Alabama House Bill HB257

Alabama 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/4/23
• Refer: 4/4/23
• Report Pass: 4/12/23
• Engrossed: 4/13/23
• Refer: 4/13/23
• Report Pass: 4/19/23

Caption

Relating to economic development; to add Article 2D, commencing with Section 41-10-47.01, to Chapter 10 of Title 41, Code of Alabama 1975; to authorize the State Industrial Development Authority to make site assessment grants and site development grants to certain companies; to provide for the criteria that must be met for grant approval; to provide for changes to criteria based on economic conditions; to limit the funding that may be received by any site under the grant program; to create the Alabama Site Development Fund and provide for its management; to amend Section 41-10-27.2, Code of Alabama 1975, providing for an annual appropriation to the State Industrial Development Authority, to authorize the appropriation to be expended on the grant program created herein; and to exempt the State Industrial Development Authority and certain economic development organizations from certain state laws.

Impact

The bill's implications extend to various state laws by exempting the State Industrial Development Authority and participating economic development organizations from several existing state regulations. This change is expected to streamline the grant process, allowing for more flexible site development initiatives that can quickly adapt to economic needs. Additionally, the bill emphasizes the importance of site size, stipulating that significant land parcels (at least 50 acres for assessments and 200 acres for development) qualify for grants, which aims to attract larger investments.

Summary

House Bill 257, titled the Site Evaluation Economic Development Strategy, aims to establish a framework for the assessment and development of sites in Alabama to meet the growing demands of economic development. The bill proposes the creation of the Alabama Site Development Fund, which would provide grants for site assessments and development, specifically targeting new sites to accelerate the speed-to-market for prospective businesses. The funding will be contingent on local economic development organizations providing matching funds, thereby promoting collaborative investment in site readiness across Alabama.

Contention

Some points of contention surrounding HB 257 may revolve around concerns regarding the centralized control of economic development initiatives and the potential impacts on local governance. Critics may argue that while incentivizing new site developments is beneficial, removing certain regulatory obligations from the State Industrial Development Authority could lead to oversight issues and misallocation of funds. Furthermore, the requirement for local organizations to match funds could strain smaller municipalities or regions with fewer resources, sparking debate over equitable access to these development opportunities.