Session 2024: Expanding school options, discussing gambling, and “red meat…………..
Montgomery, Alabama The Alabama Legislature is anticipated to refocus on certain unresolved issues from 2023 when it meets on Tuesday. These issues include making it illegal to collect certain absentee ballots and allowing greater public funds to support students attending private schools.
This year, a plan to increase lottery winnings and gambling will return to the House, while the Senate will begin its session with conservative policy ideas dubbed “red meat” by political insiders due to their potential to win over Republican supporters.
Additionally, all state officials are concentrating on expanding the state’s labour force and raising the labour participation rate, which is now far lower than the national average at 57%. They’re talking about a number of additional service expansions to help with that, such as health insurance and reasonably priced child care choices.
Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed, a Republican from Jasper, described the first month of the session as having “interesting dynamics” since it precedes the state and presidential primaries on March 5.
According to Reed, Alabama Daily News, “we have presidential primary candidates talking about a lot of issues, on both conservative and liberal themes.” “And there are the congressional races in Alabama, which have become very heated.”
“And I believe that a significant portion of what we’re going to be dealing with at the start of the session will involve a lot of political conversations and a review of various political positions.”
Republicans and Democrats have backed different ideas, but some, like the previously mentioned absentee ballot bill and a return of controversial themes, have not.
“Honestly, playing defence is my top priority,” Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, a Democrat from Greensboro, stated to Alabama Daily News.
“It appears that many of the so-called’red meat’ issues on the other side of the aisle are, in my opinion, not people-friendly, and I want to defend Alabamans’ rights from laws that might be moving us backwards.”
Over the next fifteen weeks, the following issues and activities should be anticipated.
Legislators last year put out a comprehensive school choice plan that would have allowed families to place $6,900 in government funds into education savings accounts to pay for homeschooling or private education, but they did not vote on it. Gov. Kay Ivey declared school choice to be her top priority for this year. The specifics of Gov. Ivey’s planned school savings account bill are unknown, but they should be made public on Tuesday during the governor’s yearly “State of the State” speech.
There are still disagreements on the matter, especially with regard to potential spending caps, accountability guidelines, and student test requirements for any schools that take the funding.
Along these lines, a number of choice measures will be submitted, such as the PRICE Act of last year, which had the potential to allocate over $600 million annually.
This session’s bills will begin in the budget committees for education.
Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, stated, “It is important that we take a substantive step in this direction, but we must be mindful and careful not to overextend ourselves financially.” He is the Senate’s budget committee on education’s chair.
Legislation from the previous year may have cost the ETF more than $600 million, which would have been much too much for it to handle all at once.
Orr and Reed, meanwhile, told Alabama Daily News that in order to ensure that public funds are being used wisely, accountability measures are crucial.
Reed stated, “We have a duty to the kids and to see that they receive a top-notch education.”
The majority of pupils in Alabama will continue to attend public schools, according to Reed, and lawmakers do not wish to “penalise good schools with good programmes.”
Although the state now provides parents with a plethora of school choice options, House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, stated that he was open to increasing them.
Regarding the plan’s structure, Ledbetter stated he believes it would be modelled after a $42 million school voucher bill that Utah lawmakers passed the previous year.
“I think we’ll see a lot of the good things that various states have done, take those, and combine them into a good bill.” Thus, I am confident that we will receive a favourable bill.
Senate Democrats’ leader, Scott Singleton, stated that while he is not against school choice, he would be cautious of any plan that did not have suitable accountability mechanisms to guarantee academic achievement.
“As many children will not be able to attend (public school alternatives), I want to ensure that education is equitable everywhere. Singleton stated, “I want to make sure it’s equitable; I’m not against parents choosing.”
This year, there will probably be another major law that remains undisclosed that proposes a state lottery and more gaming alternatives.
Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, stated recently, “Our goal is to have it early in the session, have some resolve to it early on, and get it up to the Senate.”
Legislation pertaining to gambling has typically broken down in the 105-member House throughout the past few years of debate. There’s been a renewed interest in the subject over the past year as certain members, like Whitt, have focused on the unreported and untaxed gambling they claim occurs in their communities and the potential revenue streams for the state from online, lottery, and compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
Ledbetter stated that the measure was “99.99% done” as of Thursday, but he remained uncertain as to whether it will be successful this year.
“Give us a chance to vote, please. It’s been 25 years since Alabamans have had the opportunity to vote (on gambling), and that’s one thing I hear more than anything,” Ledbetter stated.
“I believe we’ll see it, but I’m not sure what’s going to happen with this bill. It’s probably the most unusual because only legislative members and the governor’s staff have been involved.”
Sen. Greg Albritton, a Republican from Atmore who has previously sponsored a bill pertaining to lotteries and gaming in the Senate, stated he had been consulted regarding the House plan.
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