HB485 Alabama 2013 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Laura HallRepresentative
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2013
Title: Penny Trust Fund (PTF), Comptroller authorized to transmit funds from PTF to State Board of Education, Secs. 41-15A-2, 41-15A-6 am'd
Summary: HB485 updates Penny Trust Fund rules to send money to health and education programs, clarifies fund uses, defines earnings, and expands the board that manages the fund.
What This Bill Does
If enacted, the Comptroller could send Penny Trust Fund money to the Department of Public Health and to the State Board of Education based on applications from the State Health Officer and the State Superintendent. Half of the health-dedicated funds would go to programs to reduce infant mortality and improve child health, and half to indigent health care programs. Money designated for public-health in schools would be awarded as grants to school systems that apply, with the funds used only for disease-prevention activities and not to replace existing funding. The bill also defines earnings and changes the Penny Trust Fund Board’s duties and membership, including approving grants and investing funds.

Who It Affects
Public health program recipients and their families who would benefit from infant mortality reduction, child health, and indigent health care funding.
Public school systems and students who would apply for and receive disease-prevention grants from the Penny Trust Fund to support school-based health programs.

Key Provisions
The Comptroller may transmit Penny Trust Fund money to the Department of Public Health upon the State Health Officer's application and to the State Board of Education upon the State Superintendent's application.
Proceeds dedicated to public health may be split 50% for infant mortality/child health programs and 50% for indigent health care programs.
Proceeds dedicated to public health in public schools are disbursed only to school systems that apply for grants and are approved by the Penny Trust Fund Board; funds are provided to implement approved disease-prevention plans and must supplement, not replace, existing funding.
Annual transfer of funds to the State Board of Education is to implement approved grants for school systems, with administration by the board and the State Superintendent of Education.
Earnings are defined as 90% of the prior fiscal year's earnings, and funds are appropriated to support approved proposals.
The Board of Control of the Penny Trust Fund is expanded to include the Governor, State Treasurer, State Health Officer, State Superintendent of Education, State Auditor, plus two appointed members (from an Alabama HBCU and from a health-related nonprofit), with duties including grant awards, investment policy, and yearly notification of funds available.
The act specifies the effective date as January 1, 2014 (as indicated in the bill).

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