Ways and Means General Fund

SB 154 would provide a 2% cost-of-living salary increase for most Alabama state employees, effective October 1, 2026. This applies to classified/unclassified state employees, judicial personnel, legislative staff, and county health department employees paid through state funds under the State Merit System. The bill excludes employees covered by existing labor contracts or local supplements tied to state salaries. Funding for the increase would be included in the annual state budget, not through this bill itself. The measure does not affect pay for employees already covered by negotiated agreements.

SB 226 allocates supplemental funding for Alabama's fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, primarily providing $387.5 million from the Public Road and Bridge Fund and $200 million from the Rebuild Alabama Fund to the Alabama Department of Transportation for highway and bridge projects. It also allocates $50 million for energy infrastructure development through the Strategic Energy Infrastructure Development Fund and $11 million to the Unified Judicial System for court operations. Additional funds support Medicaid, the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, and geological surveys. The bill amends the main transportation appropriation to include the Alabama Highway Authority in debt service payments for highway bonds.

SB 280 allows Alabama state employees and teachers enrolled in the Employees' Retirement System or Teachers' Retirement System to purchase retirement credit for public service performed with the federal government. This expands existing rules that already permit purchasing credit for certain out-of-state or public education service. To qualify, members must have at least 10 years of contributing service in Alabama's system, pay the full actuarial cost for each year of federal service, and obtain written certification from the federal government. Credit must be purchased in one-year increments (or the full remaining period if less than one year). The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

SB 300 amends Alabama's license plate law to update design requirements for the "Helping Schools" distinctive plates and provide a free replacement for eligible owners. It specifies that the Department of Revenue must follow new design rules when creating these plates, which currently feature a white background with red "Helping Schools" text and a red apple, green book, and yellow ruler. Eligible individuals include those who purchased or renewed their "Helping Schools" plates between March 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026, who will receive a new plate meeting the updated design at no cost during the 2027 registration year. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, and does not change the $20 annual fee for the plate program.

SB 57 requires Alabama's Department of Human Resources to request a federal waiver from the USDA to prohibit SNAP (food stamp) benefits from being used to purchase candy and soda. If approved, the state would ban SNAP recipients from buying these items, with the department required to resubmit the waiver request annually if denied. The bill defines "candy" as foods with sugar as the first ingredient (excluding single-ingredient sugars) and "soda" as carbonated beverages with sugar as a top ingredient (excluding diet drinks). This policy would directly affect Alabama SNAP recipients who currently use benefits for these items, effective October 1, 2026.