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February 28, 2014
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Senate Passes Education Budget (ETF)
The Alabama Senate passed an Education Trust Fund (ETF) budget Thursday that increases funding for career technology programs and the state climatologist office. The budget proposal, which delineates education spending for FY2015, is sponsored by Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee Chairman Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose. It now goes to a House committee for consideration.
The budget provides a $1 million increase over FY2014 funding for the Career Tech Initiative, a program that provides job skills training to high school students. It also adds $600,000 for the state climatologist office and funds rural health programs and Auburn University's poultry technology center.
"This budget is proof our legislators understand the importance of investing in agricultural education and research," said Alabama Farmers Federation Governmental and Agricultural Programs Department Director Brian Hardin. "We appreciate the hard work of Sen. Pittman and his committee in providing a fiscally responsible ETF budget."
The $5.9 billion ETF proposal includes a 1 percent bonus for teachers. The committee also voted to increase a conditional repayment to the budget's rainy day fund from $65 million to $100 million. The repayment funds would come from the FY2014 budget and are meant to repay $437 million borrowed in 2008 that is due June 2015.
AFF Priorities At A Glance - ETF Budget
Budget Item
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House W&M Proposal
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Change from FY14
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Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
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$30,622,954
| No change |
Career Tech - Operation and Maintenance
| $5,000,000 | No change |
Career Tech Initiative
| $3,257,967 | $1,000,000
| Office of State Climatologist | $850,000 | $600,000
| Cooperative Extension System | $31,621,552 | No change | Rural Medical Scholars Program |
$750,000
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$100,000
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Poultry Technology Center at Auburn University
| $250,000 | No change |
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Members' Help Needed on Cotton Checkoff, F4 Tag Bills
Bills related to Alabama Farmers Federation priorities are ready to be acted on in the upcoming week. The House Agriculture and Forestry Committee could vote on cotton checkoff bills as early as next week, and the Senate could take up the F-4 license tag bill.
Federation members are encouraged to contact House Agriculture and Forestry Committee members and ask for support on SB 255 and SB 256, sponsored by Sen. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton. Members are Chairman Rep. Chad Fincher, R-Semmes; Vice Chairman Rep. Steve Hurst, R-Munford; Ranking Minority Member Rep. Richard Lindsey, D-Centre; and Reps. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva; Randy Davis, R-Daphne; Joe Faust, R-Fairhope, Dexter Grimsley, D-Newville; A.J. McCampbell, D-Gallion; and David Sessions, R-Grand Bay.
A bill to remove the one tag registration limit on F-4 tags for farm vehicles could be voted on in the Senate next week. Sponsored by Rep. Alan Boothe, R-Troy, HB 44 could save farmers hundreds of dollars a year on registering vehicles used to transport equipment and harvest.
Federation members are also encouraged to contact members of the Senate Rules Committee and ask them to pick HB 44 for the Senate calendar. Those members are Chairman Sen. Jabo Wagoner, R-Vestavia Hills; Vice Chairman Sen. Jimmy Holley, R-Elba; and Sens. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale; Roger Bedford, D-Russellville; Paul Bussman, R-Cullman; Gerald Dial, R-Lineville; Priscilla Dunn, D-Bessemer; Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile; Rusty Glover, R-Semmes; Tammy Irons, D-Florence; Arthur Orr, R-Decatur; Trip Pittman, R-Montrose; Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville; and Clay Scofield, R-Guntersville.
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General Fund Budget Passes House
Alabama's $1.8 billion dollar General Fund (GF) budget for FY2015 passed the state House of Representatives Wednesday. No changes were made to Alabama Farmers Federation priorities from the funding suggested by the House Ways and Means General Fund Budget Committee.
Funding for the state's Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) is included in the proposal. AWEP aims to increase on-farm irrigation, and every $1 in state funding is matched with $9 in federal government funds.
The GF budget also provides funding to offset registration fees for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) and for a state water assessment program. The proposal now moves to the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee, chaired by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur. The largest portions of the GF budget fund the State Department of Corrections, the court system and the Alabama Medicaid Agency.
AFF Priorities At A Glance - GF Budget
Budget Item
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House W&M Proposal
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Change from FY14
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Agricultural Water Enhancement Program
| $90,674 | No change |
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
| $380,000 | No change |
State Water Assessment Program
| $1,000,000 | No change |
Department of Ag and Industries
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$9,625,974
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$221,741
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The Senate reconvenes at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, for the 20th day of the 30-day regular session. The House reconvenes at 1 p.m. the same day. |
For questions or comments regarding newsletter content, e-mail:
Matthew Durdin - State Legislative Programs Director for the Senate
or
David Cole - State Legislative Programs Director for the House
For distribution questions or media inquiries, e-mail:
Mary Johnson - Director of News Services
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