EXCLUSIVE: Steve Flowers’ analysis of start of 2024 Alabama legislative session
EXCLUSIVE: Action 8 News Political Analyst Steve Flowers is providing his expert insight into the start of the 2024 session of the Alabama Legislature.
The session begins Tuesday, February 6. The first day will include the annual State of the State Address, delivered by Gov. Kay Ivey at 6PM. You can watch it live on the Action 8 News Facebook page.
Flowers says the state remains in good economic shape. Last year, there was enough money to give teachers and others a pay raise and to provide taxpayers with rebate checks. He says he doesn’t know if that will happen again this year, but there will be enough money to support both the Education Trust Fund and the General Fund budgets.
Flowers expects school choice to be at the top of the agenda. That would allow parents to use their tax money in the best way they see fit for their children’s education, even if that means for private school. Flowers says Gov. Kay Ivey is on board with the idea, which may involve the creation of school savings accounts for parents to access. This idea has been approved in many other states, and Flowers says it’s popular with Republicans who are in control of state government.
Flowers says gambling will come up. Last year, a bill that passed the Senate got bogged down in the House. It will take a 2/3 majority to approve a gambling bill because Flowers says it will be a state constitutional amendment proposal. He says if a lottery makes it on the ballot, voters will support it. It’s not known what forms of gambling might be included in any bill.
To get more of Steve Flowers’ analysis, watch the video above.
