Alabama

FY 2010 spending plan provides millions for proven programs: ARI, AMSTI, ACCESS Distance Learning and First Class Pre-K

May 04, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley today signed a $6.2 billion education budget that provides funding to sustain Alabama’s nationally renowned learning initiatives and avoid layoffs for teachers or school support personnel. The budget received final passage in the Alabama Senate on April 30.

To view a video of the budget signing, plus comments from Governor Riley, visit http://governor.alabama.gov.    » read more »

April 28, 2009 -- Alabama Governor Riley’s Anti-Corruption Bill is up for debate in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, April 29. In a video message, Governor Riley discussed efforts to pass this sweeping reform and urged Alabamians to call or email members of the committee and tell them to support House Bill 594.

The principles of House Bill 594 are:

* Public officials are public servants. All references to public officials and public employees in our ethics law will be replaced with the term “public servants.” This is to remind all that public service comes with a duty not to serve our own interests but the public’s.    » read more »

Impact Assistance Funds will Help Gulf States, Alaska and California to Restore and Protect Coastal Areas

April 20, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Six U.S. coastal states will share nearly half a billion dollars from offshore oil and gas revenues in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 to help restore and protect coastal wetlands, wildlife habitat and marine areas, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said today. The funds are available for approved uses by Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and their coastal local governments.    » read more »

April 17, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - The Alabama Supreme Court today issued an order that allows the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling to hold onto the slot machines and cash seized in March during a raid on the White Hall gambling facility in Lowndes County. Former Supreme Court Justice Mark Kennedy had ordered the Task Force to return the slot machines and cash, but the Task Force challenged Kennedy’s ability to decide the case based upon his ties to gambling interests in the state.    » read more »

April 10, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley on Friday asked President Obama to declare a major disaster area for 20 counties in Alabama that received damage from wind, rain and flooding recently.

Between March 30 and April 3, the 20 counties suffered an estimated $26 million in damage to roads, bridges and public buildings, the Governor said. In addition, 572 homes were affected by the severe storms in Covington, Geneva and Houston counties.

In addition to those three counties, Governor Riley’s disaster request covers Baldwin, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Coffee, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Elmore, Henry, Lamar, Marengo, Perry, Russell, Washington and Wilcox counties.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, DC, Wednesday, April 8, 2009 -- U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today announced that airports around the country will receive $258 million under the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

“Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act we are creating jobs across the country while investing in the long-term safety and economic vitality of our airports,” said Secretary LaHood.    » read more »

March 11, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley said Wednesday’s release of the latest unemployment report for the state shows the urgent need for legislators to pass the Alabama Economic Recovery Plan, but instead they are tied up - once again - debating gambling.    » read more »

March 10, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley, who has proposed performance-based bonuses for teachers, praised President Obama’s call today for such a system of rewarding good teachers.

“President Obama is completely right on this issue. It has never made any sense to me that teaching is the one profession that doesn’t reward superior performance,” Governor Riley said. “Good teachers aren’t threatened by performance pay. They welcome it because they know good teachers should be paid more. Excellence in education should be encouraged and rewarded. Teachers who do more, who achieve more, deserve more.”    » read more »

March 05, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley issued the following statement on Thursday concerning the introduction of a far-reaching gambling bill in the Legislature, SB 471 in the Senate and HB 676 in the House:

“If supporters of this bill really believe gambling is so good for Alabama, then why does their bill say it will restrict gambling? It’s because deep down they know the truth: gambling might make casino operators into multi-millionaires, but it hurts people, families and our communities. It brings with it more misery, more crime and more corruption. Alabamians know this and that’s why every time all the people have had a chance to vote on gambling, they’ve rejected it.    » read more »

March 06, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley has formally asked the chairmen of two legislative committees to bring his anti-corruption proposal up for debate.

“Alabama needs to declare war on corruption. The proposal I’ve submitted is a sweeping anti-corruption bill that increases transparency and will change the political culture of our state forever,” said Governor Riley.

The Governor’s proposal has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee chaired by Representative Marcel Black and the Senate Constitution, Campaign Finance, Ethics and Election Committee chaired by Senator Quinton Ross.    » read more »

March 03, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley is bringing together school superintendents, business leaders, faith-based organizers and Alma J. Powell, the Chair of America’s Promise Alliance, for a Dropout Prevention Summit in Montgomery on Thursday.

The goal of the summit is to develop action plans for improving graduation rates and students’ college readiness. The event will focus on specific steps that can be taken in communities to improve graduation rates. Participants will encourage collaboration between the corporate, non-profit, faith-based, public and education sectors.    » read more »

Additional $25 per Week Included in Federal Economic Stimulus Law

February 27, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley has authorized an additional $25 a week in unemployment benefits that is part of the federal stimulus law passed by Congress. Governor Riley signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor making the benefit increase for unemployed Alabamians effective. Claimants who qualify for the additional $25 benefit will begin receiving it on or before March 27.

The increase in weekly unemployment benefits will bring in $75 million to the state’s economy.    » read more »

February 27, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley on Friday launched a website that will help Alabamians learn more about the federal stimulus law and track how the stimulus dollars are spent in the state.

The website is www.stimulus.alabama.gov. There, Alabamians will be able to find information on the amounts of stimulus funds coming to various programs.

The website will be updated to reflect new information on the stimulus law as federal agencies issue specific regulations on funding uses and requirements. It will also soon include a feature that will allow organizations and individuals to submit proposals for use of the stimulus funds. Submitted proposals will be reviewed to identify projects that could qualify for funding.    » read more »

February 26, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - During a news conference at the state capitol this morning, Alabama Governor Bob Riley outlined the details of a proposal he has submitted that is “a total and complete” overhaul of the state’s ethics code.

The Alabama Code of Public Ethics, which is sponsored by Senator Ben Brooks and Representative Mac Gipson, would bring greater transparency to dealings between lobbyists and public servants, prevent conflicts of interests, and empower the state’s Ethics Commission to enforce the law.

Governor Riley first announced the ethics reform proposal during his State of the State Address earlier this month.    » read more »

February 23, 2009 -- MONTGOMERY - Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced Monday that Alabama exports grew to almost $16 billion in 2008, an increase of 10 percent from the year before.

“Alabama companies have proven they know how to compete in the global market. That means more jobs for our citizens, higher wages and a stronger economy for our state,” said Governor Riley. “The more aggressive and proactive we are in exporting, the more successful Alabama is going to be.”

The Governor announced the value of Alabama-produced exports reached $15.8 billion last year. Companies in the state shipped their products to 192 countries, with the top five destination markets being Germany, Canada, Mexico, China and Japan.    » read more »