Alabama lawmakers are getting closer to a budget agreement after lots of activity in both chambers yesterday.
The Alabama Senate made a few revisions to the 25 cent per pack cigarette tax increase proposal before passing it 21-13. The House voted 52-42 to accept those changes.
Lawmakers also struck a compromise on transferring money from the education budget to the general fund. The House had approved a $50 million transfer, while senators wanted to transfer twice that. A conference committee approved a measure that will shift $80 million between the two budgets.
Senators are expected to vote on a General Fund budget today. The new revenue should prevent cuts to Medicaid, prisons, mental health, the Department of Human Resources and Alabama’s courts. Other state agencies will most likely still see cuts.
If the budget passes, the special session could end today.
Several locks in north Alabama are scheduled to reopen to the public next month. The facilities had been closed for years due to security concerns.
The Wilson, Wheeler and Pickwick locks were closed to the public after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. People used to be able to stand on top of the lock and watch the operation up close. That view was replaced by barricades and padlocked gates.
Lee Roberts is a public affairs officer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Nashville district. He says the Corps needed to balance the security issues with public interest in the locks.
“We felt it was important that the public be able to have access to these, so that they do know how they’re being operated, and the importance of keeping them open for all the traffic that comes through.”
Roberts says each barge transporting goods through one of the Tennessee River’s locks keeps nearly 80 tractor-trailers off the highways. The three locks in north Alabama will be open to public access starting October 1.
AT&T is creating a new safe driving campaign and the company wants Mobile-area high school students to help out.
Today is the deadline for teenagers to submit thirty second public service announcements on the dangers of texting while driving. The winning entry will be part of AT&T’s campaign called “It Can Wait.”
AT&T Regional Director Gigi Armbrecht says there’s a reason the company wanted high school students to produce the videos.
“We’re looking for a message that will resonate with teens because they’re some of the biggest offenders, but by far not the only ones. We figured the best way to get a message across to kids was to ask kids to craft the message. So that’s how it’s been working out.”
The winner of the contest will be announced on Friday. That day has been designated as National Pledge to Not Text and Drive Day.