The House and Senate General Fund budget committees are expected this morning to vote on House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, the companion bills that allow for the spending of about $772 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act money.
Lawmakers hope to have final passage of the plan by next Thursday.
The bill allocates funds from several ARPA sources, with spending focused on broadband and water and sewer infrastructure and health care.
This legislation also creates the 14-member Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on American Rescue Plan Act State Funds.
The fiscal notes on the bills outline the spending.
From the ARPA Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund:
- Up to $80 million to the Alabama Hospital Association and the Alabama Nursing Home Association for health care and related services.
- Up to $51 million to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs for broadband improvements.
- (Up to $225 million to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management for water and sewer projects.
- Up to $79.5 million to the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund.
- Up to $7.8 million for reimbursement of costs for the administration, auditing, and reporting requirements of the state and local fiscal recovery funds.
From the ARPA Revenue Replacement Funds:
- Up to $34 million to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs for broadband improvements.
- Up to $5 million to the Alabama Department of Public Health, or any other health provider to facilitate telemedicine.
- Up to $36.8 million to the Alabama Department of Public Health, the Alabama Department of Mental Health, the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, or any other state entity of competent jurisdiction, health care association, or health care provider.
- Up to $30 million for assistance to rural hospitals.
- Up to $20 million for assistance to emergency response providers.
- Up to $11million for reimbursements of expenses of state inmates housed in county jails from March 3, 2021 to December 31, 2021.
From the ARPA Capital Projects Fund:
- $191.8 million to be delegated to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to be used for the delivery of broadband and related services.
- Any funds appropriated but unspent by Sept. 30, 2022, will be reappropriated for the same purposes for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2022, and for all fiscal years thereafter extending through Dec. 31, 2026.