Office of Government Relations
Legislative Update - March 28, 2003
The Alabama Legislature convened the 2003 Regular Session on Tuesday, March 4, 2003. This looks to be one of the most challenging sessions in our state’s history. The Office of Government Relations was present for the Legislative Organizational Session and the Budget Hearings before the Joint Legislative Committee on Finances and Budgets.
The Governor presented his FY ’04 budget to both the House and the Senate and it included drastic cuts to the Education Trust Fund. The budget was cut by 6.34%, with cuts to the Troy University System budget estimated at 3.14%, reducing our appropriation from 35.8 million to 34.7 million. The only items fully funded by the Governor were debt reduction, PEEHIP, and retirement benefits.
Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor of the Troy University System, provided testimony before the House Education Finance and Appropriations Committee on the possible effect budgets cuts would have on our state colleges and universities. He appeared as the Chairman of University President’s Council of the Higher Education Partnership. He stressed to the committee that cuts would force everyone to freeze the hiring of new faculty and staff and leave vacancies unfilled, a decrease in scholarships, maintenance deferred, technology needs not addressed; and we will be forced to again raise tuition. Dr. Hawkins stated, “inadequate support from the state has shifted much of the burden to students, has left our buildings in disrepair, and has resulted in a loss of faculty. We are losing qualified administrators and faculty, and we are experiencing difficulty in attracting the best and brightest from other states.”
House Education Finance and Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Lindsey (D-Centre) stated that the Governor’s budget would be changed during the session and that he doesn’t expect his committee to take up the education budget until April.
The House of Representatives and the Senate both passed resolutions commending the 2002-03 TSU Men’s Basketball Team for winning the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Championship and earning their first ever berth to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. The coaches and members of the team will be invited to both chambers for recognition in the next few weeks.
An estimated crowd of over 2,000 students, faculty/staff, advocates, and friends, gathered in front of the Alabama State House for a rally to support Alabama’s public colleges and universities. Higher Education Day 2003 was a great success and was well attended from all campuses of the Troy University System. Governor Bob Riley, Lt. Governor Lucy Baxley, House Speaker Seth Hammett (D-Andalusia), Senate President Pro Tem Lowell Barron (D-Fyffe), Senate Minority Leader Jabo Waggoner (R-Birmingham), Senate Finance & Taxation Education Committee Chairman Hank Sanders (D-Selma), House Education Finance & Appropriation Committee Chairman Richard Lindsey (D-Centre), Bill O’Connor of the Campaign for Alabama, Gordon Stone of the Higher Education Partnership, and several other members of the state legislature addressed the crowd of Higher Education supporters. Mr. Stone and his staff are to be commended on a great rally to bring together our state’s leaders and the higher education community.
The House and the Senate adjourned for a legislative spring break and are scheduled to convene on Tuesday, April 1, 2003, at 1 p.m. Continue to check this site for periodic updates from the Alabama State House.
GO TROJANS!
