Committee members throughout the Alabama Legislature have a busy day ahead of them.
The Senate Education Committee will hold a public hearing this morning on a bill aiming to repeal the Common Core curriculum standards.
The House Ways and Means Education Committee will also consider changes to the Alabama Accountability Act, a state program that provides scholarships to help some families pay for private school.
Other state committees will consider proposals such as allowing homeschooled students to play on public high school athletic teams, creating a comprehensive state database to enforce limits on payday loans; and allowing Alabamians to carry handguns in cars without a concealed carry permit.
Lawmakers will also begin hearings this afternoon concerning the state’s dire budget shortfall. The heads of the state prisons, Medicaid and mental health departments will give presentations to lawmakers.
The Alabama Department of Corrections and state Medicaid coverage combine to account for nearly 60% of Alabama’s General Fund budget.