Special session possible on relief fund spending
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers say there may be a special session on how to spend the state’s remaining pandemic relief funds.
Key lawmakers said there are discussions with the governor’s office on calling a special session in which lawmakers would focus only on the relief money allocation during a portion of the upcoming regular session that begins Tuesday.
A spokesperson for Gov. Kay Ivey said the governor “wants this to be an early priority for the Legislature.”
“She has stressed time and again that we need to invest this one-time money, not just casually spend it. Governor Ivey will continue having conversations with the Legislature who is ultimately tasked with allocating these funds. The sooner these dollars reach the people of our state, the better,” Gina Maiola said via text message.
Congress allocated $2.12 billion for Alabama through the American Rescue Plan. The state received the first half in June and has $580 million remaining after steering $80 million to hospitals and nursing homes and $400 million on a controversial prison construction plan. The state will receive a second $1.060 billion in May or June of this coming year. The state also has $191 million allocated through the America Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund.
State House Ways and Means General Fund Chairman Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, has said he expects lawmakers will allocate the $580 million this session and leave decisions on the $1 billion — which the state won’t receive until after the session is concluded — until a later time.
Clouse said he supported the idea of a special session to isolate the issue, and to get money flowing for infrastructure projects.
“We need to go ahead and get the money in the pipeline because it’s going to be hard to get these projects completed in a timely manner over the next few years,” Clouse said.
House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels said he also supports the idea.
“It probably should be isolated by itself, so we are only focused on that. I can see the point for having a special within the regular session to isolate how, and what, to spend those COVID dollars on,” Daniels, D-Huntsville, said.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
‘It’s like feeling the arms of your creator just wrapped around you’: a visit to a special healing Shabbat
Members of Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham gathered recently for their traditional Friday Shabbat service. But this particular service was different, as could be seen by all the people dressed in their finest pink.
Space Command is coming to Huntsville. What might that mean for first-time homebuyers
While Huntsville has been a more affordable market than other growing cities, what’s it been like for those looking for their first home?
Colorado says relocation of Space Command to Alabama is ‘punishment’ for mail-in voting
The litigation announced by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser asks a federal judge to block the move as unconstitutional.
Breaking down Alabama’s CHOOSE Act
It’s been a year since Alabama legislators passed the CHOOSE Act allowing families to apply for state funds to use towards homeschool expenses and tuition for participating private schools. The Alabama Daily News’ education reporter Trisha Powell Crain has been diving into how the funds are being used. WBHM’s Andrew Gelderman sat down with her to talk about what we’re seeing so far.
