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Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey kicked off her second full term and the 2023 Legislative Session Tuesday night with a State of the State address emphasizing economic development and education.
“We have an opportunity during this Legislative Session to continue making progress for Alabama families,” Ivey said. “We must be prudent and wise with our folks’ hard-earned dollars. We must support a strong economy in Alabama so Mom and Dad can provide for themselves and their children. We must support these hardworking parents. We must ensure our children have the opportunity to receive a quality education no matter where they live. And we must prioritize the safety of our children and our communities. I believe Alabama can accomplish these goals and more because we believe in the power of strong families.”
Ivey cited conservative fiscal policy for helping the state avoid proration during her administration. She called on the Alabama Legislature to leverage the state’s strong financial position this year to repay money borrowed from the Alabama Trust Fund and provide one-time rebates to taxpayers of $400 per individual and $800 for joint filers.
Ivey credited the Alabama Jobs Act, which is set to sunset, for helping create 78,000 jobs and $42 billion in economic investment. She proposed renewing these economic incentives through a playbook for economic success she dubbed “The Game Plan.” The governor also proposed a $200 million grant program for locally owned businesses called “The Main Street Program.”
Following up on a pledge in her inaugural address, Ivey announced she would sign an executive order Wednesday calling for a 25% reduction in state regulations over the next two years.
During her address, Ivey announced a special session of the Legislature, beginning Wednesday, to allocate about $1 billion in federal money from the second round of the American Rescue Plan Act. She called on lawmakers to invest in “major and needed endeavors like expanding broadband access, improving our water and sewer infrastructure and investing in our health care – including telemedicine.”
On the education front, Ivey proposed requiring kindergarten for all students; funding for additional reading and math coaches; increasing the starting salary for teachers; providing startup funds for new charter schools; and creating a new Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences in Demopolis.
“As we look ahead to a future filled with rich opportunity and great possibility, I pledge that we will build on our roots by focusing on getting the hard work done today, while never forgetting that our work now matters most to our future generations,” Ivey said. “The people of Alabama deserve our very best. Future generations of Alabamians deserve our hardest work today. This is our opportunity. So, let’s not waste a moment." Read Gov. Ivey's full State of the State address.
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