Panel adopts amendment making port-authority name change effective immediately and removes unused 1975 bonding authority

A Senate committee reported House Bill 213 favorably after adopting an amendment to make the measure effective immediately, its sponsor said.

Representative Lomax told the committee HB 213 would update the legal name to reflect the branded Alabama Port Authority and eliminate an obsolete 1975 bonding authority that was never used. "...make sure the legal name reflects a branded name of the Alabama Port Authority and getting rid of, an obsolete 1975 bonding authority that, was never used," Lomax said.

Senator Connolly offered an amendment to make the bill effective immediately, explaining the port authority had already begun a remarketing campaign. The amendment was seconded by Senator Hallin and later adopted by the committee. The transcript records the adoption of the amendment but does not include a full roll-call tally for the final report on the bill.

The committee moved the bill as amended; the transcript does not specify further amendments or the next legislative steps.