Much at stake as new session set to begin

Gov. Bob Riley has had success with the Legislature in the past, but that could be in jeopardy this year.

Tension could be high when the session begins at noon Tuesday. Riley, who will be involved in his fifth legislative session, could be fighting a potentially hostile state Senate with a bipartisan agenda.

Riley backed an attempt by a coalition of 12 Republicans and seven Democrats to overthrow the Democrat-led Senate.

The move backfired and Democrats narrowly kept control, 18-17.

Senate Republicans have said they will filibuster, if needed, to get considerations for their party, with payback being on the minds of some Democrats.

The combination could make for an uneasy session, insiders say.

The regular session comes on the heels of a special session that was called last week to deal with economic development issues.

Alabama Public Television will broadcast a legislative program Tuesday from 6-7:30 p.m., with Riley's State of the State speech scheduled to be broadcast live at 6:30 p.m.

There are many issues to be settled during the session. Among those are:

/n passage of the state's education and general government budgets for the fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

/n prison funding, especially a new women's prison.

/n attempts to limit property appraisals to once every four years and annual ad valorem tax increases to no more than 3 percent.

/n removing the state sales tax on food.

/n 7 percent state teacher and state employee pay raises.

/n a major school construction bond issue.

The regular session can last no more than 105 calendar days, so the session's last day could be as late as June 18.

During the session, the 105 House members and 35 senators could introduce as many as 1,500 bills, including hundreds of local ones. Most will fail.

Democrats could attempt to redraw legislative and congressional district lines to preserve their hold on the Legislature, the last bastion of non-local control Democrats have in Alabama.

"We will be looking at redistricting,'' said Sen. Lowell Barron, chairman of the powerful Senate Rules Committee. "That option is on the table and will be on the table.''

Senate Democrats wrote new rules in January to make it easier to redraw legislative and congressional lines. They were last drawn in 2002 to comply with population shifts as outlined by the 2000 Census.

Sen. Charles Bishop, R-Curry, said Democrats ought to be careful. "Reapportionment can backfire because you can end up electing more Republicans,'' Bishop said.

Ethics will also be an issue this session.

Riley's proposed ethics legislation includes banning the transfer of campaign contributions through numerous political action committees, thus disguising the source.

"This is the best opportunity we will have to finally get it done because more people are aware of this practice and because members of both parties have publicly pledged to end it,'' Riley said.

State Rep. Randy Hinshaw, D-Meridianville, said banning transfers of campaign contributions through PACs is a priority for the House. House members previously passed similar legislation only to see it die in the Senate.

Legislation to ban PAC transfers and to require even nonprofit groups such as the Christian Coalition to reveal their funding if they get involved in political issues will travel together, said Senate Majority Leader Zeb Little, D-Cullman.

"I'm not going to be for passing one without passing the other,'' said Little, who represents Lawrence County.

Riley may have the support of some powerful lobbyists in his efforts to stop transfers.

Paul Hubbert, executive director of the Alabama Education Association, and contract lobbyists Joe Fine and Bob Geddie, whether by design or by accident, want to change the system. They say they don't want their political action committees to be used to disguise the source of campaign money.

"AEA supports the elimination of PAC-to-PAC transfers,'' said AEA spokesman David Stout. "Dr. Hubbert will work in favor of legislation to eliminate these transfers.''

Hubbert's PAC in January gave $10,000 to state Sen. Phil Poole, D-Tuscaloosa, the day before a crucial Poole vote to keep the Senate in the AEA's camp. Hubbert said he could have hidden the transaction but did not because he was "tired'' of the subterfuge.

The AEA's PAC spent more than $8 million on political races last year, while Fine and Geddie PACs distributed about $4.5 million.

Geddie recently told clients that the 11 Fine and Geddie PACs no longer take contributions from nonclients and no longer transfer funds to other PACs.

"What happened is we, as a favor, allowed use of our PACs to help candidates," Geddie said. "When we did that, it kind of opened the door to doing a lot more than we ever intended. We're getting out of it.''

Riley said he wants legislators, public officials, and lobbyists to be accountable. That led to his decision to push reform in the session.

The governor's agenda includes full disclosure of lobbyist spending on public officials. Currently, a lobbyist can spend up to $249.99 a day, or $91,246 a year, before having to report it.

"I don't care if it's a cup of coffee,'' Riley said recently. "If a lobbyist buys it, then it should be reported because the people have a right to know who is spending what to try to influence public officials.''

Riley's political allies say he may have bitten off more than he can chew.

"I don't see anything wrong with disclosure but as far as the governor suggesting or maybe passing legislation, I'm not real sure if he has the political capital to do anything like that,'' said Rep. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale.

Allen said Riley lost his bid to control the Senate and there are barely enough Republicans in the House to sustain filibusters.

Barron said Riley shouldn't worry.

"To quote Gov. Riley, he got 95 percent of his programs passed in the past four years,'' Barron said. "I expect legislators to give a fair hearing to his programs and we'll have a successful four years.''

Dana Beyerle can be reached at (334) 264-6605 or dtb12345@aol.com.