By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – The Alabama House passed a bill Tuesday that provides key funding for the $1.53 billion General Fund budget. The General Fund passed the House in March. But it has been sitting idle since then in the Senate, stalled by a four-week filibuster of a financial disclosure bill. The General Fund provides funding for most non-education state services, like prisons and state troopers. Republicans had used procedural votes to block consideration of the bill that appropriates $54 million from the reserve of a national tobacco settlement to balance the cash-strapped General Fund. The Republican caucus agreed to drop opposition to the bill, which did unanimously pass the House.