for enforcement by the 15th Judicial Circuit (Montgomery) regarding persons failing to properly respond to a legislative subpoena. This bill would provide for payment of certain expenses of witnesses.
League Action and Justification: LWVAL is monitoring HB526.
League has no position that directly addresses legislative subpoenas, but, because it is so comprehensive an addition to the code of something completely new, we are following the legislation.

Bill Progress in the Legislature: 03/14/2012: Read for the first time and referred to the