South Huntsville Neighbors, July 2024

COMMUNITY LEADERS
The 2024 Alabama Legislative Session Review
By James Lomax, Alabama House Representative, District 20
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The 2024 Alabama State Legislative Session
concluded on May 9th. It was a whirlwind of
a session, and one that saw many great pieces
of legislation passing both bodies of the legislature
and being signed into law by Governor
Ivey.
While many of the headlines focused in on
debate over gambling, legislation that will
be beneficial for Alabamians for generations
worked through the legislature.
In an overall review, I believe one of the most
impactful pieces of legislation is the bipartisan
Childcare tax credit bill that the Gover-
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nor signed into law. This law provides tax credits for working families, employers, and
certain childcare facilities in Alabama. As the cost of childcare has increased dramatically
over the past few years, this will help working families secure childcare for their
children, allowing them to participate in the workforce by creating more options for
childcare and helping childcare become more affordable at the same time.
The childcare tax credit was part of the Working for Alabama plan. This was an ambitious
set of six bills that are aimed at improving the workforce participation in our
state. Our state has had record unemployment for the last few years, yet our workforce
participation rate is among the lowest in the country, hovering around 57%. This
means out of able-bodied Alabamians, only 57% of them are choosing to work, and
some not by choice. Barriers such as childcare or lack of access to education prevents
them from joining the workforce. These bills aimed to stymie this, while creating economic
opportunity for our entire state.
I was proud to personally sponsor one of the Working for Alabama pieces of legislation
in the House of Representatives, a bill that created Research & Development
Corridors. This will allow municipalities in our state to designate certain zones in their
cities as areas for R&D, and they will be able to offer economic incentives to targeted
business, creating more jobs within more cutting-edge industries that we can attract
away from places like Silicon Valley and other tech-hubs of America.
Another bipartisan bill I was excited to sponsor created code for Advanced Air Mobility
in the state of Alabama. Advanced Air Mobility is a new industry that involves
flying unmanned aircraft that can be used to move cargo or people. If you think this
sounds like the “Jetson’s”, you are right! This industry is being used in states like
North Dakota and there has been a positive ROI for their communities. We are working
today on the industries of tomorrow in Alabama.
Our area has phenomenal representation. I am valuing the opportunity to work with and
learn from leaders like Chairman Rex Reynolds (General Fund Committee), Chairman
Andy Whitt (Economic Development Committee), Minority Leader Anthony Daniels,
and Senator Sam Givhan. They are not only respected leaders in our community, but I
can report back that they are respected leaders in our state as well.
It is the highest honor of my life to serve as your voice in the Alabama House of Representatives.
I ran to make the future a bit brighter, and I hope that my actions reflect that.
As the father of two young daughters, I hope our state is one that they, and members of
your family, can be proud to call home.
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