Thousands of state workers could see pay raises in their futures under a the 2019 General Fund budget a legislative committee approved Wednesday.
The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee approved SB178, which would go into effect Oct. 1, that gives Alabama’s 33,000 state employees a 3 percent cost-of-living increase — the first across-the board increase since 2008.
The proposed budget also
- Provides a total increase of $80 million to the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) to help improve staffing and the treatment of mental health in the state’s prison system;
- Adds $53.8 million to the Alabama Medicaid Agency;
- Provides funds to hire roughly 30 new state troopers.
The spending bill, introduced by Montrose-Republican, State Sen. Trip Pittman now moves to the Senate floor.