North Baldwin Infirmary, a 78-bed healthcare facility located in Bay Minette, will receive more than $450,000 in funding this year from an innovative program that was strongly supported by State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine).
Elliott, who is seeking a new term in the State Senate and has been endorsed by the Alabama Hospital Association, was a major backer of the Rural Hospital Investment Program, which was created in 2025 and provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit to individuals and businesses that make contributions to rural healthcare facilities.
Among the hospitals that qualify for funding through the program is North Baldwin Infirmary, which will receive $453,838.42 this year. Nearby Baldwin Health in Foley, another qualifying facility, will receive $145,040 through the program.
Alabama’s hospital tax credit is based upon a similar effort this has provide wildly successful in Georgia and has generated almost a half-billion dollars in additional funding for rural hospitals since its creation.
State Sen. April Weaver (R-Brierfield), who sponsored the legislation in the Senate, noted that Elliott was an early and enthusiastic supporter of the effort.
“From the moment it was proposed, Sen. Elliott saw the potential in how the Rural Hospital Investment Program could benefit Baldwin County and other communities with qualifying healthcare facilities by offering tax cuts,” Weaver said.
“He was one of the Senate’s biggest cheerleaders and promoters of the legislation, and the significant funding that North Baldwin Infirmary has received in the program’s first year alone is the result of Sen. Elliott’s work on its behalf.”
Elliott said he remains enthusiastic about the program that incentivizes private contributions for rural hospitals by leveraging state tax credits, and he is confident that it will generate millions of dollars in new funding for North Baldwin Infirmary in just the next few years alone.
“Rather than using government’s tax-and-spend approach by placing tax burdens on individuals and families, the Rural Hospital Investment Program rewards those who contribute to North Baldwin Infirmary and other community hospitals by giving them meaningful state tax cuts in return.” Elliott said.
“And the tax credit reductions may be applied to state income taxes, financial institution taxes, insurance premium taxes, and others, so the rural hospital donors may apply them in a manner that works best for them.”
“The sky is the limit when it comes to new funding that North Baldwin Infirmary will receive from this innovative tax credit program that has already proven so successful in our sister southeastern state of Georgia,” he added.
In addition to the revenue generated from the Rural Hospital Investment Program, Elliott said local legislation that allows residents to continue existing funding for North Baldwin Infirmary will be introduced in the 2027 regular session, as well.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
