HB155 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Steve ClouseRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

General Fund budget, appropriations for other functions of government, debt service, and capital outlay for fiscal year ending September 30, 2018.

Summary

HB155 is Alabama's 2018 General Fund appropriations act, detailing how state funds are allocated to executive, legislative, judicial branches and numerous agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, with specific fund sources, reappropriations, and revenue-dependent provisions.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes and defines the FY2018 funding for state agencies and programs from the General Fund and earmarked funds, including debt service and capital outlay. It reappropriates unspent FY2017 amounts to FY2018, adds new funding for certain programs (notably Medicaid, mental health, transportation, and retirement systems), and includes conditional appropriations tied to revenue actions (such as ABC markup increases and district attorney funding). It also sets payroll and reporting priorities (including SEIB contributions and quarterly reports to lawmakers), outlines interagency transfers, and provides various contingency and governance rules for managing funds throughout the year.

Who It Affects

• State agencies, boards, commissions, and their employees who receive budgeted funding and are subject to payroll and program funding rules (e.g., SEIB contributions, transfer authorities, and interagency charging).
• Alabama residents who rely on funded services, including Medicaid recipients, the elderly and disabled, veterans, crime victims, TANF families, and participants in programs like public health, mental health, education support, and community services.

Key Provisions

• Section 2 establishes FY2018 appropriations for the ordinary expenses of executive, legislative, and judicial branches, other government functions, debt service, and capital outlay, with detailed line items and designated sources of funds (General Fund and earmarked funds).
• Section 3 reappropriates unexpended FY2017 appropriations to the respective offices for FY2018, ensuring funds carry over for continued use.
• Section 4 provides additional appropriations to Retirement Systems from the Senior Services Trust Fund to comply with specified statute.
• Section 5 creates conditional appropriations from tobacco settlement or litigation funds, allocable if/when Alabama receives tobacco revenue and with approval by the Governor and budget officers; these funds are to be distributed per defined sections.
• Section 6 sets that appropriations are the maximum amounts and outlines general constraints, with oversight provisions and applicability of Budget Management Act rules; Section 7 permits transfers between appropriations if funds are insufficient to pay salaries, under Governor authorization.
• Section 8 allows gifts, grants, insurance proceeds, and other entitlements to be appropriated and reappropriated to the intended recipients; it also authorizes cost-sharing with local entities for audits.
• Section 9 authorizes the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts to audit appropriations for compliance, with cooperation required from agencies; Section 10 covers court orders and allows funding to satisfy federal court orders when necessary.
• Section 11 places all interest from certain funds into the Governor's Contingency Fund, with other interest directed to the State General Fund; Section 12 requires encumbered balances to lapse by September 30 of the following fiscal year unless exempted.
• Section 16 provides for SEIB (State Employees' Insurance Board) funding to cover fixed insurance costs, with a cap and priority given to General Fund payroll; it also allows some flexibility for agencies to receive funds as needed to cover SEIB costs.
• Section 14 directs some appropriations to Auburn University to administer examiner certification programs; Section 15 allows Senate and House leadership to use otherwise designated funds for analogous purposes; Section 21 specifies October 1, 2017 as the act’s effective date.
• Section 18-19 repeals conflicting laws and Section 20 requires equal employment opportunities; Section 8 authorizes and reappropriates external grants to support auditing costs through the Public Accounts Examiners fund.

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