From ou statehouse studio in Montgomery.

I'm Todd Stacey.

Welcome to Capitol Journal.

Today was the eighth day of the Alabama Legislature's 2026 regular session.

Today also saw budget hearings here in the state House, which featured agency director explaining their budget request to lawmakers.

One of the largest expenses in state government is the Department of Corrections.

This year, its budget request is $868 million.

Commissioner Jon Hamm told lawmakers that that is level funding from the current fiscal year, except for $40 million that was conditionally appropriated for security staff.

Prisons.

Construction.

According to our contractor, we're about 80% complete, and we expect, construction to finish in October of this year.

This is the facility in Elmore County.

It's already been named the Governor Kay Ivey Correctional Complex.

And the facility in Escambia.

We're still working on, getting a construction manager for that facility.

And then that way, we can move forward on, getting a general contractor and start building out that project.

And I'll be speaking with State Senator Greg Albritton about those budget hearings and prison construction in more detail later in the show.

It was a pretty light day in the Alabama Senate.

Majority Leader Steve Livingston said he likes the progress so far and that lawmakers will be back on Tuesday with a more robust agenda.

We continue to work hard on our constitutional duties of sunset bills, local legislation and things and confirmation that we've been working through non-controversial bills that that our members have and where we've have had three good weeks, I think, of sessions.

So we'll finish up with our, with our, sunsets that we have t I think there's a couple of left they'll be continuing on with, with the confirmations, bills and local bills I think are pretty much cleaned up.

There will be a few more coming as we go through.

Of course, I'm not sure about what was signed out today or only above into committee.

So, we'll start getting into some more controversial stuff in the next week.

I'm not sure which item they've picked for it, but we'll be looking at some things.

It'll probably make us stay here a little longer.

The house had a productive day moving throug an agenda of more than 20 bills.

One bill of note is House Bill 122 from State Representative Terry Collins of Decatur.

The bill would incentivize its experienced and even retired teachers to join the teams program, which stands for Teacher Excellence and Accountability for Mathematics and Science.

We actually where that had always been our greatest need of teacher for math and science teachers, that was no longer the highest need.

So it is working.

But what we've learned over the, time that it's been in practice is that there was some extension on those that were 20 year employees that got a five year, and it was only five years.

Well, all around, you may have heard from your superintendents that that's a long time for them.

Some of them that want to teach that much longer and they would really like to participate.

So it's a voluntary program.

And so all we've done is to strike the, the language that requires five years.

And the bill says up to five years, but we will have a substitute that came out of committee.

But I am a person wh watch out for our teachers, and I want to make sure we achieve everything that is possible.

And one thing that is stuck into my clau in all of the conversations that I had with multiple superintendents, none of them, which was mine, was that.

There are folks who get on this program, and yet they're not quality anymore, or they're not doing the best that they can do and they're just, well, let me finish.

And I know that under teens you get rid of ten year, but in there still an administrative way for those superintendents to address the problem of poor quality.

There can be a way with documentation and things like that, but it's also to require the five years was just not what seemed to be best to keep everybody working.

The same was what we heard was recommended.

That bill passed unanimously and now goes to the Senate.

After the break, I'll be joined by State Senator Greg Albritton.

Talk about today's budget hearings.

Stay with us.

You can watch past episodes of Capital Journal online any time at Alabama Public Television's website, appy tv.org.

Click on the online video tab on the main page.

You can also connect with Capital Journal and link to past episodes on Capitol Journal's Facebook page.

She has a mountain often called Mount.

Yeehaw is the highest natural point in Alabama, at 2407ft above sea level.

It is located in north centra Alabama, and she has state park surrounded by the Talladega National Forest in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

This dramatic landscape gets its name from the Creek Indian name for the mountain char, meaning high place.

Welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Joining me next is State Senator Greg Albritton, chairman of the Senate General Fund Budget Committee.

Mr.

chairman thanks for coming on the show.

Thanks for having me, Don.

Well, you had this budget hearing today.

I was I wasn't able to watch myself, but I heard it described as spicy.

I've heard I've heard the conversations described as very direct.

Some tough conversation and some important conversations between lawmakers.

Budget writers and agency chairs, especially on the general funds.

Can you tell me from your perspective, what did we learn today from the budget hearings?

A great deal.

Now, this this was an unusual hearing in that normally we have the hearings before we go into session.

We purposely waite until after we went into session so we could have the agency speak about their budgets, which they could not do before us.

That's right.

Because they always say, well, we gotta wait until it comes out.

And what's the point exactly?

So rather than have them there to to do their presentations and not be able to answer questions, we waited until we get the budget.

Now it's open and they can speak on it.

And we want to question question them about some matters.

Well we know you talked about on the general fund side how it's it's flattening out if that's a good word to use in terms of that, that revenue from interest rates on those accounts.

Right.

You know going away after this year.

And it's not just that that's one of the major, but there's several factors that we've done to ourselves and that the economies doing and other matters that that we're in a trajector that's going to have a decline in revenue soon.

Well, ho is that going to impact agencies and specifically what agencies on the general fund side would be impacted by that?

All of it outlook, all of them.

Keep in mind that, and I kno people get lost in the numbers, but in the general fund we spend something like $22 billion.

But when you look on the spreadsheet, it's only $3.7 billion.

And that's because of all the other moneys that come in federal moneys, fees and costs and licenses are all parts of tha that are not shown in that 3.7.

It's passed through Y'all don't have to vote on it.

It's like it's it's all, well it all has to be appropriated.

It all comes under the purview of the state legislature.

No.

No one can spend the money.

They may be collected, but they can't spend it until we authorize it through appropriation.

And.

And that's what I have to teach.

My legislators and how to teach my agencies about that, and so that we can get a better grasp of what we're doing.

Okay, well, any agencie this year and financial trouble, anything we're going to be looking out for in terms of, you know, this current fiscal year and budgeting for the next fiscal year on the general fund side.

Well, yes or no?

There's some there may be some, agencies because of circumstances that may be looking at having to do some layoffs or some cutbacks or some revenue generation.

Okay.

And then there's other agencies that simply need to look at aligning or using other funds that they have rather than just, demanding more.

So and that was part of the purpose of what we had the hearings for.

Okay.

I want to specifically ask you about the Department of Human Resources because it administers that Snap program.

Yes.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because of what passed in the one big, beautiful bill from Congress.

They are facing up to what, 200, $250 million in cuts if they don't get that error rate, where that federal law happens?

I've been told over and over again, it's near impossible especially in that time frame.

So if that happens, if we see a $250 million cut basically, or a whole, I mean, how do they recover from that, how they administer that program with the lack of funds?

That was one of the purposes and one of the direct questions we had today for Dr.. And, the answer was unsatisfactory.

We were not given any guidance on how to do that.

So, we'll have to see how that turns out, will we?

Well, I guess so.

And again, they didn't pass that law.

It's not, you know, something that the but you mentioned circumstances.

You can't change it.

Correct.

We can't change it.

We, I'm don't agre with, with the error rate that they've got, how they calculat it, and the reason they use it.

But that's the guide that we've been given.

We don't have a choice in that.

We've got to find a way to meet the mark.

And that's, that's going to be difficult.

And we've got to start now to accomplish that.

Let me ask you about corrections.

It's obviously one of the biggest, I guess the second larges expense from it is general fund.

Yeah.

Get the priso under construction up in there.

Elmore County.

Correct.

A lot going to to that.

The the lawmakers seemed receptive to the prison, to the Departmen of Corrections budget request.

Are you comfortable with it as chairman?

And are you comfortable are you satisfied with the progress so far on these prisons?

And are we keeping costs under control?

The answer to those are yes and no.

And maybe, every agency needs supervision by the legislature.

They don't like it.

But that's our job.

And we have been doing, I think very good work on doc.

We've got the oversight, th the prison oversight committee.

This they're chaired by, Chairman Chambliss that's doing a great job in keeping things, making lots of changes, and doing good work there.

And then we periodically have continue to be in touch with and watc over the construction factors.

And we're moving along on that, thoug not to the pace that we should.

And then there's the operational cost.

You know, we've been trying to hire people, to be correctional officers.

And we're finally making progress on that.

That was one of the bright spots we had today.

Interesting.

And, you know I remember as it was being sold, if you will, or negotiated, one of the points was that if we, if we do awa with the dilapidated facilities and have these modern facilities open, it will require fewer staffing and actually save money in the long run and save lives.

Well, are you can we expect that?

I mean, I think you've mentioned on the show before no agency ever cuts its own budget, right?

But I mean, is that realistic?

Like when these facilities open, let's just say Elmore we can Escambia side, can we expect budget savings from that, from not having to maintain these old, you know, 60 year old facilities?

It's not just the maintenance of the older facilities.

It's also the matter of of the way we handle folks.

80% of the inmates will be in, secluded cells rather than dormitories.

Instead of having 100 people in double stacked bunks, that we're not having those, which that's what it is.

And Homan, right now still, isn't it.

Well, not in Homan anymore because most of Homan is shut down.

But fountain, Draper and most of the others are all dormitory form.

Yes.

Open bay, if you will.

And that's it.

That's just a dangerous situation.

Very dangerous Very dangerous to the inmates.

That's part of the problem there.

And also dangerous to the, CEOs who have to go in if there's a fight at night and they have to go in and there's no backup.

That's a dangerous place.

Well look, we're out of time for now, but I hope you'll come bac as these budgets move forward.

General fund starts in the Senate this year.

It does.

Okay.

So you're going to be busy all weekend.

All weekend.

Okay.

Well I hope you'll keep us updated, especially as things as we learn more about this funds and the revenue projections.

Be happy to.

So thanks for having me.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Sure.

We'll be right back.

Alabama Public Television is your place for quality educational services.

Free professional development for educators and childcare providers with access to free, curriculum aligned videos, lesson plans and instructional resources with PBS Learning Media and all the PBS kids programs parents know and trust.

Learn something new every da with Alabama Public Television.

Visit us at Appl tv.org/education to learn more.

Lounds Count native Ed Nixon was a long time leader of the civil rights movement in Alabama.

He worked tirelessly to increase the number of registered black voters in Montgomery, and was one of the key organizers of several civil rights organizations in the state.

In 1945, he was elected as the president of the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP, just two years later, becoming the stat president of the organization.

In 1955, Nixon and a group of Montgomery area clergy and civic leaders founded the Montgomery Improvement Association.

Or am I?

The media provided a focal point for activism in Montgomery's black community, and its leaders organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott, in which the city's black citizens refused to ride public transportation for an astounding 381 days.

Long overdu recognition was finally bestowed on this early civil rights hero when the Montgomery County Public School system, named an elementary school in his honor in 2001.

Welcome back to Capital Journal.

This week is Schoo choice week across the country.

And joining me next to talk about that is Eric Estel of Lead Academy here in Montgomery and Tyler Barnett of New Schools for Alabama.

Gentlemen thanks for coming on the show.

Thank you.

Yeah, thanks for having us.

And it is School Choice week.

We've been talking about this in the statehouse all week.

You're seeing different bills different, policies come about.

But, Tyler, I wanted to start with you.

Well, first of all, remind our audienc about new schools for Alabama.

And talk about you have this new poll out.

We published it today, showing really some strong support across the aisle for public charter schools.

Yeah.

So new schools for Alabama is 501 C3 nonprofit organization.

Our mission is to support the growth of excellent charter schools in Alabama, to ensure that every child has acces to a quality public education.

Every state in the country that has a charter school movement has an organizatio like ours that's really situated to try to catalyze a strong charter school movement.

Work with partners, support the growth of excellent charter schools.

And that's really what we do.

We also di conduct a poll, in partnership with signal, one of the mor reliable pollsters, I believe.

Back in November.

And that poll, was, I think, the third iteration of polling that we've done with respec to the charter school movement.

And it really affirmed what I think we already knew, from previous polling.

And that was tha Alabama has overwhelming support among registered voters for charter schools.

There were a couple of salient top line data points that I think I would share.

One would be support for charter schools, outpaced opposition by more than 30 points.

And that's across demographic lines, geographic lines, political lines.

So that's really encouraging.

And then another and I think this is maybe more resonant for where we are toda in the charter school movement, that is that two third of registered voters in Alabama believe that if they send their kid to a charter school, their tax dollars should follow that kid to that school.

So, and I believe, you know, not to speak for the school leaders and the many parents who are sending their kids to charter schools in the state right now.

But I believe that tha that belief is shared, across, across the gamut.

Well, that's really kind of where the rubber meets the road in terms of this buildin and policy and things like that.

Interesting.

You mentioned poll numbers.

Yeah.

I mean, look, we're in an election year.

This is a, you know, a political place.

Any candidate would love to have a 30 point, you know, lead or or.

Okay Lead academy here in Montgomery.

I remember its origins, and I was it was one of the very first public charter schools after Alabama finally got in the game and had that authorizing law.

So talk about that journey.

From, you know, some rocky beginnings, lawsuits.

I think it went all the way to the Supreme Court to now some really positive results.

For Lead Academy.

Yeah, we that a lot of the, things that happened the first year was prior to my tenure at lead.

But once I came in, we were able to really start turning things around, focusing on student success.

And, you know, there were there were a lot of struggles with Lead Academy, within the state and just getting our community to be accepting of charter schools.

We've since surpassed that.

Our scores are great.

Our kids are doing well.

We are surpassing the local school district, with our scores.

Our primary school, we just, we're told, is in the top 25 most improved in the state, this year.

So we're very excited about that.

What?

They went from a D school to a B school which, you know, is a big deal.

And when you're looking at our student scores, but, lead academy, it's a new place.

We're excited about our future.

You know, we've got we're up about 800 students for k 11.

Next year, we will matriculate to our 12th grade.

So it will be k 12 funding next year.

But, with 85% at risk students, we're doing great things, for our kids.

Well, you spoke to kind of, you know, the the journey, but isn't that kind of the point of charter schools?

Because, you know, I remember as the movement was getting started, it's talking about accountability.

Okay.

Because that seemed to be lacking just in the public school system in general.

But the fact that a charter school has to go through a rigorous accountability process has an authorizer, has a charter that it has to meet certain obligations.

You know, going through struggles and going through challenge and then coming out on no side.

Isn't that the whole point?

That's the whole point.

It is.

And we, you know we're accountable to the state like every other public school, but we're also accountable to our commission and to our charter.

We are held to what our charter is, wha we've written for our charter.

And so we, you know, we are we always say we we have to do twice the work with half the money.

Because we were accountabl to two different organizations.

But, that that really is I mean, it's it's made us be a better school.

The accountability to the commission and the accountability to the state has really made us buckle down and find the best way to educate our children.

Yeah.

Well, Tyler, talk about the state of charter schools in Alabama, if you will, because there's been a lot of talk about school choic over the last couple of years, but mostly around that choose act that, you know, allow students to go from one school to another, including public charter schools.

But there was so much around that.

It's like, look, you know, the public charter schools have been in the game a lot longer and things like that.

So with that landscape, how is, you know, how is the, landscape of public charter schools in Alabama and where what is needed for it to improve?

Okay.

Well I'll start with the first one, the sort of the state of the sector of the charter school movement.

So Alabama has 19 charter schools, and we have 9000 kids in the state enrolled in charter schools.

That is up just a few short years ago from 250 kids.

We started with about 250 kids enrolled in charter schools.

And one one specific charter school down in mobile.

That was Excel Day and Evening Academy, the first charter school in the state.

And just over these last few years, we've grown exponentially to approximately 9000 kids across the state.

When you include the thre conversion charter schools here in Montgomery, which makes us one of the fastest growing charter school movements on a percentage basis in the United States.

So really encouraging data.

Another, maybe more lamentable data point, though, is if that one is celebratory, is that we have 2000 kids still mired on wait lists to get into charter schools, real estate.

So, you know, you can look at that as a celebratory data point in the sense that it speaks to that that demand that our poll revealed that pervasive demand across the state for charter schools.

But it also speaks to the fact that supply is not meeting demand.

So that really is something that we need to address.

We need to, I believe we need to remove some of the constraints that that curb growth, while also continuing to hold schools accountable in the way that we are.

Yeah, that's that's the balance, right?

Yeah.

Maintain those rigorous standards and accountability.

But you also have to proliferate and grow, right.

We don't have a lot of time.

But I wanted you to talk to this.

What is the difference that you get as a parent, as a student walking in the doors to lead Academy as maybe not just traditional charter school, but for our viewers out ther that maybe you're not familiar.

Okay, what's the difference that that you'll see.

For I think for us, we feel it's a we feel lik we're a more safe environment.

We're smaller class sizes.

So the students, they come in, they get more attention.

We have, you know, we are a Steam program.

So you know we base everything on science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

And so, you know, we feel like we can, give our kids a little more attention than a traditional public school.

So that's I think that's probably our biggest draw.

And setting them up for the next step, whether that's college or whatever.

Okay.

We'll look again.

School choice week.

Big deal.

Appreciate y'all coming on to help share some of this information.

Good luck with Lead Academy.

Congratulations on the success.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

And Tyler will depend on your, analysis and expertise moving forward as the movement continues.

Thanks, Todd.

Thank you.

We'll be right back.

You ca watch past episodes of Capital Journal online any time at Alabama Public Television's website, apt tv.org.

Click on the online video tab on the main page.

You can also connect with Capital Journal and link to past episodes on Capital Journals, Facebook page.

Alabama Public Television is your place for quality educational services.

Free professional development for educators and childcare providers.

Access to free, curriculum aligned videos, lesson plans and instructional resources with PBS Learning Medi and all the PBS kids programs.

Parents know and trust.

Learn something new every da with Alabama Public Television.

Visit us at AP tv.org/education to learn more.

Eugene Allen Smith was a professor of chemistry and mineralogy at the University of Alabama.

As state geologist, he was tasked with traveling throughout the state to document its resources and his resulting reports led to the growth of multiple industries.

He also collected specimens and artifacts in the hopes of one day setting up a natural history museum, the Alabama museum of Natura History is located in Smith Hall at the University of Alabama campus.

You're watching Alabama Public Television celebrating 70 years of service to Alabama.

That's our show for tonight.

Thanks for watching.

We'll be back tomorrow night at 730 for Capital Journal's Week in Review.

Right here on Alabama Public Television for our Capital Journal team.

I'm Todd Stacey.

We'll see you next time.