May - Regular Session 2009 Senate Wrap Up

May 28, 2009

The most valuable freedom to us in this great nation is our democracy.  We have the privilege of participating in the government which rules our land.  We have the opportunity to run for, vote for, and interact with each and every office that governs our country.  We voice our opinions and offer suggestions.  Were it not for the men and women who have fought and died and who have valiantly served our country, these rights and freedoms would not have been preserved.  Our country has just observed Memorial Day and we must never forget the courage and valor of our men and women who have paid the ultimate price and those who are presently in harms way in certain global positions, still fighting to maintain our freedoms.  I say this in addition to the monumental purpose of Memorial Day in that governmental processes throughout this nation are a direct result of the freedoms that we share. 

             With the regular session of 2009 now being completed, I will give the overall performance a grade of B minus.  In these trying economic times, the legislature was still able to pass a balanced budget for both education funding and general funding for the state.  Stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 helped substantially with our budget’s balancing, and consequently valuable education programs such as the nationally recognized Alabama Reading Initiative, Distance Learning opportunities, and the Math and Science Initiatives were protected from severe cuts.  The Education Budget also protects all teacher jobs supported by state tax dollars so that there should be no lay offs in teacher and staff positions for the upcoming year.  Over the next two year period, Alabama will receive in excess of $3.1 billion in federal stimulus money as our state’s share of the Recovery and Reinvestment enactment program.  In addition to the budgets, a couple of positive matters that I’ve received a great deal of constituency correspondence on have resulted in the following final conclusion:  the legislature passed a joint resolution calling on the Retirement Systems of Alabama to conduct an actuarial study of the Alabama Prepaid Affordable College Tuition program.  Recommendations are to be made to the Governor and to each member of the Legislature by Dr. David Bronner and his team as soon as possible as to feasible remedies to the PACT Program.  There are 48,000 program participants currently enrolled in college or preparing to attend college which should receive benefits that are specified and implied in the contracts written and issued by the PACT Board, so consequently upon the receipt of the report, the Governor has indicated that he will call the Legislature into a Special Session in order to implement the report’s findings.  The resolution further states that contracts maturing within the next three to four years are presently reported to be secure. 

In my next months article I will address certain legislative matters that passed on the last legislative day that have been given little publicity but I think you would like to have brought to your attention.  I addition, I’ll mention legislation that either I sponsored or jointly sponsored with a House member which had success and has now been given an official enactment number.  I am very proud of the work that I do to those who have elected me to serve and encourage you all to know who your elected officials are, how to contact them and exercise your right to voice your concerns.  It is for these freedoms that we celebrate and honor those who fought and died for our liberties, and what it means for us should never be forgotten.

The Alabama Legislature goes back into Regular Session in January, 2010.