State Rep. Danny Garrett says Alabama lawmakers are likely to seek a “middle ground” on data centers as the issue continues to generate political and local opposition across the state.
Garrett (R-Trussville), chairman of the House Education Trust Fund budget committee, discussed the growing debate Tuesday on “The Jeff Poor Show,” arguing that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence makes simply rejecting the infrastructure unrealistic.
“AI is out of the bottle. The genie is out of the bottle. You can’t put it back in,” Garrett said.
Garrett said he expects lawmakers to have extensive discussions about data centers during the 2027 legislative session and predicted the final approach will fall between unrestricted development and efforts to stop new projects altogether.
“I think what the sense I get is that we’ll have discussions and we’ll probably find some ground, a middle ground, that I think is practical,” Garrett said. “The idea that we would just go all in with no restrictions, or that we would have none of that, to me is not realistic.”
When asked about potential guardrails and concerns from county governments over a one-size-fits-all state policy, Garrett pointed to both property rights and the national importance of domestic computing infrastructure.
“With the AI that’s out there in the world, where do we want that data stored?” Garrett said. “I don’t want it stored in China, but I don’t want to, you know, again infringe upon property rights either.”
“I think there’s a reasonable answer here,” he continued. “Right now, people are just kind of, I think, going to extremes, but we’ll figure out, I think, what makes sense and what’s fair and reasonable.”
Data centers have quickly emerged as one of Alabama’s most contentious policy issues.
Several Alabama cities have temporarily paused new data center development while considering additional rules. Republican gubernatorial nominee U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) has strongly supported continued development, arguing that additional computing capacity will be necessary for artificial intelligence and can generate substantial local tax revenue.
Democrat nominee Doug Jones has called for a one-year statewide moratorium on new approvals while Alabama develops additional protections for ratepayers, communities and natural resources.
U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) has also recently called for a middle-ground approach, rejecting both a full moratorium and the idea of putting a “data center on every corner.”
Garrett’s comments suggest the issue will remain active beyond the gubernatorial campaign, with state lawmakers likely to consider how Alabama regulates future development when they return to Montgomery next year.
Sawyer Knowles is a state and political reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected].
