By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – In Montgomery, the regular legislative session continued yesterday with a series of committee meetings.
The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund committee approved a bill that would require the Department of Economic and Community Affairs to notify a legislative oversight committee of all grants that the agency issues. That bill now goes to the full Senate. The committee also tied 8-8 on a pair of bills that would give the Legislature's Contract Review Committee more control over unbid contracts. That bill will stay in committee for further consideration.
In the Alabama House, the House Elections committee approved a bill that would prohibit special interest groups from hiding contributions to political candidates by transferring the money from one political action committee to another. The House Elections committee also passed part of the Democrats' accountability package that would eliminate the state auditor's position. The bills would also require groups to disclose the source of income for campaigns supporting or opposing certain issues.
Another House committee approved a bill that would require most state contracts to be reviewed by the Legislature's Contract Review Committee. That bill would also allow the committee to hold contracts for 120 days instead of the current 45 days. Those bills now go to the full House for consideration.