The Escambia County (Ala.) Commission presented State Sen. Greg Albritton with two plaques Monday honoring him for sponsoring two bills which commissioners say will be a great help to the county and the state.
One bill gives county commission chairmen the authority to declare emergency situations following an official declaration by the governor's office.
He noted in the midst of a natural disaster, external conditions often make it difficult for local government bodies to convene a quorum, which delays the body's ability to make critical decisions that protect the community.
Albritton said the new law will allow local governments to be more prompt and efficient in the delivery of services to citizens during emergency situations.
The second bill sponsored by Sen. Albritton updated the simplified sellers use tax program. He noted in 2018 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a South Dakota case to establish a collection methodology for online sellers that worked well with Alabama's simplified seller use tax program. However, he said technical issues in the law required amending to guarantee compliance with the court's ruling.
The bill sponsored by Albritton expanded protection from class action lawsuits involving claims for use tax refunds. The bill also provided tax amnesty for online sellers for tax periods prior to Oct. 1, 2019 and prohibit the collection of the simplified sellers use tax on vehicles for which state and local taxes are required to be collected at the time of vehicle registration.
