AL Senate Finance and Taxation Committee Sends General Fund Budget To Full Senate
HB186 and several smaller funding bills move onward as legislative clock runs down
The Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee approved a number of funding bills Thursday morning on the 26th day of the legislative session.
Committee Chairman Greg Albritton (R-22) began the meeting by sharing that he and House Ways and Means General Committee Chairman Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville) have been coordinating work on the budget “to keep as much controversy down as possible.”
Specific questions were raised about funds for improvements to the Port of Mobile. Chairman Albritton responded by saying this is a continuation of the improvements to the Port, including the dredging which is almost complete, and expansion of the cargo container facilities.
Another question was raised about the State parks; specifically, if the Chairman ever foresaw a time when the parks would “pull their own weight” financially. Albritton responded by saying he didn’t believe they would ever achieve that, but it was a goal that needed to always be worked towards.
Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison (D-20), ranking Minority Member on the Committee, raised the point that she was concerned about growing the economy through tourism dollars. She pointed out that “people are not doing a lot of travel out of the country now. They’re looking for those alternatives…but you have to offer people something when they come,” she said. “When people come here, you may have nice facilities as far as conventions and things, but in the downtown people are looking for something to do and entertain themselves.” She suggested further work out of session on ways to improve Alabama’s tourism and entertainment options, within the financial restraints foreseen.
“This is probably the last good year. It’s going to be squeezing everything and scraping the barrel,” Coleman-Madison concluded.
The economic “dark clouds on the horizon” were briefly discussed. “This may be our last good year,” Albritton said. “There will just be challenges, different challenges.”
Albritton acknowledged “significant cuts” in several agencies, but emphasized that no one is receiving less money than they received last year. What has been done is “more of a reduction in the growth” by reducing the amounts requested in the Governor’s initial budget proposal. Medicaid and Pardons & Paroles were specifically mentioned. Also, essentially all of the Legislature's line items being erased in the “spirit of trying to exercise fiscal restraint.” Many of the line items have been replaced, Albritton said, but this required adjustments to other items.
“We’re still within boundaries” for the current year, Albritton said, but with the estimates showing declining revenues for next year “we’re going to be looking at further difficult circumstances or decisions on our part, both on the State level and on our local levels come around next year.”
A substitute bill for HB186 was passed with 13 votes, with one abstention. Final passage was done using the same roll call vote, and HB186, as substituted, received a favorable report. It will now go to the full Senate.
HB186, which at 134 pages contains the bulk of the General Fund allocations in spreadsheet form, can be seen HERE.
HB185, a supplemental funding bill for the Unified Judicial System and Department of Transportation received a substitute. This bill appropriates incoming federal monies and allows those dollars to be spent appropriately. HB185 passed the Committee with 14 AYES and 0 NAYS, and was given a favorable report.
HB182, extending the assessment on emergency medical transport providers through July 1, 2028, was amended and received a favorable report.
HB183 funds the Children First Trust Fund. was given a favorable report without debate.
HB184 appropriates funds to the Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Without comments or debate, it received a favorable report.
HB312, extending the Hospital Provider Privilege Tax until fiscal year 2028, received a favorable report without debate.
HB460, making appropriations from the Opiate Treatment and Abatement Fund, received a favorable report.
HB405, extending the nursing facility privilege assessment through August, 2028 received a favorable report.
Both the General Fund and Special Education Fund budgets must be passed in the three remaining legislative days to avoid a special session.
The full Committee meeting may be seen on YouTube on The Alabama Channel HERE.
