Alabama General Fund Budget

Gov. Robert Bentley has signed the state General Fund budget and state education budget into law.

Gov. Robert Bentley says his first impression of the state education and state general fund budgets is that they are basically fine.

   Bentley said Wednesday it appears legislators put some pork projects into the budgets and he's still reviewing a few items. But he sad he hasn't seen any major problems yet.

The Alabama Legislature has approved a compromise General Fund budget that increases funding for courts and prisons.

The Alabama Legislature enters the final three days of the 2013 legislative session with the main priority being passage of the education and General Fund budgets.

Passage of the two budgets are the only tasks lawmakers are constitutionally required to complete before the end of the regular session, expected to be May 20.

The Alabama Legislature begins the second half of its 2013 session on Tuesday.

Gov. Robert Bentley says his priority for the second half is passing balanced budgets. The former House representative says that's the Legislature's only constitutional duty. A House committee is scheduled to begin work on the education budget Tuesday. The Senate has already approved the General Fund budget and sent it to a House committee.

The Alabama Legislature has wrapped up the first half of its 2013 session and gone on spring break.

Wednesday marked the 15th meeting day of the session. Lawmakers left the capital city Wednesday evening and will return April 2 for their final 15 meeting days.

The issues remaining for the second half of the session include the state education budget and the General Fund budget.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

The Alabama Senate worked into the night to pass the budget to operate the state's non-education agencies. The Senate voted 22-9 Tuesday night to approve the General Fund budget and send it to the House for further consideration.

Budget committee Chairman Arthur Orr said the $1.7 billion budget follows most of the recommendations that Gov. Robert Bentley made when the legislative session began five weeks ago.