1 SJR57
2 211420-2
3 By Senator Waggoner
4 RFD:
5 First Read: 09-MAR-21
Page 0
 SJR57
1 SJR57
2
3
4 ENROLLED, SJR57,
5 RECOGNIZING ALABAMA'S RETAIL SECTOR AND ITS CRITICAL
6 CONTRIBUTION TO ALABAMA'S ECONOMY.
7
8 WHEREAS, the men and women of Alabama's retail
9 sector, whose work and services rendered are second to none,
10 are at the very core of Alabama's prosperity; and
11 WHEREAS, sensible public policies have empowered
12 Alabama's retail sector to do what it does best: innovate,
13 create, and succeed; and
14 WHEREAS, Alabama retailers sell quality produce
15 grown in Alabama and the world-class goods made in Alabama, as
16 well as those produced and made throughout the world; and
17 WHEREAS, as Alabama recovers from an unprecedented
18 pandemic, our retail sector has been resilient, secure, and
19 strong; and
20 WHEREAS, Alabama retailers employ more than 400,000
21 of our fellow citizens, or one of every four employed in the
22 private sector, thus making Alabama retail the state's largest
23 employer; and
24 WHEREAS, retail, food, and beverage establishments
25 account for more than $19 billion, or nine percent of
Page 1
 SJR57
1 Alabama's gross domestic product, placing retail in the
2 state's top five highest-producing industries; and
3 WHEREAS, payroll at Alabama's retail, food, and
4 beverage establishments exceeds $9.2 billion; and
5 WHEREAS, Alabama's retail sales, which exceed $90
6 billion annually, account for 1.5 percent of all retail sales
7 nationally; and
8 WHEREAS, in 2020, Alabama retailers collected $3
9 billion in sales tax that goes to fund education and essential
10 programs for the State of Alabama; and
11 WHEREAS, Alabama retailers also supply property
12 taxes to the State of Alabama, which funds essential programs;
13 and
14 WHEREAS, Alabama retail has been an integral part of
15 ongoing efforts to defeat the coronavirus; and
16 WHEREAS, Alabama retailers and food industry
17 preserved, innovated, and completely reworked their business
18 plans to faithfully serve their customers, keep their
19 employees safe, and contribute to their communities during
20 these unprecedented times; and
21 WHEREAS, Alabama retail worked tirelessly through
22 storms, a pandemic, and natural disasters over the past year
23 to provide the services and products that its customers
24 needed; and
Page 2
 SJR57
1 WHEREAS, Alabama retail made cloth masks, converted
2 breweries into hand sanitizer facilities, provided meals to
3 first responders and emergency personnel, and donated food and
4 essential supplies to nonprofits to help our fellow citizens
5 in need; now therefore,
6 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH
7 HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That we commend the hardworking men
8 and women of Alabama's retail sector and support their
9 continued work and prosperity today for our state and for
10 Alabama's future generations; we urge our fellow citizens to
11 thank their local retailers for their steadfast service to
12 their customers.
Page 3
 SJR57
1
2
3
4 President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
5
6 Speaker of the House of Representatives
7 SJR57
8 Senate 09-MAR-21
9 I hereby certify that the within Senate Joint Resolution
10 originated in and was adopted by the Senate.
11
12 Patrick Harris,
13 Secretary.
14
15
16
17 House of Representatives
18 Adopted: 18-MAR-21
19
20
21 By: Senator Waggoner
Page 4