Committee adopts substitute to SB 91, narrowing economic-development change to Lauderdale County

The Senate committee adopted a substitute to SB 91 that narrows the bills scope and advanced the measure out of committee after debate about local delegation authority.

Senator Melson told the committee the substitute shifts the bill from a broader, statewide framing to a local/multi-county application focused on Lauderdale County and reduces the taxing or bonding authority in one provision to 0.75. Melson said the change aims to let a county exit an Economic Development Authority and require remaining resources and cash on hand to be divided in an agreeable manner, or resolved by courts if the counties cannot agree. "We have been trying to negotiate for 4 or 5 years without success," Melson said, calling the substitute a way to bring parties back to the table.

Opponents cautioned that the measure bypassed local delegations. One senator argued that local delegations exist so that representatives from counties and cities can resolve these matters locally; several members urged respecting the delegation process rather than turning disputes over to the entire Legislature. "If we have a local delegation, it really should be left up to the local delegation to make the decisions that are best for the area that they represent," a senator said.

Supporters countered that the substitute was aimed at a persistent inequity in cost and benefit-sharing among counties and that the measure provides an exit and negotiation mechanism for the county seeking relief. The clerk recorded a roll call adopting the substitute and then advancing the bill as substituted.

What happens next: The substitute was adopted and the committee reported the bill out for further Senate consideration. Debate in committee emphasized the tension between respecting local delegation authority and providing statutory tools to resolve intercounty disputes over economic-development authorities.

Sources: Committee hearing transcript.