Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A vote to pass a bill that establishes a ways and means general fund for 2017-2018.

Highlights:

• Establishes that for every new retail or wholesale store opened or relocated under the control of the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, the operation costs of opening or relocating will be automatically appropriated to the Board (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that all interest earned by the state will be deposited in the Governor’s Contingency Fund to be spent at the Governor’s discretion (Sec. 11).

• Authorizes the Department of Public Safety to spend an additional $3.3 million to hire at least 30 new state troopers (Sec. 2).

• Maintains current levels of funding for the state legislature and judiciary (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the Attorney General to control allocation of additional funds received not specified in the current budget within their office (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that $24 million dollars of the total allocations to the Department of Corrections must be used to fund the Community Corrections Program (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits the Department of Corrections from using any appropriated funds to continue the Correctional Agricultural and Industries Program (Sec. 2).

• Requires the state to spend $2.4 million to expand the Alabama Drug Assistance program and other state run AIDS programs (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the SeniorRx program to expand operations and provide comprehensive benefits screening to all eligible individuals to increase program enrollment (Sec. 2).

• Requires the House Ways and Means Committee Chair, the Chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee, and the Legislative Fiscal officer to be notified of all interagency transfers of funds (Sec. 17).

Full Bill Text