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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal SNAP, Medicaid cuts could harm Alabamians and the state budget, advocates say
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., is pictured on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Federal cuts to SNAP and Medicaid could significantly strain Alabama's budget, but Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund committee urged caution due to the bill's uncertainty, despite critics calling the measures "cruel." (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) A budget bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives could impose significant financial and social challenges in Alabama. The measure could cut food assistance and Medicaid program funding that serve hundreds of thousands of people with low incomes in Alabama, and potentially cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars annually. It's still unclear if it will pass the U.S. Senate. The legislation, which passed the House largely along party lines, proposes funding reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. Experts and state officials warn the cuts could lead to increased hunger, loss of health care coverage and other economic consequences across the state, particularly in vulnerable rural communities. 'There are three things in the bill, as it came out of the House, that are problematic for SNAP,' said Carol Gundlach, a policy analyst with Alabama Arise, an organization working on poverty issues. 'The first — and the biggest and the most important one — is it shifts cost-sharing to the states.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Historically, states have paid 50% of administrative costs for SNAP, but the benefits themselves have been 100% federally funded. The new bill, Gundlach said, would increase Alabama's share of administrative expenses to 75%, costing the state an estimated additional $35 million. More concerning, she said, is the proposal to shift part of the benefit cost to the states. Gundlach said Alabama could be 'on the hook for about 15% of the actual benefit cost of SNAP,' amounting to at least $254 million annually. 'That would also presumably have to come out of the General Fund, and that's every year, every single year,' Gundlach said. The proposed SNAP changes also include an expansion of work requirements for parents with children over the age of 7. This could force parents to 'jump through a bunch of hoops in order to keep your SNAP benefits, or they're going to cut your family SNAP benefits,' she said. The bill could prohibit the U.S. Department of Agriculture from recalculating the base amount of SNAP benefits in the future, a measure Gundlach said would increase hunger as benefits fail to keep pace with food costs. 'Any way this works, people are going to lose SNAP benefits,' she said, warning that in a worst-case scenario, Alabama could walk away from the SNAP program completely, leaving nearly 1 million people dependent on SNAP, or about 20% of Alabama's population, without food assistance. Debbie Smith, campaign director for Arise's Cover Alabama, said Alabama's 'bare bones' Medicaid program also faces pressures. According to Smith, the bill could cost Alabama '$324 million, I think, over 10 years' for Medicaid, translating to roughly $30 million annually. This could increase Alabama's Medicaid spending per resident by about 15%. 'Any cut to Medicaid is concerning when you have the bare bones program that we have. We really can't afford to cut anywhere,' Smith said. '$30 million for a year … that's still a big impact on our state budget.' The bill would also eliminate the federal incentive designed to encourage states like Alabama to expand Medicaid, a significant concern for Smith. '(The bill) sunsets that incentive, Jan. 1, 2026, so there's no time for anybody to take advantage of it before it sunsets,' Smith said. Even without state expansion, the bill is expected to cause coverage losses. Smith said Arise projects 53,000 people could lose their Medicaid coverage. Combined with the potential expiration of enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, 170,000 Alabamians could lose health insurance, leading to a $592.89 million increase in uncompensated care costs for the state, according to a Center for American Progress analysis. The House bill also proposes reducing retroactive Medicaid coverage from three months to one month. The combined potential costs from SNAP and Medicaid changes could put Alabama's General Fund in a challenging position, but Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund committee, said it's still early in the process and that it's hard to plan for a bill that could still change. 'We know things are going to get tough, OK, but we don't know how tough they're going to be,' Albritton said. Albritton said lawmakers had trouble finding an increase of about $220 million for Medicaid this past legislative session and he expects another significant increase next year. 'Between the changes of SNAP and other changes, that's going to put more pressure on us,' he said. Albritton, who has often voiced concerns about federal program funding being pulled, suggested Alabama is somewhat prepared because it hasn't expanded Medicaid. 'That's something — at least one of the few things we don't have to worry about right now,' he said. Arise described the bill's measures as 'cruel.' Gundlach described the situation as 'making parents choose between adequate care for their children and being able to put food on the table. If there is any definition of cruel, I don't know what else it could possibly be.' Albritton pushed back against such characterizations, calling the term 'alarmist' and blaming partisan politics. He chose a more cautious approach. 'All I can do at this point is sit and watch and wait,' he said. 'There's a lot that we do not know, and we're running around trying to fix something that we don't know what the problem is.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama Sen. Greg Albritton announces run for re-election
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — Alabama Senator for District 22, Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), has announced he is running for re-election. Who will be Alabama's next governor? The latest look at who's in and out of the race According to a news release, Albritton was elected to the state senate in 2014 after serving in the state House of Representatives from 2002 to 2006. District 22 covers Escambia County, Washington County, and portions of Baldwin County. Albritton is the chairman of the Finance and Taxation — General Fund Committee, where he oversees the allocation of the General Fund Appropriation. He has helped with broadband expansion, water and sewer improvements, and enhancing residents' quality of life, according to the release. 'I am honored to have had the opportunity to serve the people of District 22,' said Senator Albritton. 'Together, we have made significant strides in improving our communities and managing our state's resources wisely. I look forward to continuing this work and building a brighter future for Alabama.' Alabama health officials urge public to protect themselves during mosquito season The release said Albritton is a retired Navy officer and an attorney. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers vow to refile bills after they die in 2025 legislative session
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — Work is already underway for the 2026 Legislative Session. Some legislation sponsored by Republicans and Democrats died in the legislature this year, but both parties say the fight is not over. One bill would have expanded gambling in the state, legalizing sports betting and creating a lottery. Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), the sponsor, said we can expect to see it come back up next year, though it was not filed officially. He said he likely won't be bringing it, and the effort needs a new face. 'Between ALFA's determined fighting this and others, it's going to be difficult to bring about the changes to make the votes work,' Albritton explained. Another bill, sponsored by Democrats, would have extended a tax cut on overtime. That will now expire this summer. But, Rep. Kelvin Lawrence (D-Hayneville) said his party will keep pushing. 'It doesn't discriminate party lines,' Lawrence said. 'It doesn't discriminate rich/poor, black/white. It basically is just saying, 'if you work here in the state of Alabama, you can get more money in your paychecks.'' Lawrence said the effort, led by Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville), gets people involved in the workforce. 'Hopefully we can find the money and the funds to actually reinstate this program and make sure that we continue to provide that safety net for those individuals in the state of Alabama,' said Lawrence. Sen. Keith Kelley (R-Anniston) sponsored a bill that would require schools to display the Ten Commandments. He said it honors our nation's history. While some have opposed it, he said he'll be bringing it back next year. 'It also, I think, lends to kids accepting other kids,' he said. 'And hopefully a reduction in bullying and those types of behaviors.' The 2026 legislative session will start in January. We'll follow these bills as they get pre-filed closer to time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama Legislature sends 2026 ETF, General Fund budgets to Gov. Kay Ivey
Senate Pro Tempore Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman; Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore; Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham; and Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro (left to right) discuss a 125-page bill on the Senate floor as it is read in its entirety on April 29, 2025, in Montgomery, Ala. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama Legislature Tuesday gave final approval to the state's two budgets for the 2026 fiscal year, but not without a battle. The Alabama Senate passed a $3.7 billion 2026 General Fund budget late Tuesday night on a 30-0 vote after an hours-long slowdown. HB 186, sponsored by Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, would provide a 10% increase ($347 million) over the current budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which starts October 1. 'In many cases, you had a reduction in what your request had been. Everyone of us had that … so we're in a dichotomy here where we have the largest budget we've ever had, and yet, we have the tightest constraints and control that we've had in recent memory,' said Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, who chairs the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee, pointing to Medicaid's significant budget increase that will bring its budget to over $1 billion. Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, asked for the 125-page funding bill to be read in its entirety Tuesday afternoon, which delayed the vote by hours. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Alabama Medicaid Agency, which provides health insurance for over 1 million Alabamians, nearly all children, elderly citizens and those with disabilities, will get $1.179 billion from the state, a $223.8 million (19%) increase over this year. Ivey requested $1.184 billion in February, about $5 million than what the House approved. The Alabama Department of Corrections, which administers the state prisons, will get a $90.1 million increase (11%) to $826.7 million. The Alabama Department of Human Resources, which provides child and adult protective services, enforces child support payments and administers food and family assistance, will get $148.9 million from the state in 2026, a $4.7 million (3%) increase from the current budget. The Alabama Department of Mental Health, which provides mental health care services in the state, will get a $4.7 million increase (2%) to $244 million. The Legislature cut the funding from Ivey's recommendation by $3.7 million. But senators also appeared to want to send a message to the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles, which has drawn mounting criticism from Democratic and Republican senators over low parole rates and what senators consider a lack of responsiveness to their questions about the parole process. The Senate cut the board's funding from $94.5 million to $90.6 million, a 4.1% decrease. In addition, Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, added an amendment to make funding for the Board of Pardons & Paroles conditional on the board developing parole release guidelines. The amendment passed on a 27-0 vote. 'What they do, as y'all know, they adopt guidelines. Those are supposed to be updated and revised. They have not done that,' he said. The board has faced backlash after parole rates declined significantly after 2017, when members granted parole to about 54% of applicants. The rates fell as low as 7% at times, according to an analysis by the ACLU of Alabama in 2023, but rebounded to slightly more than 20% within the past year. The Senate also passed HB 185, also sponsored by Reynolds, which would appropriate $50 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Department of Finance and provide over $12.6 million to the Unified Judicial System. 'This bill is supplemental monies just taking federal money and appropriating it,' Albritton said. The House concurred with the changes late Tuesday evening, sending the bill to Gov. Kay Ivey. The Senate also concurred with House changes to SB 112, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, a nearly $10 billion 2026 Education Trust Fund budget (ETF). The House changes added $17.6 million to the budget, bringing it to a 6% increase over the 2025 ETF budget. The budget does not contain pay raises for teachers in the 2025-26 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. But it includes a $99.2 million increase for the Public Education Employees' Health Insurance Plan, as well as funding for workman's compensation for education employees and paid parental leave. The Senate also concurred with the ETF supplemental funding bills, including SB 113, also sponsored by Orr, a $524 million 2025 supplemental appropriation for education that passed the House with an amendment changing language to clarify dual enrollment programs funding. The Senate also concurred with House changes to SB 111, sponsored by Orr, which would appropriate $375 million over three years to implement changes to the state's school funding formula. The House added an additional $80 million from the Education Opportunity Reserve Fund to the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students' Education (CHOOSE) Act Fund, a voucher-like program that gives tax credits for non-public school spending, including private school tuition. The first-year cost estimate will go from $100 million to $180 million, an 80% increase. Over two-thirds of applicants to the program are already in private school or are homeschooled. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State lottery? Bad bet as gambling bill dies in Alabama Senate
ALABAMA (WHNT) — If you are betting on Alabama getting a state lottery this year, the odds are not looking good. As of now, this year's gambling package will not even be brought to the Senate floor for a vote. 'You're not a patient, you're a resident': State veteran-only nursing home provides resources, benefits Alabama is one of only five states left in the country without a lottery. This year's bill would have created one and legalized other forms of popular gambling, like sports betting and casino games. However, Alabama lawmakers are not closer to making that a reality. 'We are suffering from gambling fatigue,' Atmore-area Sen. Greg Albritton said. 'Everyone is just tired of it.' Albritton has worked on gambling legislation for several years. He said the legislature is missing out on an important opportunity to regulate it. 'The State of Alabama, I think, has a moral obligation to control this industry,' Albritton said. Kaffeeklatsch 1920's machine produces one-of-a-kind roasts Currently, several Alabama counties have legalized certain types of gambling that allow for dog racing and bingo halls. Albritton said he is concerned about the growth of these locally-regulated practices and other types of gambling are already happening in the state. 'Everybody that has access to a phone or a raffle ticket, they can do that right now,' Albritton said. 'It's available without constraint. That's a part of the problem.' The state is also missing out on significant potential revenue. In 2020, Gov. Kay Ivey put together a group to study gambling. The group found that the state had the potential to make between $510 and $710 million in revenue on gambling operations that would include a lottery, sports betting and casino gaming. Albritton said, with two more votes, the Senate probably could have passed the gambling package this year. 'The problem is that we've got so many hands in this pie,' Albritton said. 'We've got so much confusion in on it. And so many people that don't want it to be controlled.' Others, he said, find the subject taboo. The last time Alabama had a lottery on the ballot was 1999, and it did not pass then. In 2020, the governor's study group found that 7% of Alabamians supported implementing a state lottery, but it appears this year's gambling legislation will not make it far enough for voters to be given the choice. Albritton told News 19 he does not plan to introduce gambling legislation during next year's session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
