Government

Where’s CHIP? Children’s Insurance Funding Not in Budgets

The $35 million Alabama needs for a federal health care program for low- and mid-income children isn’t in either of the state’s two budgets progressing through the Alabama Legislature. Lawmakers appear to disagree about whether the 2020 funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program belongs in the General Fund, which funds Medicaid and other public health expenses, or the education budget, as Gov. Kay Ivey suggested. Read more. BirminghamWatch’s Nick Patterson looked at the importance of the CHIP program before it was renewed by Congress last year. What Happens If CHIP Goes Away? Congress’ Failure to Fund Popular Health Program for Kids Could Leave Thousands in Alabama Uninsured

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Woodfin’s Budget: Money for Pensions, Paving; Changes for Education, Discretionary Projects

Mayor Randall Woodfin presented his proposed FY 2020 budget to the Birmingham City Council Tuesday, pointing to changes in city funding for education and councilors’ discretionary projects. At $451 million, the budget is the city’s largest to date — although, as Woodfin emphasized, several major financial requirements resulted in a “lean” approach to appropriating funding. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Woodfin highlighted what he called the “moral obligations” of the budget — fully funding the city’s long-underfunded pension liability and dedicating $8 million to street paving in all nine council districts. “The only disappointment I’ve had so far in this budget was that I wanted $10 million (for street paving),” Woodfin said. “But the pension said no, so we got to $8 million.” At Tuesday’s meeting, Woodfin spent significant time explaining to councilors his decision to cut certain “pet project” line items from the budget, arguing that this would be offset by $50,000 increases to their individual discretionary funds. Woodfin’s proposed budget cut funding to a handful of organizations and events, including the Agape House, Children’s Village, Shadowlawn Cemetery, Magic City Smooth Jazz, the Ballard House, Bride Ministries, Red Mountain Park, Build Up Ensley, the Northeast YMCA and the Joseph House, among others. But Woodfin specifically chose to focus on District 8 Councilor Steven Hoyt’s Party with a Purpose, an annual event held in Ensley since 2007 that offers health, recreational and entertainment resources to residents. That event has typically received $50,000 from each year’s general fund; in the FY 2020, it receives nothing. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Woodfin Highlights “Moral Obligations” of Proposed 2020 Budget

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin says his proposed FY 2020 operating budget represents a “fundamental shift” in how the city thinks about spending, with an increased focus on fulfilling his administration’s “moral obligations” — prioritizing city employees and neighborhood revitalization. That means that even though the city’s projected $451 million budget is the largest to date, it’s also “as lean as they come,” he says, focusing on “needs, not wants.” The budget still has to be approved by the Birmingham City Council, which received a full copy Tuesday morning. Because it is such an austere budget — addressing longstanding issues such as the city’s unfunded pension liability and putting significant funding toward neighborhood revitalization projects such as street paving and weed abatement — Woodfin says that negotiations may be difficult. “There’s not a lot of wiggle room in this budget for people to tinker with it,” Woodfin says. “If you tinker with it, (funds) can only come from paving or the pension, because we took (that money) from everywhere else.” Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Congressional Votes for the Week Ending May 10

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives spent part of its week debating proposals to lift some restrictions on health insurance requirements, mostly having to do with whether coverage of pre-existing conditions must be covered. Alabama’s Republican representatives voted in ways that would allow the coverage reductions and the Democratic representative voted in ways that would not. More health care bills are expected to come up in the House this week. Here's how area members of Congress voted on major issues during the legislative week ending May 10. Read more.

by Voterama in Congress

Senator: ‘Rocky Road’ Ahead for Lottery Bill

The sponsor of legislation to create a paper lottery in Alabama says getting the bill to final passage may be difficult. “It’s a rocky road between here and there,” Sen. Greg Albritton told Alabama Daily News. The House Economic Development and Tourism Committee is expected to vote on Senate Bill 220 Wednesday afternoon. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Water Water Everywhere … Unless It Hasn’t Rained Lately: Legislators Debate Bill to Govern Water Use During Droughts

River advocacy groups are promoting passage of a bill that would provide clear standards in times of drought for the state to step in to allocate use of water for agriculture, recreation, drinking and other uses. The bill, HB 476, also would set up a system of “conservation credits” for agricultural and other large water users who institute water-saving measures before periods of drought. Under the bill, when water flow in a river or stream falls below predetermined, science-based levels, state agencies could more quickly impose limits on usage to protect the health of the waterway. That would impact the quality of water for drinking, recreation and aquatic life, advocates say. Meanwhile, farmers are concerned that the bill could let the state cut back on their water use just when they need it most. The bill is awaiting action in a committee. Read more.

by Hank Black

State Water Regions in Drought Bill

A bill that would set rules for the state to step in and allocate use of water during droughts, HB 476, would divide the state’s counties into surface water regions for purposes of determining water availability and needs. Read more.

by Hank Black

Ivey: Bill for Appointed K-12 Board of Education Would Fix “Broken” Governance

Legislation to potentially replace Alabama’s elected K-12 board of education with a commission of governor appointees will be voted on Tuesday in a Senate committee. The proposed constitutional amendment from Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, has the support of Gov. Kay Ivey, who is also president of board of education. “As we know all too well, statistic after statistic — and study after study — shows that our children are not getting the best education possible or even the best education that is available,” Ivey said in a letter to board members last week. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

All Clear (For Now): More Testing Shows Baby Thought to Have Measles Did Not

The baby in St. Clair County believed to have had Alabama’s first case of measles has tested negative for the disease. The Alabama Department of Public Health had reported that the baby had a presumptive positive measles case after initial tests run by a commercial lab returned a positive result. But when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did a more detailed test, the baby was diagnosed as not having the disease, according to a press release issued by the state health department. Read more.

by Virginia Martin

After Delays, Distracted Driving Bill Could Be Back Next Week

A vote in the Alabama House of Representatives on a bill to prohibit the use of hand-held cell phones and other devices was delayed this week, but the measure could go back before legislators next week. Read more.

by Alabama Daily News