Your advocacy made it happen! The Alabama Senate voted 31-0 Thursday to pass HB 479, a bill to reduce the state sales tax on groceries, and the House concurred unanimously. HB 479 will reduce the state grocery tax from 4% to 3% beginning Sept. 1, 2023, and from 3% to 2% as soon as Sept. 1, 2024. The bill now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. Alabama Arise executive director Robyn Hyden released the following statement Thursday in response to the passage of HB 479: “Reducing the state sales tax on groceries will provide meaningful help for Alabamians who struggle to make ends meet. Alabama Arise is thrilled that legislators listened to the people by voting unanimously for this essential policy change. And we urge Gov. Kay Ivey to sign HB 479 into law quickly. “Arise members from every corner of our state have advocated relentlessly for decades for Alabama to untax groceries. We cannot thank our members enough for their persistent efforts to make this bill’s passage a reality. Today is a testament to what’s possible when Alabamians of all races, genders, incomes and beliefs work together toward a vision of shared prosperity and a brighter future. “This grocery tax reduction will benefit every Alabamian. And it is an important step toward righting the wrongs of our state’s upside-down tax system, which forces Alabamians with low and moderate incomes to pay a higher share of their incomes in state and local taxes than the wealthiest households. “We appreciate Rep. Danny Garrett, Sen. Andrew Jones and Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth for guiding HB 479 through the Legislature. We’re thankful for Rep. Penni McClammy and Sen. Merika Coleman for championing legislation on this issue this year. And we’re grateful for former Rep. John Knight, former Sen. Hank Sanders, Reps. Laura Hall and Mary Moore, and so many other legislators whose determined work over so many years laid the groundwork for this moment." Click here to read the full statement. | 
