Overview
- Gov. Kay Ivey asked lawmakers to approve 2% pay raises for teachers, education employees and all state workers as the 2026 session opened.
- She proposed increasing CHOOSE Act funding to $250 million for the 2027–28 school year and backed the “Let the Kids Play Act” to ensure immediate athletic eligibility for CHOOSE participants.
- Ivey endorsed legislation to make the rape or sodomy of a child a death penalty offense and highlighted additional public safety efforts targeting repeat offenders.
- She cited $203 million in first-year funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program, announced a statewide flood notification system targeted for this summer, and requested $50 million more for K-12 school safety.
- The early-session calendar gives lawmakers 30 meeting days within 105 days, with leaders voicing caution over costs such as PEEHIP; separately, DHR will block out-of-state and online EBT purchases starting Jan. 22 to curb $15.9 million in SNAP fraud.