House Passes General Fund Budget

The Alabama House of Representatives has approved a $1.8 billion General Fund that offers no additional money for most state agencies. The House approved the bill by an 80-20 vote Wednesday night. It now moves to the Alabama Senate. Ways and Means Committee Chairman Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, called the budget the best the state could do in a lean year. Some Democrats took to the House microphones saying it was time for the state to consider new revenue sources, such as legalized gambling. Other lawmakers were critical that that the budget did not give an increase to the Department of Corrections, arguing the state was on the verge of a prison crisis. Clouse says they are working to find additional money for corrections.