Alabama lawmakers have approved a plan to spend $772 million in federal pandemic relief dollars on the expansion of high-speed Internet access, water and sewer projects, health care needs, and for other purposes.
The House and Senate approved identical bills this morning. That is expected to end a five-day special session called to appropriate the money.
The House passed the bill 100-0, and the Senate passed it 26-0.
The legislation goes to Gov. Kay Ivey, who can sign it into law.
The vote did not come as a surprise.
The plan, developed by legislators and the governor’s office, received support from the Republican majority and the Democratic minority in both chambers.
It allocates what remains of Alabama’s first portion of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, approved by Congress and the Biden administration in March 2021.
Continue reading at AL.com.