Section 41-10-621 Legislative findings and purpose.
Section 41-10-621
Legislative findings and purpose.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(1) The State of Alabama has a great need from time to time to have access to financing for economic development and industrial recruitment that does not involve improvements to revenue-producing facilities.
(2) It is desirable and in the public interest to establish a state-level authority with the power to issue bonds for such general purposes.
(3) The Alabama Supreme Court has held, in effect, that only when the debt of a public corporation is payable out of a new revenue source will such debt not be considered a debt of the state in contravention of Section 213 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901; the State of Alabama expects to receive in the near future new revenues from the settlement of certain litigation between the state and the tobacco industry and construction industry fees dedicated for the recruitment of, and the promotion of training programs and opportunities for, new construction craft workers.
(4) The Legislature also recognizes that, at any given time, the level of activity in our construction industry is a primary yardstick for measuring the overall economic health of this country and this state, and that the success and stability of the building, manufacturing, and commercial businesses are dependant upon a sufficient supply of skilled artisans and craft persons that can produce quality products that inspire public confidence. The State of Alabama and the nation has a great need for a program that provides for the recruitment of, and training programs and opportunities for, new construction craft trade workers. It is desirable and in the public interest to establish a state-level authority to create and implement such a program.
(5) The Legislature further anticipates the passage of a federal economic stimulus package providing substantial funding for significant new highway, road, bridge, and public infrastructure projects, and the Legislature recognizes that these projects will place additional demands for skilled artisans and craft persons which the existing construction workforce may not support.
(6) By the passage of this division, it is the intention of the Legislature to:
a. Provide for the creation of a special fund known as the Alabama 21st Century Fund into which tobacco revenues and construction industry fees dedicated for the recruitment of and the promotion of training programs and opportunities for new craft workers will be deposited.
b. Authorize the incorporation of the Alabama 21st Century Authority, which will have the power to issue bonds in limited amounts as provided in this division and for the purpose of promoting economic development and industrial recruitment, subject to legislative approval by separate act, which bonds may be payable out of specified monies held in the Alabama 21st Century Fund and other monies and property available to the authority, except for construction industry fees dedicated for the recruitment of and the promotion of training programs and opportunities for new construction craft workers.
c. Appropriate annually for the payment of such bonds a portion of the revenues held in the Alabama 21st Century Fund.
d. Authorize the establishment and incorporation of the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute by the Alabama 21st Century Authority for the purpose of creating and implementing a program providing for the recruitment of and the promotion of training programs and opportunities for new construction craft trade workers.
(b) The Legislature further finds and declares that it is desirable and in the public interest that tobacco revenues in an amount of up to $60,000,000 in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, up to $65,000,000 in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001, and up to $70,000,000 in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002, and in each fiscal year thereafter be transferred to the Children First Trust Fund to be appropriated by the Legislature, upon the recommendation of the Governor, for programs authorized by the Children First Act, Section 41-15B-1.
(c) The Legislature further finds and declares that it is desirable and in the public interest that tobacco revenues remaining each fiscal year after the distributions in subsection (a)(4)c. and subsection (b) be distributed to the Alabama Senior Services Trust Fund and the State General Fund for Medicaid purposes.
(d) The Legislature further finds and declares that it is desirable and in the public interest that construction industry fees dedicated for the recruitment of and the promotion of training programs and opportunities for new construction craft workers shall be annually appropriated to the 21st Century Authority and dedicated for expenses incurred or to be incurred by the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute.
(Act 99-353, p. 538, §1; Act 2009-563, §1.)