HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — With the 2023 legislative session approaching, leaders from across Alabama are looking to take care of the people of Alabama with jobs and the working class was as the primary focus. "We got to get the Alabama Jobs Act to come out quickly," House speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter shares. "You know, it's been very positive for the state, certainly been positive for north Alabama."
Sen. Arthur Orr spoke on tax cuts and more incentives for Alabamians. "I think you'll see tax cuts, very important, the economic development incentives package of how we incentivize companies to come to Alabama," Orr shares. "The money is a one-time phenomenon in that this is just a surplus. It's not recurring revenue. We need to respond with a one-time response, and that would be in the form of rebates. That would be a single check back to Alabamians."
Minority leader Rep. Anthony Daniels also spoke on plans to propose a bill to incentivize overtime." We're having a workforce issue," Daniels shares. "Folks can't find employees to work. And so, this is a way to incentivize employees to want to work extra hours. But instead of the state of Alabama taxing those hours, this will be untaxed. So, if you work, if your employer requires 35 hours per year, full time or 40 hours full time, anything over the 40 hours will be untaxed by the state for the employee as well as the employer."
Rep Daniels also spoke to his plans for expanded Medicaid. "Alabama is one of the states that did not expand Medicaid," Daniel shares. "There's so many people out there that have this misperception about what Medicaid is and what it's not. if we expanded Medicaid, those individuals that are working two jobs or working for a small business that do not provide health insurance because of expense, they're able to be covered."