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
14 | COUNTY COMMISSION