Wednesday, May 23 2012 8:31 PM EDT2012-05-24 00:31:39 GMT
The Alabama Legislature is working through the night to wrap up a special session called to redraw lines for the state's 105 House and 35 Senate districts. Lawmakers hope to gavel the special sessionMore >>
The Alabama Legislature is working through the night to wrap up a special session called to redraw lines for the state's 105 House and 35 Senate districts. More >>
Tuesday, May 22 2012 8:28 PM EDT2012-05-23 00:28:52 GMT
Republicans in the Alabama Senate say they have the votes to approve new Senate districts that could increase GOP membership in the Senate. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said the proposed districtsMore >>
Republicans in the Alabama Senate say they have the votes to approve new Senate districts that could increase GOP membership in the Senate. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said the proposed districtsMore >>
Tuesday, May 22 2012 7:17 PM EDT2012-05-22 23:17:22 GMT
Governor Robert Bentley signed House Bill 658 Friday afternoon, a bill designed to fix several issues that arose from the immigration law passed in 2011, commonly known as House Bill 56. More >>
Governor Robert Bentley signed House Bill 658 Friday afternoon, a bill designed to fix several issues that arose from the immigration law passed in 2011, commonly known as House Bill 56. More >>
Tuesday, May 22 2012 10:45 AM EDT2012-05-22 14:45:23 GMT
By PHILLIP RAWLS Associated Press MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Senate is spending a second day listening to a computerized voice read aloud a 333-page bill outlining new Senate districts advocatedMore >>
The Alabama Senate is spending a second day listening to a computerized voice read aloud a 333-page bill outlining new Senate districts advocated by the Republican majority. A Democratic senator used the Senate's rules to have the bill read aloud before the Senate could vote. More >>
Monday, May 21 2012 4:54 PM EDT2012-05-21 20:54:23 GMT
The Republican majority in the Alabama House and Senate blocked efforts by Democrats to get new legislative districts that could favor them in the 2014 elections. The House voted along party lines againstMore >>
The House and Senate voted Monday along party lines, blocking Democratic efforts to get new legislative districts that would favor them in upcoming elections.More >>
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -
State lawmakers in both parties reacted strongly to Gov. Robert Bentley's budget proposal. They particularly criticized his plan to move $185 million in Medicaid expenses from the General Fund budget to the Education Trust Fund budget.
"It's the Education Trust Fund, not the health care trust fund, said Sen. Trip Pittman, R – Daphne, and chairman of the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee. "And ultimately if we start to take on those costs, we're just going to have more and more money to diminish the costs that available for the classroom and the support of the classroom which is teachers, supplies textbooks."
The governor said he decide to make that request just last Thursday. Lawmakers had criticized an earlier proposal to combine the state's two budgets.
"We will work with the Legislature," Gov. Bentley said. "We came up with a solution to solve the problem this year. And we believe that this is the best way, and we're not looking at Plan B. I want them to look at Plan A right now."
While the Departments of Corrections and Public Safety would see level funding under the Governor's proposal, many other agencies could see their funds cut anywhere from 10%-24%. The Department of Human Resources would only see a 4.8% cut.
Committee heads in the House and Senate say they will come up with their own budgets to tackle the state's fiscal issues.
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