Overview
- Ivey requested 2% pay increases for teachers, education employees and state workers, though legislative leaders signaled caution due to rising education insurance costs.
- Ivey proposed raising CHOOSE Act funding to $250 million for the 2027–28 school year and backed a Let the Kids Play Act to grant immediate athletic eligibility for students using the program.
- The governor urged swift passage of a bill to make rape or sodomy of a child under 12 a death-penalty offense and highlighted additional measures targeting repeat offenders and public safety.
- Alabama is set to receive $203 million in first-year Rural Health Transformation funding, with Ivey pressing lawmakers to implement 11 initiatives to strengthen care in underserved areas.
- The Department of Human Resources will begin blocking out-of-state and online EBT purchases on Jan. 22 to curb fraud after replacing $15.9 million in stolen SNAP benefits, with a process for legitimate users to temporarily unlock cards.