HB 189 — Relating to the Alabama Forestry Commission; to establish the Rural Logging Efficiency Act of 2023; to create the Logging Efficiency Grant Fund to be administered by the Alabama Forestry Commission; and to provide for the distribution of funding to the Alabama Forestry Commission to support rural economic development.

HB189 INTRODUCEDENGROSSED 996IBP-1996IBP-2 By Representatives Lovvorn, Standridge, Crawford, Fincher, DuBose, Yarbrough, Ingram, Bolton, Kirkland, Gidley, Woods, Rehm, Shedd, Mooney, Oliver, Paschal, Shaw, Travis, Rigsby, Lamb, Baker, Wood (R), Sells, Wilcox RFD:

22-Mar-23 2023 Regular Session Page 0 996IBP-1HB189 03/08/2023Engrossed SLU2 (L)4 SLU6 2023-694A 2BILL 4TO SYNOPSIS:BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to the Alabama Forestry Commission;

Under existing law, the first 85 percent of the proceeds from the state license tax on certain public utilities is allocated to theestablish Special Mental Health Fund and the remainingRural 15Logging percentEfficiency isAct allocatedof to2023; the State General Fund.

Thisto billcreate wouldthe furtherLogging provideEfficiency forGrant theFund distributionto ofbe thoseadministered funds by crediting a portion to the Alabama Forestry CommissionCommission; to be distributed for the purposes of providing grants for logging workforce development, researching, and implementing technologies that promote forest product harvesting and transportation efficiencies, and to counties for maintaining and constructing public rural bridges.

Aand BILLto TOprovide BEfor ENTITLEDthe ANdistribution ACTof Relatingfunding to the Alabama Forestry Commission;Commission to support rural economic development.

to establish the Rural Logging Support Act of 2023;

to provide for the distribution funding to the Alabama Forestry Commission to support rural economic development;

and to amend Page 1 HB189 INTRODUCED Section 40-21-51, Code of Alabama 1975, to further provide for the distribution of certain state revenues collected on the state license tax of certain public utilities.

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Rural Logging SupportEfficiency Act of 2023.

(3) Logging companies are a vital link of the forest supply chain system and it is critical for the state's economy Page 1 HB189 Engrossed that these companies have every opportunity to be successful.

Page 2 HB189 INTRODUCED (c) As used in this section, the following words have the following meanings:

Any incorporated area within thisthe state notwith includeda withinpopulation the boundaries of any2,500 incorporatedinhabitants or unincorporatedfewer city,according town,to village,the ormost borough,recent havingfederal acensus populationor inany excessunincorporated ofarea twenty-fivewithin thousand inhabitants according to the laststate. preceding federal census.

A load restricted public bridge located in a rural area.area and posted to limit commercial or school bus traffic.

Page 2 HB189 Engrossed (1) Adopt rules to implement and administer this section.

(4) Ensure that all revenues provideddeposited in Sectionthe 40-21-51,Logging CodeEfficiency ofGrant AlabamaFund 1975,created under subsection (e) are used as follows:

Page 3 HB189 INTRODUCED b.

Grants will be prioritized based on the county commission's application setting forth the amount of matching contributions provided to the project and the rural economic impact of the project.project, with emphasis placed on forest product production.

95(5) (e)(1)Create Therean isadvisory createdcommittee a fund in the State Treasury to beassist knownwith asprioritizing the Loggingproject Workforcegrant andapplications. Forest Product Harvesting and Transportation Grant Fund.

The advisory committee shall include representatives of county government and the forest products industry.

Page 3 HB189 Engrossed (6) Coordinate its appointments to the advisory committee to assure that the committee membership is inclusive and reflects the racial, gender, geographic urban, rural, and economic diversity of the state.

(e)(1) There is created a fund in the State Treasury to be known as the Logging Efficiency Grant Fund.

AllRevenue distributionssources madeas todirected theby, fundand pursuantat tothe Sectiondiscretion 40-21-51,of, Codethe ofLegislature. Alabama 1975.

All grants, gifts, bequests, or donations made to 95 the fund from any source whatsoever.

c.

Appropriations as directed by, and at the discretion of, the Legislature.

d.

Any other lawful source.

(3) No monies shall be withdrawn or expended from the fund for any purpose unless the monies have been appropriated by the Legislature and allocated pursuant to this chapter.section.

Any monies appropriated shall be budgeted and allotted pursuant to the Budget Management Act in accordance with Article 4, commencing with Section 41-4-80 of Chapter 4 of Title 41, Code of Alabama 1975, and only in the amounts provided by the Legislature in the general Page 4 HB189 INTRODUCED appropriations act or other appropriations act.

SectionThis 40-21-51,act Codeshall become effective on the first day of Alabamathe 1975,third ismonth amendedfollowing asits follows:passage and approval by Page 4 HB189 Engrossed the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.

"§40-21-51Page All5 revenuesHB189 collectedEngrossed underHouse theof provisionsRepresentatives ofRead Sectionfor 40-21-50the shall,first aftertime deductionand ofreferred ................22-Mar-23 to the costHouse of collection,Representatives shallcommittee beon distributedWays inand Means General Fund Read for the followingsecond manner:time and placed ................11-May-23 on the calendar:

(1)amendments Eighty-fiveRead percentfor of the balancethird remainingtime afterand deductionpassed of................16-May-23 theas costamended ofYeas collection103 shallNays be0 depositedAbstains in0 theJohn SpecialTreadwell MentalClerk HealthPage Fund6 to be used for mental health purposes.;

and (2) Fifteen percent of the balance remaining after deduction of the cost of collection shall be deposited in the State General Fund State Treasury to the credit of the Logging Workforce and Forest Product Harvesting and Transportation Grant Fund under Section 9-3-10." Section 3.

This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.

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