1. (a) The Legislature finds that there is a shortage of individuals skilled in trades relating to the residential construction industry in Madison County, including municipalities that are located wholly or partially within the county and that, as authorized under Amendment 772 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 94.01 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, the county and municipalities of the county may lend credit to or grant public funds and things of value in aid of the promotion of the residential construction industry within Madison County.
2. (b) The Madison County Commission and the governing bodies of any municipality located wholly or partially within Madison County may levy up to twenty dollars ($20), in addition to any other amount authorized by law, for the issuance of a residential building permit. A municipality may levy the fee within its corporate limits. The term residential building permit includes building permits, mechanical permits, plumbing permits, electrical permits, and any other fee required for the construction or remodeling of a new or existing residential structure.

3. (c) All amounts levied and collected under this section shall be deposited into the treasury of the respective governing body that collected the levy and shall be disbursed by that governing body to the North Alabama Homebuilding Academy, which shall use the funds to train individuals in skilled trades relating to the residential construction industry, including, but not limited to, the following:

   1. (1) Home building.
   2. (2) Framing.
   3. (3) Carpentry.
   4. (4) Electrical.
   5. (5) Plumbing.
   6. (6) Masonry.
   7. (7) Residential painting.
   8. (8) Sheet rock installation and repair.
   9. (9) Landscaping.
   10. (10) HVAC.
   11. (11) Pipe fitting.

4. (d)

   1. (1) Before levied funds are distributed to the academy, the academy shall submit annually a proposed operating budget to the county commission for review and approval. The proposed annual budget shall be submitted no later than December 1 of each year. The annual budget shall include a breakdown of all anticipated operational costs and projected workforce programs to be provided.
   2. (2) Upon approval of the academy’s annual budget by the county commission, the county commission and the governing body of each participating municipality shall disburse annually the levy to the academy. Each governing body shall disburse its proportionate share, based on the percentage of the population of the county attributable to the population of that governing body according to the most recent federal decennial census.
   3. (3) After a governing body has fully disbursed its annual obligated amount to the academy, any remaining funds from the levy shall be used to provide inspection services within its jurisdiction. The funds shall be used to fund employees, agents, training, equipment, and other items associated with providing inspection services.
5. (e) Funds collected pursuant to this section may not be used to develop or provide continuing education required by any professional licensing board located within this state.

6. (f)

   1. (1) The North Alabama Homebuilding Academy shall be audited annually by a licensed independent certified public accountant approved by the county commission. No later than June 1 of each year, the academy shall provide a report of the programs and activities of the academy, as well as a full copy of its annual audited financial statements, to the county commission and the governing bodies of any municipality located wholly or partially within Madison County.
   2. (2) At its discretion and without cause, the county commission may require the academy to be subject to an audit at a time earlier than the academy’s annual audit.
7. (g) A governing body that elects to levy an additional fee for the issuance of a residential building permit, as authorized by this section, shall provide not less than 120 days’ written notice to the North Alabama Homebuilding Academy prior to electing to discontinue the levy and collection of the fee.
8. (h) The collection of the additional fee for the issuance of a residential building permit shall cease if the North Alabama Homebuilding Academy terminates its operations. Upon termination of the operations of the academy, any funds collected by the county commission or the governing body of any municipality for the use and benefit of the academy shall be distributed to the respective governing body for providing inspection services within its jurisdiction.

(Act 2020-184, §1.)