Alabama county leaders outline legislative priorities, expect them to pass
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WSFA) - As the legislative conference for the Association of County Commissions of Alabama wrapped up Thursday, county leaders finalized their 2022 legislative priorities.
Some of the priorities match potential bills talked about by Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth and include federally-funded improvements to counties, investment of excess county funds, and other tax measures. There are 10 items on the list, but ACCA executive director Sonny Brasfield says some should matter more to Alabamians. Those include:
- Reimbursement of county care for state inmates. This is because inmates have not been moved out of county jails since the pandemic began.
- Alternatives to mental illness incarceration. Officials will be working to pass a bill to allow law enforcement officers and community mental health officials to coordinate and provide services without these individuals going to jail.
- Expansion of broadband internet.
- Improvements to voter registration management. This also includes ensuring appointments fairly reflect the demographic makeup of each county.
“There are dozens of groups that have bills that they introduced, but county government has always been given priority treatment in the legislature, and we certainly are confident that these bills will make their way to the floor,” said Brasfield.
During the 2021 legislative session, all their priorities passed as well.
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