2024
The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber is grateful to the members of the Madison County Legislative Delegation, Gov. Kay Ivey, Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, and the other leaders in State Government for their continued support of this region. A healthy partnership PAGE 3 Economic Development PreK–12 Education PAGE 4 Workforce Development Invest in Higher Education: Supporting the Region’s Advanced Workforce PAGE 5 Alabama Community College System Health Insurance Coverage Expansion PAGE 6 Broadband Infrastructure – Roads PAGE 7 Infrastructure – Airport Cyber Biosciences PAGE 8 Support Appointed Superintendent & Boards of Education Stop Predatory Lending
2 2024 STATE AGENDA \\ Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
with the State is critical to our region’s continued success. Support for the items listed in this agenda will help ensure the continued growth of north Alabama and the Tennessee Valley region.
Economic Development SEEDS Act Support Alabama’s success in attracting business has been nothing short of remarkable, resulting in new jobs, increased payroll, and transformative capital investments. This prosperity, however, has ushered in a new challenge in continuing the state’s leading economic status — a scarcity of “shovel-ready” high-quality industrial sites for future economic development. To our benefit, the legislature enacted the Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy (SEEDS) Act in 2023. Aimed at accelerating the development of industry-ready sites, the SEEDS Act has helped to secure Alabama’s position as a prime destination for businesses and industry by closing the gap with our neighboring states. Additional funding is needed to continue this important program. Competition for economic investment is fierce, and Alabama is not the first state to recognize the importance of investing in industrial site development. Competitive states strategically identify promising properties and invest in their development to make them attractive. An additional appropriation of $75M is needed for SEEDS Act property acquisition and site development. Increase Caps on Entertainment Industry Incentives The Chamber identified the entertainment industry as one of our key targeted industries when we updated our strategic industry growth plan in 2022. This industry has a desirable economic impact as well as enhancing the quality of life in our community. The State of Alabama is likewise interested in growing the entertainment industry in the State. To enhance entertainment industry growth, additional economic development incentives, specific to this industry, are needed. We support increasing the cap on entertainment industry incentives from $20M to $50M with reserve of $2M for targeting the music industry and $2M for targeting Virtual Reality/gaming.
PreK–12 Education Thriving public schools are essential to a thriving business community and economy. The Chamber urges the Legislature to prioritize policy and budget allocations that ensure the academic needs, physical safety, and health and well-being of every child to prepare them for long-term success. The Chamber strongly supports the recommendations presented by the Governor’s Commission on Teaching and Learning in its final report dated December 1, 2023, to enhance the quality of elementary and secondary education in Alabama. Some, though not all, of these recommendations are reinforced in the areas of focus noted below. Quality Teaching and Learning FULLY FUNDED MANDATES High quality education requires investment in people and resources to achieve success. We support efforts that fully fund any mandated PreK-12 programs in our schools. Most notably, we support fully implementing and funding the Literacy and Numeracy Acts, which have proven to be successful models. This includes funding associated elementary instructional coaches for both reading and math, after-school, and summer programs. Access to these programs also demands that student transportation deficits be addressed. Prepare All Students for Long-Term Success STUDENT SUPPORT Teacher engagement and school-level leadership are critical to student success. We support lowering the divisors in classrooms for grades 4 through 8 to achieve a teacher to pupil ratio of 1:18. We also support funding at least one assistant principal for every school and applying a ratio of one assistant principal to every 250 students to support students at larger schools. Additionally, we support increased at-risk funding to better reflect the intensive instructional needs of at-risk students – students who are high poverty, high academic need, or both.
Students need a safe, supportive environment to learn. We support funding a line item for school safety expenditures. We also support additional mental health services for students, including a fully funded mental health counselor, and having fully funded nurses in every school. To ensure equitable access for all students, we support increased funding levels for transportation. SCHOOL READINESS We recommend that Pre-K be fully funded in all school systems so that every family who wishes to participate has the ability to do so. Ongoing research shows that graduates of Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program have higher math and reading proficiency levels than their peers, regardless of zip code, demographics or school. Additionally, to provide students with a foundation for success, we support efforts that would require students to complete kindergarten before entering first grade. COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS It is critical that all students graduate college and career ready. We support funding the necessary efforts to provide the courses, certifications, and programs for all students to achieve these indicators. Students in grades 5-8 should participate in meaningful career exploration activities and all high school students should have access to a high-quality career coach to plan for graduation and beyond. To provide students with critical, relevant experiences, we support increased funding for school-based gifted and robotics programs, as well as fine arts programs. Science, technology, engineering, and math are critical to our future workforce and our economy, as are careers in growing local industries, including music and the arts. EDUCATOR RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND DEVELOPMENT We strongly support efforts to attract and retain talent in our schools to ensure high quality education for our students and long-term success for our region. Recognizing the criticality of highly qualified individuals in the teaching profession, we support funding to ensure ongoing teacher salary increases. Raising teacher salaries to be more commensurate with other respected professions will also help with teacher and school morale and help counter a pervasive loss of respect for the teaching profession. To address specific shortages with teacher recruitment efforts, we support creative solutions such as signing bonuses for hard-to-fill positions and the use of adjunct teachers who can bolster the regular profession with their subject-matter expertise, especially in STEM subjects. To help with teacher recruitment and retention, we support allowing retirees to come back into the teaching profession without compromising their retirement income. We also support efforts that will allow other state retirees to work in our K-12 schools in critical support roles, such as bus drivers, without compromising their retirement earnings. We support teacher recruitment initiatives, including compensation for teacher college internships, scholarships, student loan forgiveness, bonuses for students pursuing education degrees, and implementation of apprenticeship and dual enrollment pathway programs to rebuild the pipeline of educator talent that is significantly lacking. We also support efforts to ensure individuals relocating with out-of-state certifications can quickly and easily have reciprocity in Alabama. Recognizing that an effective teacher is the most significant factor in a student’s classroom experience, we support that all schools receiving public funding are subject to the same quality standards for teachers. We support incentives for teachers to seek National Board Certification, increased funding for in-demand subjects and specialties, such as TEAMS (to include special education, engineering, high-need career technical education, STEM teachers, and bilingual/English Language Learner (ELL) instructors), adding additional leave days to current teacher contracts to allow much needed time for professional development, and funded efforts to attract and retain teachers in Alabama. Huntsville/Madison County Chamber // 2024 STATE AGENDA 3
ACCOUNTABILITY Our education system is critical to the long-term success of our community and state. We support that all schools receiving public funding be subject to one consistent accountability report, such as the A–F School and School System Report Card, to provide insight that educators, parents/guardians, and the public understand and respect. SUSTAINABILITY As our region experiences significant growth, our schools remain critical to attract, retain, and develop the talent we need today and into the future. We support increased capital investment in our schools that enables them to meet the needs of our community and invests in infrastructure that will have long term benefits. These current investments have the opportunity to provide modern facilities with increased efficiency that will allow future investment to be focused on students rather than ongoing maintenance and facilities expenses. Such efforts also require more efficient and faster response times to receive approval for construction and/or needed building renovations combined with funding for school construction projects aligned to rising costs. Recognizing technology as a critical piece of school infrastructure, we support increased funding to hire professionally trained staff to support technology in schools. Current funding levels do not allow school systems to be competitive in hiring and to support necessary technology systems. We support revisiting the allocation and division of the online sales tax, or simplified sellers use tax (SSUT), funds. The growth of the SSUT has exceeded expectations and has resulted in a drop in local sales tax, negatively affecting local school revenue. To enable schools to plan and execute their mission effectively, we strongly support local control for school calendars, including start and end dates and breaks that meet the required number of school days. We also support state funds being distributed in advance of the school year.
Workforce Development Career Awareness / Workforce Development Enhancement A skilled, available workforce is critical to the ongoing success of the north Alabama region. The Chamber will seek additional support for proven strategies to attract students into high-growth, high-demand careers, upskill and engage displaced workers, and increase the labor participation rate across the region. Workforce Recruitment Recruiting talent from across the country continues to be a high priority for the Chamber to meet the current and future workforce needs of regional employers. The Chamber’s ASmartPlace campaign was expanded in 2022 with local funds and will continue to be a focus area of investment to meet regional demands. The Chamber will seek State support to complement the local and regional recruitment activities. Child Care Affordable, quality childcare is an issue across the state, with demand exceeding supply by nearly 50 percent in north Alabama. The Alabama Workforce Council has identified childcare as a top barrier to achieving our state’s goal of adding 500,000 highly skilled employees to its workforce by 2025. Quality childcare helps prepare students for Pre-K and Kindergarten, and helps parents go to work knowing their children are safe. In 2022, state lawmakers approved a historic investment in Alabama’s Quality Stars program for childcare. We encourage additional investments to support childcare quality; expand access and affordability for families; and strengthen the early childhood workforce. We support efforts to promote and enhance a star-based quality system while providing subsidies and support for childcare centers to make the necessary improvements to meet the higher standards. We also support tax credits for parents, childcare programs and staff, and tax credits for businesses that provide childcare benefits to their employees. 4 2024 STATE AGENDA \\ Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
Invest in Higher Education: Supporting the Region’s Advanced Workforce The University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville and Madison County’s workforce is a critical national asset, and the success of our knowledge-based economy is highly dependent on advanced workforce development. Support of the University of Alabama in Huntsville is crucial to the region’s growth. To better meet the advanced workforce needs of Redstone Arsenal, Cummings Research Park, and their surrounding region, we respectfully request increased state appropriations and investment in Capital Improvement projects for The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). UAH IT INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENT, CAMPUS IT DATA CENTER IMPROVEMENTS AND MASS NOTIFICATION SYSTEM UPGRADES UAH requests the State of Alabama’s continued support to build and develop IT infrastructure on campus, to replace the primary IT Data Center in an effort to improve business continuity and mitigate unplanned outages and complete the Campus Mass Notification System to include buildings that are not covered by the existing campus system. This support would improve big data, and overall campus IT infrastructure. UAH has been the cornerstone of academics, advanced research and development in the Huntsville community for over 55 years and will continue to be the driving force in this region. The development of UAH’s IT and cybersecurity capabilities are a top priority. UAH ADVANCED WORKFORCE PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT REDSTONE ARSENAL, CUMMINGS RESEARCH PARK Strategic investments and direct support of programs would help students fill critical jobs in Huntsville upon graduating. We should expend revenues to expand and enhance our capabilities through the use of effective university tools, and to create or grow critical mass in specific areas of importance to the future mission needs of Redstone Arsenal in Cybersecurity, Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. In addition to offering innovative research to federal agencies to overcome technological challenges, such an investment would provide additional benefits to the future Redstone workforce as a result of UAH students gaining experience, and clearances with federal agencies at Redstone Arsenal. This is crucial for Huntsville’s advance workforce pipeline and retention for Redstone’s aging workforce, particularly engineers. Alabama A&M University GENERAL SCIENCE BUILDING (NEW CONSTRUCTION) Alabama A&M University (AAMU) seeks support from the State of Alabama for a new General Science and Teaching Facility which will provide state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms for faculty and students allowing for advanced science education and is a top priority for the university. This cutting-edge and innovative facility will serve as the hub for all general science majors including biology, physics and chemistry. The facility’s technological advancements will allow for collaborative learning with our local, regional and national partners. As an active-learning environment, the facility will be an addition to AAMU’s growing science program by creating more research opportunities, attracting new majors and producing well-equipped students for the competitive science workforce. IT SERVICES AND BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE Alabama A&M University requests support for its Office of Information Technology (OIT). Delivering secure technology services, applications, and hi-speed broadband internet, for students, faculty, and staff. AAMU asks for continued support from the State of Alabama to update and improve broadband and cybersecurity capabilities across main campus, the Winfred Thomas Research Station and the Alabama A&M Agribition Center. Updating the network infrastructure (residential and academic
buildings), enhancing WiFi (indoor and outdoor), increasing HyFlex learning spaces, and protecting data and the network are all top priorities of AAMU’s IT department. AAMU is committed to strengthening its information security program, through access controls, authentication and encryption as mandated by the recent mandate of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Safeguards Rule. Enhanced online learning resources and updated broadband internet are critical elements of a successful college experience and are key to building strong research partnerships with entities such as The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Cummings Research Park companies, and National Research Labs across the country. AAMU is primed to expand its global reach through partnerships with international universities and research MOU’s. ROAD, WATER, AND UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE Deferred maintenance is a particularly problematic issue for HBCUs. In 2025, AAMU will be 150 years old as an institution with several historic buildings continuing to be used on a full-time basis. Deferred maintenance is, in essence, the postponement of necessary maintenance and repairs of institutional infrastructure in the institution’s normal budget cycle due to a lack of requisite funding. Whether academic buildings, residence halls or laboratories for research and development (“R&D”) work, the AAMU Deferred Maintenance Project will replace aging materials to meet current and future infrastructure capacity demand. These improvements will add to the University’s student experience and confirm the needed resources for a conducive learning environment.
Alabama Community College System The Alabama Community College System (ACCS), through Calhoun Community College and Drake State Community and Technical College, supports our community and business and industry partners through the development of education and workforce development programs that closely align with regional workforce development needs. The ACCS is a key cog in Governor Ivey’s “Strong Start, Strong Finish” education and workforce development initiative to produce 500,000 newly credentialed individuals into Alabama’s workforce by 2025. The ACCS has requested increased funding from the Education Trust Fund for Fiscal Year 2025 for various programs and services, and the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber supports legislative consideration of increased appropriations for the following purposes: ■ Operations and Maintenance (O&M) – Due to inflationary cost increases and significant enrollment increases in the last year, both Calhoun and Drake State need additional O&M dollars to maintain and expand programs and services for students and business and industry. The ACCS has requested a 5 percent increase in O&M for FY25 to cover inflationary cost increases and address other needs at all community and technical colleges. ■ Dual Enrollment – Dual enrollment continues to grow significantly between Calhoun, Drake State, and area high schools. Dual enrollment opportunities are very popular with high school students, as they can earn both high school and college credit while in high school. The State of Alabama has provided funding for Dual Enrollment Scholarships so that high school students can take courses from Alabama community colleges free of charge. Due to popularity of this program and its proven success, the demand has far outpaced available funds. The ACCS has requested a $10M increase in the state appropriation for Dual Enrollment Scholarships to a total of $40M to address the continued skyrocketing popularity for dual enrollment courses across the state. ■ ACCS Innovation Center – The ACCS Innovation Center, whose headquarters is located in north Alabama, offers rapid, no-cost training for Alabama residents to quickly obtain the skills and credentials needed for high-wage, high-demand jobs. These courses, known as Skills for Success courses, are provided by the community and technical colleges in areas such as CDL, Heavy Equipment Operator, Fiber Optic
Technician, Hospitality/Food and Beverage, and many other types of jobs and industry sectors. The ACCS has requested a $5M increase in the ACCS Innovation Center’s state appropriation to a total of $20M to address the growing popularity for Skills for Success courses across the state. With the State Department of Education recently approving Skills for Success courses as a College and Career Ready Indicator required for high school graduation beginning in 2025-2026, the demand for these courses is expected to continue to grow. ■ Facilities and Capital Improvements – Thanks to the substantial investments made by the Alabama Legislature in the last few years, the ACCS has undertaken a significant Facility Renewal and Capital Improvement effort to enhance the capabilities of community and technical colleges in north Alabama and across the state, including the construction of a new Workforce Training Center at Drake State and expansion of Calhoun’s Advanced Manufacturing Center. While these new and expanded facilities will be a game-changer for north Alabama, there are additional capital needs at both colleges to meet the workforce demand of business and industry in the area. We support continued investment of one-time dollars by the state legislature to support workforce facility needs at Calhoun and Drake State. ■ Alabama’s Career Roadmap Initiative – The ACCS is requesting $6M to implement a workforce development/labor force participation strategy known as Alabama’s Career Roadmap. Alabama’s Career Roadmap is a comprehensive strategy aimed at helping high school students envision success beyond high school and within careers in Alabama, due primarily to the influence of business leaders and educators who are engaged in the initiative. The Roadmap is developed by the Alabama Community College System and stands out for its early investment in specific degree pathways aligned with competency-based workforce needs. It emphasizes collaboration with K-12 education and business and industry. In short, the Roadmap champions a competency-based approach to higher education, providing students with the practical skills and training demanded by the current job market. ■ One of the strongest elements of Alabama’s Career Roadmap is the incorporation of a robust mentorship program involving educators, community leaders, and industry professionals, ensuring active engagement from high school through college to career. This holistic continuum of education, community involvement, mentorship, and mental health counseling for all students and career development aligns strategically with the state’s objectives, contributing significantly to workforce development and increased credentials for young Alabamians.
Health Insurance Coverage Expansion Healthcare coverage expansion in Alabama provides an opportunity to meet the basic health care needs of more than 300,000 individuals, most of whom are currently working but cannot afford insurance. Federal funding covers the cost of expansion for at least five years, boosts the State economy, and creates jobs. Current coverage provides health insurance for low-income children, pregnant women, the elderly and the disabled. Alabama has one of the most restrictive eligibility thresholds in the country, with zero non-disabled, childless adults enrolled in Alabama Medicaid. Adults in a family of three earning more than $312 per month currently cannot qualify. The health insurance provided covers a bare minimum of services. The cost per enrollee is the third lowest in the country and administrative costs are less than 3 percent. The newly covered population can receive care in a lower cost environment (a doctor’s office as opposed to an emergency department) and the burden of shifting uncompensated care to the commercially insured population declines. Many patients with mental health and substance abuse issues would be able to receive care before landing in an emergency department. States that have already expanded have generated a significant body of research demonstrating the positive impact on health outcomes (lower infant mortality, better cancer diagnosis). Huntsville/Madison County Chamber // 2024 STATE AGENDA 5
Rural hospitals in Alabama are experiencing a funding crisis. Unable to absorb the burden of uncompensated care in their communities and recovering from the unprecedented impact of the COVID pandemic, 13 hospitals have closed since 2010. These closures eliminate jobs and force patients to travel to urban areas for care. Hospital emergency departments function as the nation’s healthcare safety net – the provider of last resort for patients who cannot pay for their healthcare – and these closures consolidate uncompensated care. In order to remain viable, hospitals pass along the burden of this uncompensated care to commercially insured patients, raising healthcare costs for employers and individuals who purchase their own coverage.
Broadband Broadband funding of $2.5B has been awarded to Alabama from Federal agencies such as, NTIA (BEAD, Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program, Connecting Middle Mile, U.S. Treasury Capital Projects Fund (CPF), U.S. Department of Commerce, Congress via the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), FCC (Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF)), and the USDA ReConnect program, in addition to the $92.4M Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund (ABAF). Of this $2.5B in broadband funding, $283.6M has been expended to date and just over $2.2B of these broadband infrastructure funds remain. The largest broadband infrastructure funding opportunity for Alabama is the NTIA BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) fund for which our state was awarded $1.4B. ADECA issued a draft of its initial proposal Volume 1 to NTIA in November 2023 to NTIA for public comments. These comments are due to ADECA by December 14, 2023. In short, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Alabama to completely build its critical fiber-optic broadband infrastructure and connect every citizen, school, business, and anchor institution, providing high-speed broadband and the infrastructure for smart grid modernization, 5G wireless services, public safety, Quantum Networking, and fuel Alabama’s innovation for the future. Connecting every Alabama citizen with broadband will provide the opportunity for jobs, economic development, access to education and healthcare, and will benefit generations to come. Our State must seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity now, as the window for this historical level of broadband funding will not last long. The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber supports broadband policies that promote: (1) increased access to affordable broadband for all Alabamians; (2) the efficient deployment of advanced technologies, including Quantum Networking, small cells and 5G; (3) continued investment and innovation to enhance deployment across north Alabama; (4) gives preference for Alabama manufactured components, such as those manufactured by Adtran; and (5) competition and choice for Alabama’s businesses and residents.
Infrastructure Roads All infrastructure road projects on this list are considered high-priority roads and are projects that involve a route with a federal designation. All listed projects are listed on the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). ■ Widening Highway 72 West towards and through Madison – US Highway 72 West Widening – This 5.5 miles of widening through multiple jurisdictions will provide six lanes to improve overall traffic flow, critical capacity, and safety improvements along this urban principal east-west arterial with average daily traffic volumes ranging near 50,000 vehicles per day. This project is currently in design and, due to the project size and duration, we understand there is consideration for two project phases to move it forward more quickly. Phase 1 is anticipated to be between Providence Main and Jeff Road. Highway 72 has become a major throughput and safety concern for the greater Huntsville community. 6 2024 STATE AGENDA \\ Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
■ Widening the last four lane section of I-565 between I-65 and downtown Huntsville – Interstate 565 Widening (CLR to Wall-Triana) – This has been a top priority for the community as new jobs and investment continue to come to the region. We are grateful for the recent completion of six lanes on I-565 between I-65 and County Line Road. We understand that the next segment between County Line Road and Wall Triana Highway is currently under design. We are seeking a continued commitment to move this project toward construction to complete all six lanes along I-565 through our growing community. ■ Widening Highway 53 to six lanes out of NW Huntsville towards Harvest – Highway 53 Widening (Jeff Road to Old RR Bed) – As growth in northwest Madison County has continued, this critical artery is becoming increasingly dangerous. What was once a sleepy agriculture community is now filled with vibrant subdivisions and retail. This project would widen Highway 53 to six lanes from Jeff Road to Old Railroad Bed Road. ■ Construction of a Redstone Arsenal focused interchange on I-565 near Resolute Way – Resolute Way Interchange at I-565 – With this project, drivers on Madison Boulevard would be connected to Redstone Arsenal at Gate 9. This new interchange would improve safety and efficiency directly west of the existing I-565 and Research Park Boulevard (SR 255) interchange that leads directly into Gate 9. This is a heavily traveled roadway with 75,000 vehicles per day connecting Redstone Arsenal to the Northern Bypass. A new interchange is needed to reduce congestion and improve safety at this location. An environmental assessment is currently being performed by Redstone Arsenal and we are seeking funds to move this project forward into design and construction to benefit the region. ■ Extending I-565 eastward toward Gurley and Scottsboro US Highway 72 East (Corridor V) – This project will provide an extension of I-565 to include service roads and new interchanges at Moores Mill Road and Shields Road, which will add approximately 2.3 miles along I-565 through a congested area, which continues to grow. In 2015, one additional lane westbound from Shields Road and one additional turn lane at Moores Mill Road were added as a temporary fix for the congestion, however very little benefit was had since the area continues to outgrow the previous temporary improvements. ■ An earlier version of this project was originally funded with Federal Appalachian Regional Commission funds. During that period, an environmental document was completed. Currently, the design is nearly finished. Acquisition
was previously started in 2013, but was forced to stop because of a change in funding priorities by the Federal government. To date, new residential and commercial developments, as well as new job centers, continue to be established within the eastern side of our region. The extension of I-565 through this urban corridor would significantly improve traffic flow along US Highway 72 from adjacent regions. ■ Overhauling the interchange between I-565 and Memorial Parkway in the heart of Huntsville – I-565 / US Highway 231 Interchange Modifications – This is the only interchange in our region in which an Interstate and US Highway intersects directly within our urban core. The current interchange serves approximately 190,000 vehicles per day through the center of the region. A corridor study has been completed, showing all turning movements are at functional failure due to continued growth, and also showing the interchange is not capable to safely and efficiently handle current traffic volumes. We are seeking funding to move this project forward to design and construction. ■ Creation of a connecting road between I-565 and Redstone Arsenal Gate 10 – Redstone Arsenal East Connector – This roadway will provide direct access from I-565 to Redstone Arsenal Gate 10 at Patton Road, which consists of 2.5 miles of new four-lane divided limited access highway. This project is needed to divert Interstate traffic directly to the eastern side of Redstone Arsenal to its City Center for direct access to new jobs and buildings that are associated with existing and proposed employment centers and infrastructure on base. Additional funding is needed to improve gate access inside Redstone Arsenal. The corridor study is currently underway, and we are seeking funding to move the project toward design and construction.
Support for the Huntsville International Airport
– Fully Fund the “Alabama Airport Economic and Infrastructure Program” at $25M
The Chamber supports fully funding the “Alabama Airport Economic and Infrastructure Program,” at $25M which would allow Alabama airports the funding needed to meet infrastructure demands. The proposed legislation would provide Alabama airports $25M each fiscal year. $15M of this would be allocated for commercial service airports based on each airport’s pro rata share of entitlement funds received by the airport under the federal Airport Improvement Program for the preceding fiscal year and $10M would be disbursed to general aviation airports as determined by ALDOT. Airports are one of the most fundamental components of business and community infrastructure because they facilitate continuous economic growth for contiguous economic regions. Airports also provide monumental economic benefits and economic impacts for their respective regions within the state of Alabama. Recent economic impact assessments show a total impact of $4.9 billion statewide annual economic activity. In addition, the one study details that Alabama Airports contribute a combined $267.6M annually to state and local tax revenues. Of that amount, approximately $55M is going directly into the General Fund for the state of Alabama. Investments in airports have a tremendous return on investment. One recent study indicated that a $1 investment in airport core business, from any funding source, can generate $5 in additional income for the community. Over the past 10 years all Alabama airports combined have received between $45M and $70M annually from the federal government, but over half of that has been discretionary funding. With discretionary funding less likely moving forward, ALDOT Aeronautics Bureau states that there is $59.3M in airport pavement funding needed annually just to maintain the current pavement at Alabama airports. Requested Action: Fully fund the “Alabama Airport Economic and Infrastructure Program,” at $25M which would allow Alabama airports the funding needed to meet infrastructure demands. The proposed legislation would provide Alabama airports $25M each fiscal year. $15M of this would be allocated for commercial service airports based on each
airport’s pro rata share of entitlement funds received by the airport under the federal Airport Improvement Program for the preceding fiscal year and $10M would be disbursed to general aviation airports as determined by ALDOT.
Cyber The Huntsville and Madison County region is currently facing a shortfall in the availability of skilled professionals in the cybersecurity and technology sectors, particularly at the mid and senior levels. These sectors have continued to experience steady growth, and we anticipate this trend will persist in the future. There are multiple collaborative efforts with various organizations, including academic institutions, nonprofits, and industry partners to develop a new generation of technology workers, upskill our current workforce, and attracting new talent to our area, thereby reinforcing Huntsville and Madison County’s position as a hub of technological innovation and expertise. The Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering has placed their first full-scale set of interns, who are performing technical work with various agencies and industry partners in the Tennessee Valley. Huntsville is planning on developing a Regional Cyber Lab with a mission to provide the greater Tennessee Valley region with coordinated cybersecurity awareness through collaborative access to tools, intelligence, and a trained and capable workforce. This lab is envisioned to be a nexus of a state-of-the-art physical space with a virtual cyber playground where cybersecurity experts, academics, local CEOs and public officials work together to enhance cybersecurity resilience through timely sharing of information and analysis, while also offering specialized training with safe environments to simulate and defend against cyberattacks. Included in this collaborative physical space would be the following three (3) key areas: ■ Free Cyber Range – Free cyber range that provides the broader community with a collaborative, cloud-based platform for training, development and testing of cybersecurity tools in a safe and controlled environment. ■ Cyber Gaming Range – This is the cybersecurity equivalent of a flight simulator: cyber practitioners of all levels can develop real-world skills in a game-like virtual environment. ■ Cyber Incident Simulator – This is a cloud-based cyber incident simulator specifically designed for small and medium-sized (SMB) organizations to help them proactively manage their cyber risk. This is of special importance to the many SMBs in the Defense Industrial Base community in Huntsville and Montgomery.
Biosciences Alabama’s bioscience sector is making scientific discoveries, generating quality jobs, and producing a significant economic impact for the state. One significant catalyst that propelled the U.S. to be a global leader in bioscience is the Human Genome Project. This monumental achievement sequenced an entire human genome and drove advancements in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer, pediatric disease, and infectious disease, as well as accelerated drug development and improved agricultural practices to better feed and fuel the world. Alabamians were instrumental in the success of the Human Genome Project and, over two decades later, are still at the forefront of the biggest challenges in human health and agriculture. The Chamber is grateful to the State of Alabama for prioritizing the biosciences in the areas of research, education, medicine, and economic development. With over $7B in annual economic impact, support of the biosciences throughout the state continues to represent a sound investment. Huntsville/Madison County contributes to this growth of the biosciences industry in both human health and agriculture with various public and private entities, as well as HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, which combined employ thousands of people in high-quality jobs. Huntsville/Madison County Chamber // 2024 STATE AGENDA 7
The Chamber supports further investment into basic and applied research at the state’s exceptional post-secondary education and research institutions. The Chamber encourages additional investment, via policies and incentives, in recruitment and support of a bioscience workforce and entrepreneurship programs. The Chamber supports the renewal of economic development incentives that include the biosciences. The Chamber applauds and encourages further approaches to entrepreneur- and recruitment-based economic development like the “Game Plan” package passed in 2023. Additionally, the Chamber supports legislation, such as the Alabama Innovation Act, which created the Alabama Research and Development Enhancement Fund, and encourages collaborative, use-inspired approaches to research and development, thus increasing opportunities for employment and commercialization. The Chamber also supports Innovate Alabama, as that organization promotes the innovation economy throughout Alabama. Finally, the Chamber supports measures to connect entrepreneurs and innovators in every part of the state, as there are opportunities to collaborate and build on the good ideas that are found across Alabama. With the state’s ongoing interest and support, the bioscience industry can continue to grow and flourish in Alabama. The results will yield additional new jobs and capital investment to drive discoveries, applications, and innovation which will improve healthcare and agriculture for those in Alabama and far beyond our state’s borders.
ALABAMA STATE GOVERNMENT Governor Kay Ivey (R) Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth (R) ALABAMA SENATE (Madison County Legislative Delegation) Tom Butler (R), District 2 Arthur Orr (R), District 3 Sam Givhan (R), District 7 Steve Livingston (R), District 8 Wes Kitchens (R), District 9
Support Appointed Superintendent and Boards of Education Only 78 out of 15,000 Superintendents of Education are elected to their position. All 14,900+ other school systems select their Superintendents by appointment by their School Boards. Nearly half – 37 of these 78 elected superintendents – are in Alabama. Only 22 local Boards of Education are elected in Alabama. Examples of elected superintendents and elected school board members working at cross-purposes is not hard to find. Electing both School Boards and Superintendents presents a dysfunctional governance model to the detriment of the school system. The board must set the policy and have the authority to effectively manage the superintendent to carry out those policy decisions. The Chamber supports legislation that will require all K-12 superintendents to be appointed by the locally elected or appointed school board. Additionally, the Chamber supports local decision making about appointing or electing their boards of education. This allows for a broader selection process that is not restricted to a local constituency, and positions the appointed superintendent, to work for, and be responsible to the board.
ALABAMA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (Madison County Legislative Delegation) Parker Moore (R), District 4 Andy Whitt (R), District 6 Laura Hall (D), District 19 James Lomax (R), District 20 Rex Reynolds (R), District 21 Ritchie Whorton (R), District 22 Phillip Rigsby (R), District 25 Anthony Daniels (D), District 53
Stop Predatory Lending The Chamber supports meaningful reform of Alabama laws regulating predatory lending practices that include, but are not limited to, payday and title loans. Predatory lenders in Alabama are legally allowed to charge extremely high interest rates and fees on shortterm, small dollar loans, creating a cycle of debt that hurts Alabama families and drives more citizens into a downward spiral of poverty. We advocate for fair and equitable access to credit for Alabamians and we strongly support legislation to curb predatory practices that cause economic hardship for working families and drain resources from communities.
Madison County Legislative Office 726 Madison Street, Huntsville, AL 35801 phone: 256-539-5441 | fax: 256-539-5444
For more about the Chamber, visit us at hsvchamber.org.
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