Legislative Program Development Schedule leading into the 2018 Regular Session
FROM THE COVER
Getting in the Legislative Game
With encouragement to “ get in the game !” still ringing in their ears , county officials rolled right into legislative preparations this fall , making the “ pre-session ” months as active as baseball ’ s preseason .
“ One of the most important jobs we do as county commissioners is to get involved in these legislative issues ,” said Marshall County Commissioner Bill Stricklend .
As immediate past president , Stricklend chairs ACCA ’ s newly expanded Legislative Committee , which has sparked intense interest in every aspect of getting ready . The 2018 Regular Session begins January 9 .
As Executive Director Sonny Brasfield told committee members , “ We believe that this is going to be a gamechanger for us .”
There is now a commissioner from every county serving on the committee , rather than members being elected from a dozen districts . During this pre-session phase , the group plays a critical role in the process by which input from hundreds of county leaders around the state develops into a unified voice .
With the myriad interconnections between state and county government , stakes are always high when the Alabama Legislature is at work . Top issues in 2018 are projected to include juvenile justice reform , governance of the employee retirement system , rural broadband , abatements and exemptions of local taxes and Medicaid reimbursement rates for inmate healthcare .
Legislative Committee members tackled these and other issues during a two-day workshop in early October , and they also conducted a thorough review of the Alabama County
Legislative Program Development Schedule leading into the 2018 Regular Session
September 25 Minority Issues Steering Committee Meeting , Montgomery
October 4-5 ACCA Legislative Committee Pre-Session Workshop , Montgomery
October 10-30 District Meetings , Abbeville , Evergreen , Decatur , Ashville , Alexander City and Tuscaloosa
October 31- |
Affiliate Group Legislative Committee Meetings , |
November 16 |
Montgomery . ( Administrators , Engineers , Emergency |
Managers , 9-1-1 Districts and Revenue Officers ) |
November 29 December 6
ACCA Legislative Committee Final Review Webinar
ACCA Board of Directors Meeting , Florence . Alabama County Platform and 2018 Priorities approved .
December 6-7 ACCA Legislative Conference , Florence . January 9 , 2018
First Day of the 2018 Regular Session , Montgomery
Credit © Glenn Nagel | Dreamstime
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