HB237 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

William “Bill” M. BeasleySenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Highways and other roads, Alabama Trust Fund, $100 million transferred annually in 2010 to 2019, inclusive, distrib. of portion after appropriation to Transportation Department, distrib. of portion to counties and municipalities for transportation purposes, const. amend.

Summary

Proposes a constitutional amendment to create a 10-year road and bridge program funded from the Alabama Trust Fund, with money distributed to state and local transportation projects and to capital improvement funds for counties and municipalities.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the bill would require $100 million be appropriated each year from 2011 through 2020 for a 10-year road and bridge program. The funds would mostly go to the Department of Transportation for state highways and bridges, with specific allocations per congressional district, a BRAC-related boost to Huntsville in 2011-2012, and a grant option for shortline rail rehabilitation (with a 20% matching requirement); the rest would go to counties and municipalities for new construction and maintenance/repair based on district and population formulas. It also adds yearly transfers from the Alabama Trust Fund to Municipal and County Capital Improvement Funds to offset lost interest earnings, increasing from $1 million in 2011 to $10 million in 2020 and beyond, and requires voter approval in an election.

Who It Affects

• State and local governments (Alabama Department of Transportation, counties, and municipalities) would manage and distribute the funds for transportation projects and capital improvements, with specific allocation formulas and BRAC-related earmarks.
• Certain localities and programs (City of Huntsville, Madison County, and the Alabama Shortline Railroad Infrastructure Rehabilitation Fund) would receive targeted BRAC infrastructure funding and rail rehabilitation grants, including a required funding match.

Key Provisions

• Annual appropriation from the Alabama Trust Fund of $100,000,000 for fiscal years 2011 through 2020 for a ten-year road and bridge construction program, with at least 25% for maintenance/repairs and 75% to the Department of Transportation for state highways, roads, bridges, and other transportation uses.
• Distribution specifics: at least $5,000,000 of the DOT portion to each congressional district (as of the amendment's effective date), with 2011-2012 funds allocated to the Fifth District for BRAC-related infrastructure in Huntsville; $1,000,000 to the Alabama Shortline Railroad Infrastructure Rehabilitation Fund with a 20% matching requirement for grants.
• Remaining 25% to counties and municipalities for new construction and maintenance/repair, allocated as 45% equally among 67 counties, 55% by county population (per federal decennial census), and 10% of the county allocation to be distributed among municipalities by municipal population within the county (with a BRAC-related reallocation to Huntsville in 2011-2012 for Madison County).
• Section 2 creates annual transfers from the Alabama Trust Fund to the Municipal Government Capital Improvement Fund and the County Government Capital Improvement Fund to offset reduced interest earnings, with amounts: FY2011 $1 million, FY2012 $2 million, FY2013 $3 million, FY2014 $4 million, FY2015 $5 million, FY2016 $6 million, FY2017 $7 million, FY2018 $8 million, FY2019 $9 million, and FY2020 and thereafter $10 million.
• Section 3-4 requires voter approval in a constitutional amendment election and provides the ballot language describing the proposed amendment and its funding and distribution purposes.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Constitutional Amendments