A summary of action in the Alabama Legislature on Tuesday, the 15th meeting day of the regular session:
HOUSE:
—Approved a bill creating a gap insurance program so schools destroyed by fire or a natural disaster can be rebuilt to current school standards. Goes to Senate.
—Approved a bill creating a board to govern the Local Government Health Insurance Program. Goes to Senate.
SENATE:
—Honored 2002 Olympic gold medalist Vonetta Flowers of Birmingham.
—Debated, but did not vote on, a bill to set up an independent administrative law judge to hear appeals of state tax assessments.
—Passed a bill to require biodegradable plastic containers to be labeled to prevent contamination of recyclable plastic containers. Goes to House.
COMMITTEES:
—House Judiciary Committee approved a bill keeping secret the manufacturers and suppliers who furnish the drugs for Alabama's executions by lethal injection. Goes to House.
AGENDA:
—House Education Policy Committee meets at 3 p.m. Wednesday in room 418 of the Statehouse to consider a bill that would allow teachers to read the opening prayers of Congress at the start of the school day and another bill to clarify that private schools are not subject to regulation by the State Department of Education.
—House Health Committee meets at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Joint Briefing Room to consider multiple abortion bills including one that would ban abortion after the fetal heartbeat is detected.
—House Ways and Means General Fund Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in room 617 to consider the General Fund budget.
—Senate Finance and Taxation-Education Committee meets at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in room 727 to consider a bill phasing out the state sales tax on groceries and increasing the tax on other purchases.
—Senate Constitution and Elections Committee meets at 2 p.m. Wednesday in room 727 to consider a bill creating a way for voters to recall public officials.
—House meets at 9 a.m. Thursday and Senate at 10 a.m.
