Authorizing budgets for the coming fiscal year is the top institutional priority of the House Ways and Means Education Committee. On Tuesday, members of the committee did exactly that by advancing several key bills.
The package includes the supplemental appropriations from the Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund, supplemental appropriations from Education Trust Fund, the budget itself, a 2% pay raise for public education employees, and other annual funding measures. All bills are sponsored by State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) who chairs the Ways and Means Education Committee.
According to its fiscal note, HB144 would appropriate $651,202,906 from the Education Trust Fund for the fiscal year ending 2024 to various state departments, agencies, and higher education institutions. Additionally, it appropriates $29,998,245 to the K-12 Capital Grant Program, repeals the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Revolving Loan Program, and amends the Education Trust Fund Appropriations Act for FY2024 to clarify school nurse experience requirements.
“This is the education budget,” Garrett said of HB145. “We are setting aside some money for expansion of a dental clinic, UAB, in North Alabama,” Garrett said. “We’ve also added $5,000 to the Holocaust Commission. They were previously at $95,000. This would take them to an even $100,000. There are a number of places in the budget where we have added qualifying language.”
Additional funding measures include the expansion of a technical education program in West Alabama statewide, setting side some funding for the coming 250th anniversary of American independence from England in 2026, and modifying funding for the Helping Families Initiative.
“We added money for the deferred maintenance,” said Garrett. “We are removing that requirement for a dollar-for-dollar match in HBCU deferred maintenance.”
HB146 provides a 2% pay increase for all K-12 employees.
The total ETF fund budget, not including the supplemental appropriations, came out to $9,348,506,169 – very slightly more than the Governor requested. K-12 education will receive $6,379,715,161 – an increase of $390,503,174 from FY2024. Higher education receives $2,394,979,702 in this budget — an increase of $138,010,664. Other state agencies with appropriations from the education budget received $573,811,306 – an increase of $21,398,290.
All of the bills received favorable reports from the Committee this week. The 2025 fiscal year begins on October 1. Tuesday marks Day 22 of the 2024 legislative session.
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