MONTGOMERY — On Tuesday, members of the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee will begin debating and possibly changing the $9.35 billion Education Trust Fund (ETF) budget passed by the House recently.
The ETF budget and accompanying supplemental bills fund the state’s various education-related expenses for fiscal year 2025, beginning Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2025.
Roughly $10 million to $14 million in funding for a state-federal summer feeding program that provides EBT benefits to kids for groceries may be added to the budget. Alabama was one of 15 states that elected not to participate in the program this summer. A spokesman for Gov. Kay Ivey told 1819 News in January that Alabama was not participating in the program in 2024 due to the federal government cutting funding for states after the 2023 legislative session ended.
“We missed the boat for 2024. I want to be clear about that. We’re not talking about this coming summer. We’re talking about 2025,” State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) told reporters on Thursday.
He added, “One thing I’ve been hearing from members is a real concern about the summer youth feeding program.”
“That’s something we’re working to get that concern addressed and take it from there,” Orr continued. “When you’re the second chamber, the concrete begins to set after that first chamber has passed the budget and things get a little bit more tricky as you go to try to find money to meet the priorities of your members of your second chamber. Finding $10 million … what booby traps are there out there or land mines that might get triggered as we move resources from one place to the other?”
Orr also said child care tax credit legislation, part of a “Working for Alabama” package that recently passed the House, is still under review.
There are five days left in the 2024 legislative session.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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