Gov. Ivey pushing lawmakers to issue one-time payments to Alabamians

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - You could be getting hundreds of dollars back in your wallet from the state. Governor Kay Ivey called on Alabama lawmakers to act during her state of the state address Tuesday night to approve one time rebates of $400 for adults, which means $800 for families.

The money would come from the Education Trust Fund, Ivey’s office said.

“This is the people’s money,” Ivey said. “It’s only right, while still acknowledging we are recording revenues far exceeding normal and sustainable levels, we give a fair share of this money directly back to the people of Alabama.”

Ivey noted “We know times are tough right now. A paycheck does not go as far as it did two years ago.”

Further details on the proposal are limited. Ivey used her address to immediately call the legislature into a special session to decide how to spend more than a billion dollars in federal COVID-19 relief money.

Before the state can discuss any other legislative matters, including the possible refunds, it must decide how to spend $1.1 billion it has left from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act.

Lawmakers spent the state’s first $1 billion ARPA dollars on two mega prisons, broadband internet access and sewer projects, but representatives in Montgomery said there are still many issues the state needs to address.

“I think there may be some areas that we are far apart, but for the most part, I agree with a lot of what the Governor said,” House Minority Leader Rep. Anthony Daniels said. “I do feel that there were some things left out that should have been mentioned, such as eliminating the tax overtime pay and removing the sales tax off of groceries.”

The Legislature will take two weeks starting March 8 in this special session to consider how to use these funds, then they will continue on with the regular session.

Click here for more on the Governor’s State of the State speech.

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