Committee advances bill to update NAICS codes tied to economic development incentives

The Economic Development and Tourism committee adopted a cleanup amendment and voted to give HB393 a favorable report after the bill’s sponsor said the measure updates which North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes qualify firms for certain economic development incentives.

Representative Ammon, the bill sponsor, told the committee, “And this bill deals with economic development incentives and so on,” and said the measure will remove outdated statutory requirements in the Accelerate Alabama Strategic Economic Development plan and update the NAICS listings to align with recent revisions.

The chair offered a three-page amendment described in committee as cleanup language that clarifies naming (references to a comprehensive economic development plan and catalyst language) without changing the bill’s intended substance. The chair acknowledged a preference against last-minute changes but said the committee would permit members time to review future amendments. “The amendment is adopted,” the chair announced after members responded to a voice vote.

After the amendment was adopted, the chair called for a motion for a favorable report; a second was recorded and the chair again used a voice vote, announcing, “Ayes have it and HB393 receive a favor,” indicating the committee approved sending the bill forward. The committee did not record a numerical roll-call tally in the transcript.

The committee’s action advances HB393 to the next step in the legislative process; the sponsor said a prior version of the measure had been through committee and the House floor in a previous session. No specific implementation details, fiscal impacts, or a recorded vote tally were provided in the transcript.

The committee proceeded to other business after giving HB393 a favorable report.