Alabama lawmakers turn attention to $1 billion relief funds

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Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Nathaniel Ledbetter greets supporters during the first day of the 2023 legislative session Tuesday, March 7, 2023, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett)

Alabama lawmakers returned to Montgomery Tuesday with a focus on how to use the state’s remaining $1 billion in pandemic relief funds, with disagreements surfacing as the federal windfall comes to an end.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is expected to call a special session, beginning Wednesday, to isolate the issue, lawmakers said. Legislative leaders adjusted their meeting schedule Tuesday to accommodate the expected special session. Lawmakers will decide how to use the remaining $1 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act — the sweeping $1.9 trillion relief plan approved by Congress to help the country climb out of the coronavirus crisis.

Republican Sen. Greg Albritton of Atmore said more disagreements have surfaced this time “because it’s the last batch.”

“It has been impossible for us to satisfy everybody. We have been successful at making everyone mad,” Albritton said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed, a Republican from Jasper, said he believes lawmakers have a “good starting place” with a planned focus on water and sewer projects, broadband expansion, and healthcare needs. He said a personal priority for him is also to establish an avenue for grants for local pandemic-related needs that lawmakers want funded.

“One of the attitudes that we’ve had from the beginning is making sure that we’re using these funds — one-time funds — for things that really will make a difference long into the future as an investment for the people of Alabama,” Reed said.

He said water and sewer projects, for example, “will still be serving members in those communities” for decades to come.

The American Rescue Plan steered $2.1 billion to Alabama. Alabama lawmakers used the first half of the funds for water and sewer projects, broadband expansion, and healthcare costs, as well as a controversial prison construction plan. Lawmakers in 2021 approved the plan to use $400 million of the relief funds to help build two super-size prisons, brushing off criticism from congressional Democrats that the money was not intended for such projects.

Asked if divisions had arisen this time between Republicans and Democrats over the use of the funds, Democratic House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels said, “There’s not a uniform agreement on the other side on how to spend the money.”

Daniels, of Huntsville, said House Democrats are interested in making sure funds are directed to housing needs in the state.

Ivey will address lawmakers Tuesday evening in her annual State of the State address.

Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.