Alabama House and Senate committees on Wednesday moved along a plan to spend $772 million in federal COVID aid. The final vote could come as early as today.
The Alabama Senate Finance Taxation and General Fund Committee met briefly Wednesday morning and approved a bill that would allocate $ in federal COVID aid from the American Rescue Plan Act.
The House Ways and Means General Find Committee also met Monday and approved the House’s version of the spending bill.
The bills call for $277 million, or about 36 percent, to go toward expanding broadband, $225 million toward water and sewer improvements and $146.7 million, or 19 percent, toward health care, to be split between hospitals and nursing homes.
The bills also include $79.5 million for the state’s Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund, and $11 million to reimburse the counties for the cost of housing state prisoners.
The bills would also establish a 14-member joining legislative oversight committee that could request reports from state agencies related to the expenditure of funds made possible through the bill.
