HB144 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Danny GarrettRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Supplemental appropriations from Education Trust Fund to specified agencies for fiscal year ending September 30, 2024.

Summary

HB144 provides a large set of supplemental appropriations from Alabama's Education Trust Fund for FY 2024 to state agencies, K-12 and higher education, and cultural and economic programs, including a conditional $29.998 million tied to repealing a distressed higher-education loan program.

What This Bill Does

It allocates about $651.2 million from the Education Trust Fund to a wide range of programs and institutions for one-time and ongoing needs, such as capital projects, deferred maintenance, textbooks, buses, and health and workforce initiatives. It also includes a contingent portion that triggers if a related loan program is repealed, directing funds to K-12 capital grants and community services grants. The bill funds universities, community colleges, public health, cultural programs, and economic development efforts, with many specific line items and conditions for how the money can be spent.

Who It Affects

• Public K-12 students and school systems, who would benefit from capital grants, buses, textbooks, literacy programs, and nurse support.
• Higher education students, faculty, and communities, who would gain from campus maintenance, capital projects, research capacity, and various special programs across state universities and colleges.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: A contingent appropriation of $29,998,245 from the Education Trust Fund, conditioned on HB415 or another bill repealing the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Revolving Loan Program; $15,000,000 to the K-12 Capital Grant Program and $14,998,245 to Executive Commission on Community Services Grants.
• Provision 2: A total ETF appropriation of $651,202,906 to multiple agencies for FY 2024, including funding to the Department of Finance (State Insurance Fund), the State Board of Education (Local Boards of Education), the State Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Revenue, higher education systems, the Alabama Community College System, and cultural/historical agencies.
• Provision 3: $5,000,000 to the Department of Finance, Division of Risk Management for the State Insurance Fund.
• Provision 4: $94,224,918 to the State Board of Education – Local Boards of Education, with $13,839,874 for ASIMS, $15,000,000 for new buses, $10,000,000 for Career Tech O&M, $25,000,000 for core-adoption textbooks, $22,229,387 for the school nurse matrix, and $8,155,657 for unanticipated Foundation Program shortfalls.
• Provision 5: $64,375,000 to the State Department of Education for one-time expenses, including $750,000 for Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act provisions, $15,000,000 for summer reading camps, $17,000,000 for College and Career Readiness grants, and various other programs (e.g., Ed Farm, charter school grants, and an educational technology assessment pilot).
• Provision 6: $15,000,000 to the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences in Demopolis, contingent on a policy plan to protect the state's investment if the school does not open or fails to operate for 10 years.
• Provision 7: $66,000,000 to the University of Alabama System (with $63,000,000 for recruitment/retention and major one-time needs, and $3,000,000 for cybersecurity in Huntsville).
• Provision 8: Major higher education allocations include Auburn University ($28,675,000 with $25,450,000 for one-time capacity/buildout and $3,000,000 for the McCrary Institute), Jacksonville State University ($12,700,000), University of North Alabama ($14,000,000), University of South Alabama ($23,000,000 with $500,000 for marine lab), and other state universities and the University System totaling tens of millions for maintenance, capital projects, and program expansions.
• Provision 9: $112,390,057 to the Alabama Community College System for multiple purposes, including the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Training Center, a truck driving training track, a Northwest Alabama Workforce Center, a Capital Fund for deferred maintenance and ongoing capital needs, and related programs.
• Provision 10: Arts, history, and public facilities funding, including Council on the Arts ($3,703,000), Historical Commission ($6,300,000), Legislative Council ($25,000,000 for new State House/Capitol renovations), and various cultural/historic site improvements and grants.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Appropriations