Winners and losers in the 2008 session of the Alabama Legislature:
WINNERS
General Fund Budget: Lawmakers approved a $2 billion budget to fund non-education agencies in the fiscal year starting October 1. It will fund a 3.54 percent raise for state employees and provide an extra $150 million to Medicaid to maintain current health services.
Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom: The Legislature helped Folsom keep a campaign promise by creating a commission to study how to pay for and build a freeway from the Florence area to the Mobile area.
Parents: The Legislature voted to give a state income tax deduction of up to $5,000 per year for money invested for children in either of Alabama's two state-sponsored college savings plans.
Auto insurance: The Legislature raised the minimum amount of auto liability insurance that motorists must buy for the first time since 1983.
State employees: The Legislature funded a 3.5 percent cost-of-living raise for state employees that will begin October 1.
LOSERS
Education budget: The Senate failed to pass a $6.3 billion budget due to a dispute over funding for universities. The governor will have to call a special session to reconsider the budget.
Grocery tax: The Senate never took up a House-passed measure to remove the state sales tax on groceries, raise the threshold where a family starts paying state income tax, and end the state income tax deduction for federal taxes paid.
Campaign finance: The House and Senate passed different versions of a bill to restrict the transfer of money between political action committees, but could never agree on a compromise.
Smoking: The House never took up a Senate-passed bill to restrict smoking in most public places and workplaces.
Tax rebates: The Senate never took up a House-passed bill to make sure federal economic stimulus checks are not taxed by the state.
Immigration: Democrats and Republicans introduced a variety of bills to address illegal immigration, but couldn't muster a consensus.
Liquor: Bills died that would more than double the amount of alcohol allowed in beer in Alabama, allow stronger wine to be sold in grocery stores, and allow small towns in dry counties to vote to legalize liquor sales.
Small businesses: The Senate adjourned without considering a House-passed bill to provide a tax break to small businesses that furnish health insurance to their employees.
Property reappraisals: Bills to end annual property tax reappraisals of homes died.
Gambling: Bills died that would have allowed voters to legalize electronic bingo games at the dog tracks in Jefferson and Mobile counties and that would have removed electronic bingo games from Walker County.
Scroll down to share your comments.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement