Legislators prepare for final days of session

Published 2:35 pm Monday, March 24, 2014

When Alabama legislators return from spring break next week, the three remaining days of the legislative session will be filled with various bills left to discuss.

“The last couple of days will be busy,” Rep. Kurt Wallace, R-Maplesville said. “We will resume on April 1 and then meet Thursday and then the following Tuesday and we will be finished.”

Wallace said one of the biggest issues left to discuss involves the budget with both the Education Budget and General Fund Budget waiting to pass.

“I have been told that there has been an agreement made between the Senate and the House and the governor’s office between the education budget,” Wallace said.

The House and Senate passed different versions of the $5.9 billion spending plan for the 2014-2015 school year.

Wallace said he was unsure what the compromise was, but anticipated approval of both the education budget and General Fund budget by next week.

Wallace said House Bill 21 changing the laws surrounding where convicted sexual offenders are able to live together is awaiting Gov. Robert Bentley’s signature after it was approved in both the House and Senate.

Wallace co-sponsored the bill and said it would designate places where sex offenders live and prohibit more than one unrelated adult sex offender from living in an unauthorized residential sex offender cluster.

“A cluster is defined as more than three sex offenders,” Wallace said. “I was very happy it passed and will hopefully have it signed by the governor soon.”

Wallace said several bills placing restrictions on abortions throughout the state will also be discussed in Senate committee next week.

“If the bills clear the Senate on Tuesday, they will go to the floor of the Senate on Thursday and should all be passed by next week,” Wallace said. “After we return from spring break it should be a busy next couple of days.”