The Club for Growth Foundation published its 2025 Alabama State Economic Scorecard on Friday, and the results show failing grades across both chambers, with an average score of 31% for Republicans in the House and 32% in the Senate.
"Alabama's 2025 State Economic Scorecard results are nothing short of embarrassing. Every lawmaker in the State House and State Senate should be ashamed by their voting record, and no elected official in either chamber can credibly claim they support pro-growth economic policy," said Club for Growth Foundation president David McIntosh in a statement.
The scorecard provides a detailed analysis of how legislators in Montgomery approach the group's definition of "pro-growth legislation." It evaluates policies and votes to assign an Economic Growth Score from 0 to 100, with 100 indicating the highest support for pro-growth policies. In 2025, the Foundation reviewed more than 2,800 floor votes, scoring 20 Alabama House and 18 Alabama Senate votes.
"There is a huge problem when self-proclaimed conservatives have scores that resemble their liberal counterparts. Lawmakers must immediately reevaluate their legislative priorities after wasting a year promoting bills, such as a $3.7 billion taxpayer-sponsored increase to the Alabama General Fund and a three-year extension of the state's Medicaid provider tax on private hospitals, that will leave the state's economy considerably worse than neighboring states," McIntosh explained.
- The highest score in the Senate went to State Sen. Dan Roberts (R-Mountain Brook) with 42%. State Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence) received 24%. Melson scored lower than the lowest-scoring Democrats.
- On the House side, State Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Indian Springs) had the highest score at 44%, while State Sen. Margie Wilcox (R-Mobile) received 27%.
The group highlighted bills they deemed pro- or anti-growth, used them in their scoring and provided a brief description of each.
Notable Pro-Growth Legislation according to Club For Growth:
- HB 386 - GROCERY TAX REDUCTION
- Reduces the sales tax on food and groceries from 3% to 2%
- Decreases the state tax burden by at least $122 million per year, and has an undetermined impact on local grocery tax burdens
- SB 43 - MODEST PRICE TRANSPARENCY PROTECTIONS
- Reduces distortions in healthcare costs by prohibiting contractual provisions that prevent doctors and pharmacists from disclosing cost information about treatment and drugs to patients
- SB 86 - NEW PRO WORKER BENEFIT ACCOUNTS
- Authorizes a portable benefit account for independent workers with qualifying banks or investment firms to help retain top talent for companies and ensure independent workers are not paying taxes into the value of the benefits.
Notable Anti-Growth Legislation:
- HB 141 - STATE EMPLOYEE SALARY DEDUCTION EXPANSION
- Expands salary deductions to state government employees to include financial instruments (contracts or repayment agreements)
- State workers, through taxpayer funds, receive qualified deductions to pay taxpayer-subsidized student loans or other subsidized financial agreements.
- HB 186 - GENERAL FUND BUDGET BINGE
- $3.7 billion allocated for the State General Fund, an 11% increase compared to last year's budget and the largest general fund budget in Alabama history.
- 19% year-over-year increase in Medicaid spending, equal to $1.2 billion.
- $15 million of taxpayer funds for the crony Airport Development Grant Program.
- $18 million of taxpayer funds for the crony SEEDS program to favor government-preferred corporate interests.
- HB 312 - MEDICAID PROVIDER TAX EXTENSION
- Extends the provider tax on private hospitals through 2028, which will give over $1 billion in revenue for the Alabama Health Care Trust Fund.
- Estimated increase in new federal Medicaid dollars to devour Alabama's state budgets in FY2026-2029 is $2.6 billion.
In releasing their scorecard, the group noted that scores are based "on selected votes and does not reflect a legislator's entire voting record. The Club for Growth Foundation does not endorse or oppose any legislator for public office. "
Scorecard as follows:
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