Alabama lawmakers enter the final 4 working days of the legislative session.

Among the bills pending are a bailout of the state’s PACT plan and a ban on texting while driving.

Road and Bridge Bond

Today House members face that billion dollar road and bridge proposal in the full House.

This morning on FOX6 News Good Day Alabama, two Birmingham-metro lawmakers predicted plenty of discussion before a vote today.

Rep. Oliver Robinson (D) of Birmingham says “we need to try to do what we can to bring jobs to Alabama”  in support of the bill, but adds Birmingham and Jefferson county should get a “lion’s share of the money.”

That is not the case in Birmingham legislators’ minds at this time.

Rep. Jim McClendon (R) of Springville warns the bill is “robbing the piggy bank.” That piggy bank being the Oil and Gas Trust Fund.

“The oil and gas trust fund produces hundreds of millions of dollars that go into the general fund… there is a lot of concern,” McClendon says.

e-Bingo

The House Tourism committee passed Sen. Roger Bedford’s e-bingo bill without amendment this morning.

It’s road may not get easier in the full House.

Rep. Robinson expects a tough battle in these closing days.

“We’ll have plenty of discussion on the floor and it is my hope we pass it out of the House.  I don’t know if we have the votes, but you have to give it a shot.”

McClendon believes the votes won’t be there in the full House.

Erin Dixon further sets the stage for the House debate here.

SB233

The St. Clair county Republican is finding a tough time for the Senate-passed CA giving Alabamian’s the vote to say they want to opt out of the federal health care overhaul.

“The Democrats have blocked that bill from coming before the House committee,” he says.

“We have a House committee meeting today at 12:30 and it’s not on the calender and its because its been blocked by the folks that don’t want a referendum.”

Rep. Robinson vows to do everything he can to keep it off the agenda.

House Majority Leader Ken Guin (D-Carbon Hill) has previously said state lawmakers don’t have a clear view of what is in the federal law. Guin believes it would be premature to act in this legislative session.

Tea Party activists in Alabama have urged followers to call the state house and sign petitions demanding the bill sponsored by Sen. Scott Beason (R-Gardendale) come up for a vote.

Read more of Rick Journey’s blogs here.

Filed under: Legislature