SB18 Alabama 2015 2nd Special Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Session

Second Special Session 2015

Title

General fund budget, appropriations for ordinary expenses of executive, legislative, and judicial departments

Summary

SB18 would set Alabama's FY2016 general fund budget for ordinary government expenses, debt service, and capital outlay across the executive, legislative, and judicial branches and other state functions.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes program-level appropriations from the General Fund and earmarked funds to state agencies for the 2016 fiscal year, covering operating costs, debt service, and capital projects. It sources funds from multiple funds and allows transfers between funds to maximize use of available revenue and federal matching funds. Some appropriations are conditioned on the availability of funds and require recommendations from the Director of Finance and approval by the Governor. It includes reappropriation of unspent 2015 appropriations, sets overall expenditure limits, and adds various targeted appropriations from negotiated settlements and other funds. The act also imposes quarterly reporting requirements to legislative committees on grants, interagency transfers, and grant recipients, and it takes effect October 1, 2015.

Who It Affects

• State government entities (executive, legislative, judicial branches, and other state agencies) and their employees, who will operate under the new FY2016 appropriations and funding rules.
• Residents and program beneficiaries (e.g., Medicaid enrollees, public health patients, seniors, veterans, crime victims, and other service recipients) who rely on funded programs and services supported by the General Fund and earmarked allocations.

Key Provisions

• Allocates the FY2016 general fund and earmarked funds for ordinary expenses, debt service, and capital outlay across executive, legislative, and judicial branches and other state functions.
• Defines funding sources and program categories, with totals shown by fund source and program area, and allows interfund transfers to optimize funding, including federal match funds.
• Section 3 lists targeted general fund appropriations to numerous named entities (e.g., Examiners of Public Accounts, Legislative offices, Supreme Court, etc.), providing additional allocations for both branches and selected boards and commissions.
• Sections 4 and related provisions authorize additional appropriations from negotiated settlements and other dedicated funds (including tobacco settlement funds) for specific programs such as Medicaid reform, prison reform, and related capital outlay, contingent on receipts.
• Section 5 reappropriates unexpended FY2015 appropriations to the corresponding offices for FY2016.
• Section 8 sets that appropriations are maximum amounts and outlines funding controls; Section 9 allows transferring unneeded surplus within the State General Fund to cover salaries when necessary.
• Section 12 authorizes state payments required by court orders from the appropriate funds, and Section 13 directs handling of interest and other funds with specified destinations (e.g., Governor's Contingency Fund).
• Sections 16-24 establish various administrative, reporting, and procedural requirements, including effective date of October 1, 2015, and compliance with Budget Management Act provisions; Section 23 requires equal employment opportunities.
• Section 24 states the act becomes effective October 1, 2015.

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

Subjects

Appropriations