Alabama Legislature

Senate Committee OKs $2.38B General Fund Budget

MONTGOMERY — An Alabama Senate committee on Tuesday approved a proposed 2021 General Fund Budget of $2.38 billion, an increase from the current fiscal year funding but less than what was expected before the coronavirus outbreak cut into tax revenues. The funding increases were primarily for four agencies: Medicaid, mental health, corrections and public health. Raises that were anticipated earlier in the year for state employees aren't in the budget. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Todd Stacy and Caroline Beck Alabama Daily News

Coronavirus-adjusted General Fund Budget in Committee Tuesday

The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee is expected to debate and vote on the 2021 General Fund budget on Tuesday. Legislative leaders late last week said their session, on pause since mid-March because of the coronavirus, would resume May 4. But Senate budget committee chairman Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, said that lawmakers need to set an example for the rest of the state. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Long List of Issues Fall by the Wayside as Virus Upends Session

MONTGOMERY — Less than three months ago, medical marijuana, education reform and a state lottery were expected to be headlining issues of 2020 legislative session. Projections for increased tax revenue meant larger General Fund and education budgets for 2021 and raises for state employees and teachers were anticipated. But when the new coronavirus interrupted daily life, it also upended the state’s economy and this year's regular legislative session. Read more.

by Mary Sell and Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Legislative Session on Hold Until May 4

Concerns about the coronavirus will keep lawmakers out of the State House another week, their planned resumption of the legislative session now May 4, as reported first by Inside Alabama Politics.  The session has been on hold since mid-March and lawmakers had hoped to be back next Tuesday.  Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Amid Prayers and Protective Gear, Legislature Postpones Session

MONTGOMERY — State lawmakers walked one by one into their respective chambers, each keeping a strict distance from one another and many wearing protective masks and gloves as the House and Senate met at the State House Tuesday. The Legislature was forced to convene Tuesday to formally adopt a joint rule allowing for the postponement of a legislative session during a state of emergency. Fifty-eight of 105 House members were in attendance, each asked to sit with a seat between them in chairs specially marked by neon green sticky notes. Twenty-two of 35 senators were present in the much more spacious upper chamber, enough to conduct the limited business of the day: deciding when to reconvene the 2020 regular session amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus. Both the House and Senate agreed to meet again on April 28, hoping the worst of the outbreak will be over by then. Read more.

by Todd Stacy, Alabama Daily News

Gov. Ivey Awards $9.5 Million in Broadband Expansion Grants

MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey awarded 20 broadband expansion grants totaling more than $9.5 million to provide high-speed internet access to communities across Alabama. The grants are part of the Alabama Broadband Accessibility Fund and awarded to nine broadband providers to help fund multiple projects in their coverage areas. Ivey said that high-speed Internet is always important to have but especially now as cases of COVID-19 have increased in the state and more people are asked to work and learn at home. Public schools are now closed and students are finishing the academic year in their houses. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Speaker: No Date Certain for Resuming Session; Senate Talks April 28

UPDATED: MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature is on hold for now, and it’s unclear when legislators will return to Montgomery. The regular session ends May 18, and House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said he’s not sure whether the House could reconvene before that, making a special session likely. On the Senate side, leaders are talking about returning to the State House on April 28. Budgets and other important legislation had not been passed when legislators left Montgomery to combat the spread of COVID-19. Read more.

by Todd Stacy, Alabama Daily News

Lawmakers: Coronavirus Could ‘Doom’ Much of Legislative Session

UPDATED — Alabama lawmakers are expected to be back in Montgomery March 31, but how long they’ll be able to work and what they’ll be able to do in the middle of a public health emergency is in question. “I can’t say in the present situation we can pass budgets,” Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, told Alabama Daily News on Monday. “The big question is, how long will this last? It’s one thing for a couple of weeks; It’s another if it lasts for months.” As local and state governments try to stop the spread of the coronavirus and businesses slow or shutter temporarily, the impact on state revenue is expected to be significant. How bad that will be will depend on how long people are asked to stay home, state leaders said this week. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Coronavirus Could Impact State Legislature, Budgets

State lawmakers are expecting the coronavirus, and attempts to stop its spread, to affect Alabama’s tax revenues and the 2021 budgets they’re drafting. “I think it could have a dramatic impact,” Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, said Monday afternoon. He’s chairman of the House General Fund budget committee. He said it could be several weeks to a month before the financial toll of closures and social distancing are known. State and federal officials have said states will be reacting to the coronavirus for at least six to eight weeks. “I think we’d need to wait as late as possible on the budgets to see how everything develops,” Clouse said.  Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

Medical Marijuana Bill Passes Senate

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate after five hours of debate Thursday passed legislation to allow and regulate medical marijuana. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News