Alabama Grocer 2023 Issue 3.indd

BUSINESS AS USUAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Patrick McWhorter Legislative Representative The McWhorter Group 2023 CONTINUED EFFORTS

Back in the old days, the Legislature completed its work in mid-June and everyone scattered … back to their businesses and their other lives. That does not happen anymore, especially this year. As we predicted, the US Supreme Court struck down the Legislature’s first effort to draw new Congressional districts, so a Special Session was called to draw new ones. The new maps have now been rejected by the three federal judges in Birmingham, and a Special Master has been appointed to draw new maps to comply with the Supreme Court decision. So with a month before qualifying begins for candidates to file for these offices, we’re waiting to see what the districts will look like. And our guess is, it won’t look good for Mobile, the Wiregrass, or for current Rep. Barry Moore. Remember, some years ago the Legislature moved primary elections during Presidential years to occur the same day as “Super Tuesday.” Next year that election will fall on March 5th . That’s bad enough. But the national ramifications of these judicial decisions could have far-reaching effects. With Republicans holding the slimmest of margins in the US House, losing one seat in Alabama, with Florida and Georgia and Louisiana and other states racing to the courthouse to follow suit, the balance of power could definitely change. Stay tuned.

We’ve also got legislative committees meeting and a big dispute over the use of the recent gasoline tax increase. Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth is leading a fight to widen I-65 while a group in west Alabama want to spend $1.5 billion of state road tax money to widen US highway 43. The latest move was that all highway contracts were held up in committee last week. Stay tuned. The first step in repealing the state’s portion of sales taxes on groceries kicked in September 1st . From all accounts, there were a few glitches, but for the most part it appears to have been a successful day for the people of Alabama. Now, we watch the Education Trust Fund projections next year to determine whether the second 1% of the sales tax will be removed. Thank you to all who participated in the social media campaign on the topic. Our goal, working with the Lt. Governor and other leaders, is the complete removal of the 4% tax on groceries over the next few years. The Ready to Drink (RTD) Task Force has met and organized themselves. Sen. Steve Livingston and Rep. Andy Whitt were chosen as Co-Chairs, and we expect to learn their meeting schedule for the fall soon. The aim is to come to agreement on a piece of legislation for the 2024 regular session which will allow retailers to sell these spirits-based products in our stores.

All our other legislation passed during the 2023 regular session is moving toward effective dates and/or implementation. Our staff has met with the AL Office of Prosecution Services and the AL District Attorneys Association, and they are working to set up training for local assistant DA’s and law enforcement across the state to prepare them to enforce our sweeping theft by shoplifting and organized retail theft statutes that will take effect next year. Theft continues to be a huge problem here and across the nation, and we are hopeful this will greatly assist our efforts to control the problem. Barring any new problems, the Legislature will return for the 2024 regular session on February 6, 2024.

8 | ALABAMA GROCER