“Creating Community Connections and Growing Businesses”
2026 STATE AGENDA
Creating Community Connections and Growing Celebrate, Inspire Businesses & Connect Madison.
OBJECTIVES
To help facilitate business success in the City of Madison
To overcome barriers for future economic development
To be a positive catalyst for our future workforce
To advocate on the federal, state, and local level for business owners
Each policy objective is placed in one or both of the following categories: L - Local
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S - State
INFRASTRUCTURE SL - The chamber supports a state partnership to replace the Madison Boulevard Bridge, which is more than 70 years old and requires ongoing maintenance to remain operational. Accelerated funding and project scheduling for this replacement would improve safety, reduce maintenancerelated disruptions and support any future widening of the Madison Boulevard Corridor. S - The chamber supports widening US 72 West from Jeff Road to County Line Road to address significant congestion caused by rapid residential, commercial and industrial growth in the City of Madison and western Madison County. The chamber also supports state assistance for prioritization, design and construction funding to improve mobility, reduce travel delays and enhance safety along this critical corridor. SL – The chamber supports state investment in the Royal Drive Extension from Jetplex Lane east to Westchester Drive as the second phase connecting County Line Road to Sullivan Street. Completion of this east-west connector would improve industrial access, reduce congestion, strengthen freight mobility and support the Jetplex and surrounding employment centers. S – The chamber advocates for funding and development of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system connecting the cities of Madison and Huntsville, prioritizing the Highway 72 and Madison Boulevard corridors. S – The chamber supports a dedicated state funding mechanism for local infrastructure improvements. L – The chamber encourages municipal support of equitable and comprehensive public transportation. S – The chamber supports expansion and improvement of equitable and reliable broadband connectivity across Madison to promote economic development, economic mobility and quality of life. SL – The chamber supports adequate, equitable and fiscally responsible infrastructure investments to improve Madison roads and bridges. S – The chamber supports Huntsville International Airport and its growth. SL – The Chamber supports continued transparency and cooperation among local government, state and federal legislators, ALDOT and the private sector to advance identified priority transportation projects in the region.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT S - The chamber supports continued efforts toward the state’s incentive program to assist in retaining, recruiting, and attracting both new and existing industries and businesses in Madison. S - The chamber supports efforts to increase the transparency of the state’s incentive program, such as the Transparency in Initiatives Act. S - The chamber supports policies and funding to encourage small business development, entrepreneurship, and business lending programs throughout Alabama. L - The chamber supports existing economic development agencies, including but not limited to TARCOG and other regional partners that focus on economic development in North Alabama. SL - The chamber supports ensuring a healthy and thriving economy through efforts to recruit advanced manufacturing companies to the City of Madison and Madison/Limestone counties.
WORKFORCE S - The chamber supports the Alabama Childcare Coalition’s efforts to promote and enhance a star-based quality system and to advocate for subsidies, so childcare centers can make the necessary improvements to meet higher standards. S - The chamber encourages the state legislature to enact tax credits for businesses that provide childcare benefits to their employees. S - The chamber encourages the Madison County legislative delegation to enact state funding for educational initiatives that enhance student workforce readiness. Priorities include preemployment classes to equip students with technical skills, auto shop classes, arts education, and the funding of career centers in Madison City high schools. S - The chamber supports the continuance of funding for programs aimed at increasing the level of highly skilled, highly trained individuals. S - The chamber supports emphasizing workforce development efforts to increase the number of trained and credentialed job candidates to support new and existing businesses in the city of Madison.
BIOSCIENCE • The chamber supports collaborative and individual efforts of private companies, universities, and research institutions, and businesses in North Alabama and the City of Madison to advance the US’s position as a world leader in Biosciences.
TAXES STATE PUBLIC POLICY:
• The chamber supports efforts to create a fair and simple tax structure in the state. • As online shopping continues to displace traditional retail, the chamber urges the state legislature to revise the Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT) distribution formula. While SSUT revenue has exceeded expectations, the corresponding decline in local sales tax is undermining public education funding. A modernized allocation system is needed to ensure school systems can maintain services in today’s digital economy.
AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE • The chamber supports the continued growth and development of all federal agencies, including but not limited to: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, U.S. Space Command, Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Redstone Arsenal, and the FBI.
HEALTHCARE, HOSPITALITY, ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE S - The chamber encourages the state legislature to expand Medicaid coverage and utilize available federal funds to improve health outcomes for newly covered citizens and support Alabama’s rural hospitals. S - The chamber supports policy solutions to reduce or curb the increasing cost of prescription drug coverage and the burden that it poses to Alabama’s employers and employees. S - The chamber supports federal and state funding for projects, initiatives, programs, and agencies that enhance all aspects of the quality of life for residents of the City of Madison. SL - The chamber supports growth, development, and infrastructure processes that allow efficiency for businesses that do not cause undue environmental impact. SL - The chamber supports hospitality workforce development programs. SL - The chamber supports funding efforts to support mental health services in communities throughout North Alabama and additional funding for school counselors to provide mental health services for North Alabama students. SL - The chamber supports advocating for and adopting voluntary codes, policies, and guidelines that promote physical and mental health for people of all ages, abilities, and incomes. S - The chamber supports the addition of mental health involuntary treatment bed capacity in North Alabama to better meet the needs of our community. S - The chamber supports state funds to renovate and update regional attractions, amenities, and parks.
EDUCATION S - The chamber supports state funding for high-quality early education opportunities (including Head Start, Pre-K, early education, professional development for personnel, etc.) with full funding for local authority in implementation. S - The chamber supports and encourages the state legislature to appropriate sufficient funding of summer programs to comply with the Literacy Act & the Numeracy Act for K-5 children who do not meet mathematics and reading benchmark requirements. S - The chamber supports and encourages the state legislature to lower the divisors for grades 4-8, so schools have smaller class sizes and pupils are afforded more personalized attention. S - The chamber supports the Business Education Alliance (BEA) and its mission of providing tools and training to prepare Alabama’s public school students for the 21st Century workforce. SL - The chamber supports any organization offering internships for high school and college students. SL - The chamber supports additional funding for Madison City Schools to accommodate an increasing number of pupils and growing demands on facilities from economic and development growth in North Alabama due to the expansion of Redstone and other manufacturing developments.
S - Prioritization of Public-School Funding: Before allocating funds to private institutions, the chamber encourages lawmakers to support public schools and fully fund essential services and programs such as school transportation, EL teachers, health services, school safety officers, and mental health and special education resources. S - Equity in Education: The chamber believes that private schools receiving public funds should admit all students and comply with the same standards of accountability and transparency as public schools, including: S - Uniform Standards and Assessments: Such schools should adhere to the Literacy and Numeracy Acts, participate in required standardized testing (ACAP, Pre-ACT, ACT), and meet the same graduation requirements as public schools. S - Teacher and Curriculum Standards: They should follow the same teacher tenure laws and qualifications, and engage in a clearly explained curriculum and textbook adoption processes. S - Participation in State Accountability Systems: Private schools must participate in state accountability systems, including NAEP, to provide transparency in educational outcomes and enable fair comparison with public schools.
For more information contact:
MICHELLE EPLING, IOM President
Madison Chamber of Commerce (256) 325-8317 230 Hughes Road, Suite C Madison, Alabama 35758 madisonalchamber.com