Gov. Kay Ivey says wish list shows need to shed light on CARES Act funds – AL.com

Gov. Kay Ivey said she would yield control of federal money intended for coronavirus relief to the Legislature and said what she called a wish list from legislators shows why the public needs advance notice of how the money is spent.

The list includes 16 proposals on how the state could spend the $1.8 billion received under the CARES Act, including $200 million for a new State House and renovations to the Capitol.

To me, that is totally unacceptable and not how President Trump and Congress intended for this money to be spent, Ivey said in a statement.

A top lawmaker said it was not a wish list and that the Legislature would not spend CARES Act money on a State House.

The lists says the proposals would depend on federal guidelines for use of the money. Among other items on the list are $800 million to expand broadband access in Alabama, $100 million for state prisons, $100 million to reimburse state agencies for operations during the pandemic, and $75 million for emergency supplies related to the pandemic. Iveys office sent the list to AL.com after it was requested.

Iveys office released the statement as the House of Representatives was about to consider a bill on control of the CARES Act funding. The House took a one-hour recess and then passed the bill, which would give the governor authority to spend up to $200 million of the $1.8 billion. The rest would have to be appropriated by the Legislature in a special session. The Senate gave the bill final approval, which sends it to Ivey for her review.

In the statement released before the bill passed, Ivey referred to a conversation with House General Fund budget chairman Steve Clouse, R-Ozark. Heres the full statement:

I just got off the phone with House General Fund Chairman Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, and expressed to him my desire for the Legislature to have full control of the CARES Act appropriation, every single penny.

I made it clear to Chairman Clouse that this money belongs to the people of Alabama, not the Governor and, in my opinion, not even the Legislature. It comes to us in an emergency appropriation from President Trump and Congress to support the ongoing crisis that has killed 349 Alabamians, as of this moment, and wreaked havoc on our states economy, ruining small businesses and costing more than 430,000 Alabamians a job they had just a few weeks ago.

I have never desired to control a single penny of this money and if the Legislature feels so strongly that they should have that authority, I yield to them both the money and the responsibility to make good decisions in the light of day where the people of Alabama know what is happening.

I promised Chairman Clouse that my Administration will send over to the Legislature the receipts for items such as PPE, medical supplies, testing kits and the like; items that have been needed and procured to support our health care system including our hospitals and nursing homes. I trust the Legislature will honor these expenses.

We have heard from countless cities and counties who are suffering from the effects of this pandemic; weve heard from colleges and universities, the K-12 system and a whole host of others who had hoped this money would be made available in a timely fashion. Regretfully, because of the Legislatures decision at this last moment these groups will now have to appeal to the 140 members for help.

Finally, I advised Chairman Clouse that I will not call the Legislature back into a Special Session unless and until they provide the people of Alabama in advance a full, detailed and public list of how the money will be spent in exact amounts, down to the penny. I have already seen one wish list that includes a new $200 million statehouse for the Legislature. To me, that is totally unacceptable and not how President Trump and Congress intended for this money to be spent.

As everyone knows, we are in the middle of an international health crisis, unlike any we have ever seen. It is both fiscally responsible and absolutely essential that the Legislature be transparent on the way they intend to spend this money. In my view, it has always belonged to the people of Alabama.

We look forward to seeing their proposed budget. It is obvious the Legislature has more work to do.

Clouse said Alabamas Constitution requires the Legislature to approve spending of taxpayer dollars, including federal dollars. He said the Legislature appropriated federal stimulus money Congress sent to the state during the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009.

And its no different now," Clouse said. "Its part of our Constitution that the Legislature appropriates monies for state government.

Clouse said the $200 million allocated to the governors office is to cover immediate needs related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Clouse said the federal government has not yet fully defined how the state can use the $1.8 billion.

Clouse said he had seen the list Ivey released but said it was not a wish list from the Legislature.

Im not sure who wrote the list, Clouse said. I saw it. But there will be many more of those lists going around as far as where the money might potentially go if the feds approve for it to go there. Im not sure where that list came from. I did see it, though.

Clouse said lawmakers would have to pass legislation to spend the federal money and those bills would be subject to review by the governor. He said legislators would not use CARES Act money for a State House.

I dont think we would do that, Clouse said. I think somebody put that down because of all the circumstances were going under right now in this building. Not allowing the public in. You can see what were having go to through in the House right now of separating everybody by more than six feet. Members in the gallery and overflow rooms. This building is just not built for this type of pandemic. No, none of that money would go for a new State House.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said the Legislature would follow an open process in how it allocates the CARES Act money. Marsh has advocated using $800 million for broadband access. Marsh said the shutdown of public schools during the pandemic shows the urgency of making high-speed Internet available statewide. Some communities could not offer virtual classes because of the lack of broadband.

This story was updated to say Iveys office sent the list after a request by AL.com.

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Gov. Kay Ivey says wish list shows need to shed light on CARES Act funds - AL.com