Montgomery, AL – The Alabama House has passed an austere $1.6 billion General Fund budget that will fund most agencies at the amount recommended by Gov. Bob Riley but allows for few frills or extras.
The House voted 104-0 Tuesday for the $1.6 billion budget to fund most non-education state agencies such as prisons, state troopers and Medicaid.
The chairman of the House Government Appropriations Committee, Democratic Rep. John Knight of Montgomery, says the budget was tight and some agencies could be forced to layoff workers.
But Knight says the budget maintained or increased funding for prisons, state troopers, children's insurance and other key programs.
The budget now goes to the Senate for debate.
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