The Alabama Policy Institute, Alabama's leading conservative think tank, recently Alabama's 2024 Blueprint ahead of the 2024 state legislative session, which begins Feb. 6.
API is celebrating its 35th anniversary. The group says it is committed to policies that promote free markets, limited government and strong families. API has listed 30 legislative priorities it would like to address in Congress in 2024.
The first item in the blueprint is to eliminate home equity theft. Home equity theft is the legal authority of government agencies and private investors to seize people's property for nonpayment of property taxes.
According to the Pacific Law Foundation, between 2014 and 2021, 169 homeowners lost $4.3 million worth of property due to unpaid property taxes. API argues that any amounts received in excess of debt in tax sales should be returned to consumers and not retained by the government as profits.
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API also argues that there should be a cap on property tax increases. Relaxed federal monetary policy, rising immigration rates and a limited supply of new housing have left many homeowners with high appraised values for their homes. Governments have profited from this by increasing the taxes they pay on existing homes, making it much harder for homeowners to pay taxes on homes they bought 10 years ago, and in some cases now. I bought it for half of its value. API is asking Congress to set a statutory cap on how much county property assessments can increase each year. 17 states already have this location.
2023 was a great year for Alabama.
The economy is doing well, unemployment is down, wages are rising, and on October 1, a large tax surplus was carried over to fiscal year 2024. The Education Trust Fund (ETF) and State General Fund (SGF) budgets generated nearly $13.7 billion in 2023. Alabama state record.
Lawmakers will have to figure out how to spend the estimated $2 billion in surplus carryforwards before their regular session in three weeks. API opposes the use of these funds to further expand the size and scope of state government, favoring lower taxes and responsible fiscal policy over further expanding the size and scope of state government. There is.
One area where API is likely to be at odds with some House Republicans is in the area of gambling. In its blueprint, API announced that it would oppose any effort to ask Alabama voters to decide in a constitutional referendum the question of gambling or the legal form of the state lottery.
API states, “It is doubtful at best that any meaningful economic benefits will be realized from expanding gambling. The negative social consequences of expanding gambling and the creation of lotteries are undeniable.”
API supports measures to improve the security of elections in the state and ensure Alabamians' right to elect the candidates of their choice. They argue that government legitimacy depends on public trust in elections and the political process.
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API urges lawmakers to push for bolder tax reform initiatives in the 2024 regular session that will allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money and bring new residents and business opportunities to Alabama. He called on states to increase their competitiveness in attracting businesses.
The blueprint calls on the Alabama Legislature to end the practice of encouraging state government to pay dues to public sector unions.
API also reiterated its opposition to Medicaid expansion.
Alabama is currently one of only 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid. The long-term impact on the state's general fund budget, lagging state labor force participation rates, and Alabama's ability to manage its Medicaid program are all concerns, and the API will continue to push lawmakers to resist Medicaid expansion. I'm warning you that it will happen.
API warns that federal Medicaid program costs are projected to increase by nearly 54% over the next 10 years and will continue to increase in the decades that follow.
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The blueprint calls for more school choice options in the state, and even with record Education Trust Fund spending over the past decade, Alabama continues to struggle with test scores. It notes that Alabama students continue to fall further behind in academic performance, lagging behind many regions across the country. Academic ability.
This blueprint calls for occupational licensing reform.
Alabama currently licenses 151 occupations, covering nearly 500,000 workers. They argue that obtaining these licenses is a burden for many individuals, especially low-wage earners. Initial license fees can exceed $1,000, and many state licensing boards require annual renewal. Alabama workers spend $167 million annually on occupational permits. Continuing education requirements increase the amount workers pay to participate in the economy by $243 million annually.
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API is calling for an easing of restrictions on home-based businesses. These restrictions include costly zoning and local licensing requirements. Industry-specific barriers are also used to prevent business owners from serving customers from home. APIs that do not impact the health and safety of local communities or pose a risk of creating a public nuisance Alabama businesses should be allowed to operate as freely as possible without unnecessary government intervention. It is written that.
API also supports removing barriers to work permits for minors to reduce inconvenience for minors. Current Alabama law allows a 14-year-old and her 15-year-old to work only a limited number of hours per week. You will still need to obtain a work permit from your school showing that you are attending regularly and making acceptable progress. Whether a 14- or 15-year-old child is mature and responsible enough to work while attending school should be decided by the child and his or her parents, not by school administrators, says the blueprint. states.
API supports raising the age of majority to consent to medical care so that parents have a legal say in the medical care their children receive. Under current law, children over the age of 14 can legally make their own medical decisions, with some exceptions. API supports legislators raising the age of majority for medical decisions to ensure parental rights.
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The API supports setting limits on abortifacient drugs. Alabama has already passed a pro-life law that bans abortions after conception in most circumstances. API is calling for legislation to ban the sale and use of abortion pills.
API is calling on lawmakers to ensure that federal guidelines on health care price transparency are followed so that Alabamians know the true cost of health care services before receiving treatment. This could include codifying federal law and allowing states to further penalize hospitals that do not comply with federal price transparency rules. We also support policy reforms that encourage and reward patients who choose lower-cost, higher-quality alternatives to traditional health insurance payment models.
API also supports banning sexually explicit performances in public places. Parents don't have to worry about their children being exposed to inappropriate sexual activity at public libraries, restaurants, parks, etc.
API also supports legislation to protect minors from age-appropriate library materials, saying that the issue is not one of library censorship or banning of books, but rather of books being available to children. It states that the question is whether it is appropriate for that age level.
API called on the Alabama Legislature to evaluate the current system for approving, classifying, and distributing books in public libraries. We need to reform so that children don't have access to problematic books.
The blueprint also calls for the creation of a state child care tax credit.
One factor contributing to Alabama's stagnant labor force participation rate is the difficulty parents have in finding quality, affordable child care, API argues.
For parents of young children, access to child care is one of the biggest barriers to entering and remaining in the workforce and performing their duties without interruption, API said. They said this is a first step towards affordability and that lawmakers should seriously consider it.
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API also called on the state Legislature to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at public higher education institutions in the state. His progressive DEI ideology has had far-reaching influence on major public and private organizations across the United States and in his home state of Alabama. This ideology is often enshrined in his DEI policies and departments at companies and universities that API advocates.
API advocates for transparency in education through laws that require parents to have access to the curriculum and materials used in their children's public school classrooms. This extends to things like what books are in the school library and required reading lists.
API also favors the hiring of chaplains to serve in public schools to implement faith-based approaches to alleviate the shortage of mental health workers. Texas already has a law that allows school districts to specifically hire chaplains. Allowing chaplains to work in Alabama schools could benefit both staff and students. To the extent that chaplain services are voluntary, they should not violate what is stated in the U.S. Constitution API.
The full report is available here.
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