Riley, Republican Lawmakers say: 'Free the jobs bills.'

Gov. Bob Riley, Republican lawmakers and pro-business advocates are calling on the Democratic leadership in the House, particularly Rep. Richard Lindsey, D-Centre, to get a package of three bills out of committee and onto the House floor for debate.

Riley held a press conference Wednesday where he talked about the need to get the bills passed so people can be put back to work. He said discussions about bingo should be put on the back burner until these bills can be passed.

The three bills would, among other things, offer tax incentives to small business that hire unemployed Alabamians, incentivize hiring in areas of the state where unemployment is highest and raise the amount small businesses can deduct from state income taxes if they offer health insurance and their employees buy insurance.

Lindsey is the head of the House education budget committee, where the bills have been assigned. Riley's Communications Director Jeff Emerson said that Riley wrote Lindsey a letter asking him to get the bills moving, but he did not respond.

Lindsey told the Associated Press Wednesday that he instead supports a bill by Republican Rep. Robert Bentley of Tuscaloosa that would provide tax deductions for businesses that hire new workers for at least a year.


-- posted by Markeshia Ricks