Legislative Wrap-Up, 0915 ALBJ, 76 The Alabama Lawyer 330 (2015)
| Author | Othni J. Lathram, J. |
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\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA02015 Regular Session Recap
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0The 2015 Regular Session is now in the books. Most of the publicity of the session revolved around the condition of the general fund budget and the fact that the legislature will have to return for a special session on that subject; however, the legislature was busy passing a number of other significant pieces of legislation. While this column cannot contain a full summary of all of the legislation that passed, I attempted to briefly address those areas of most general interest to lawyers around the state.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Complete copies of the legislation addressed here or any other legislation considered during the 2015 Regular Session can be found at www.legislature.state.al.us (click on the "Session Information" tab).
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Alabama Law Institute Legislation
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Rights of Publicity Act (Act 2015-188)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Representative Givan and Senator Smitherman
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This act protects a person from the wrongful commercial use of his or her likeness during life and creates a descendible right for a period of 55 years after death. The act recognizes that many uses are protected by the First Amendment, but creates a cause of action and statutory damages for those that are not.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Amendments to Alabama Limited Liability Company Act (Act 2015-165)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Representative Poole and Senator Orr
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This act furthers our goal of making smaller incremental changes, when needed, to our business entities act. This act clarifies the governing law as it relates to the internal affairs doctrine for foreign LLCs. The act also clarifies the tax consequences for LLCs and tweaks the transition provisions of the 2014 LLC Act.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Amendments to Alabama Probate Code (Act 2015-312)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Representative Beckman and Senator Albritton
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This act creates defaults for payable on death accounts, real property and other non-probate assets following a divorce. Under current Alabama law, unless specifically addressed, a former spouse is treated as pre-deceased for purposes of inheritance under a will. This act causes a similar result for most non-probate transfers at death while protecting those things addressed in the divorce decree or separately by the parties.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Military Deployed Child Custody Act (Act 2015-366)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Representative B. Moore and Senator Whatley
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0This act clarifies that deployment alone is not a grounds to re-visit child custody determinations. It is in conformity with a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 passed by the United States Congress in December 2013. The act also provides clarification to the court on its ability to issue a pendent lite custody determination order in situations in which a case is continued or stayed based on federal law.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0UIFSA Amendments (Act 2015-284)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Representative Black and Senator Ward
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0In 2008, amendments to the UIFSA were drafted to incorporate the provisions of the 2007 Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support of Family Maintenance into state law ("the Convention"). The Convention contains numerous provisions that establish uniform procedures for the processing of international child support cases.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0In 2014, Congress enacted the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act. That act required each state to expeditiously enact the UIFSA 2008 amendments during their 2015 legislative session as a condition for continued receipt of federal funds supporting state child support programs.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Additionally, the enactment of the 2008 UIFSA amendments improves the enforcement of American child support orders abroad and ensures that children residing in the United States receive the financial support due from parents, wherever the parents reside. The amendments provide guidelines and procedures for the registration, enforcement and modification of foreign support orders from countries that are parties to the Convention.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Restrictive Covenants Act (Act 2015-465)
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Representative England and Senator Williams
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Creates statutory scheme for employment covenants not to compete. The act begins with establishing what types of relationships warrant the parties having the ability to enter into restrictive agreements; for example, franchise agreements, buy/sell agreements and certain employment relationships are covered. The act then defines what a protectable interest is. It must be a legitimate interest and not merely a basic job skill in order to be covered. The act also requires that these agreements be reduced to writing, be mutual and be entered into with adequate consideration. The act further addresses the burden of proof necessary to enforce a restrictive agreement and the remedies available to prevailing parties in the event of a breach. The act also attempts to limit judicial interference with these agreements so that parties may have better certainty with respect the terms they negotiate.
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