FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2023
Contact: Hope Brasell
334-398-1823
Hope.brasell@alsenate.gov
The Alabama Senate Approves $3 Billion 2024 General Fund Budget
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, the Alabama Senate approved a $3 billion 2024 General Fund budget and the $180 million supplemental spending. The budget is smaller than the House version of the General Fund, passed on April 26, but would be roughly $162 million larger (5.6% increase) than the 2023 General Fund budget approved last year.
“It’s our obligation to the people of Alabama to be proactive in our planning and account for the obligations that are coming due for important line items such as construction or infrastructure costs,” states Alabama Senate General Fund Budget Committee Chairman Greg Albritton. “Inflation will continue to cut into our total amount, and we’re preparing for that in order to be fiscally responsible stewards of the state’s General Fund.”
This budget includes increases to funding for state agencies. The Alabama Medicaid Agency General Fund share would go up $69.5 million (an 8.8% increase). The Department of Corrections got a 9.8% increase to $58.8 million. The budget for the Department of Human Resources, at $121.8 million was left unchanged from the House’s version of the bill and is $400,000 more than this current fiscal year.
“It is the sole statutory responsibility as legislators to craft budgets that are supportive of our agencies but also mindful of our allocations. For the past two years we have found ourselves with additional funds due to our booming economy,” stated Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed. However, we know that these additional funds are not sustainable, so it is our fiduciary duty to protect the State of Alabama and its taxpayers.”
The Senate increased the allocation for the Alabama Department of Mental Health by $1.1 million over the House version, bringing it to $210 million, a $16.5 million (8.5%) increase over its current $193 million budget. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), which is budgeted to receive $82.5 million this current year, will be allocated $90.9 million in this budget, a 10.1% increase.
For more information or questions on this legislation, please contact Hope Brasell, hope.brasell@alsenate.gov.