MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The gambling legislation debated and approved in the Alabama Senate Thursday led to a heated speech and filibuster over the need for funding for a new prison in Escambia County lawmakers promised in 2021.
As the bill was approved in a Senate committee earlier this week, revenue from a lottery and other gambling operations would for the first three years be dedicated to “ongoing capital improvement and infrastructure projects.” After March 2029, revenues would then be split between the General Fund, education and roads and bridges.
Alabama Daily News reported last month prison construction was a possibility for at least some gambling revenue. The state doesn’t currently have the money or dedicated revenue stream for the 4,000-bed Escambia prison.
Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, brought an amendment to start that three-way revenue split immediately. It was approved by the Senate and led to a rare Republican filibuster by Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore. He sponsored the gambling bills in the Senate. He’s also chairman of the Senate General Fund budget committee and represents Escambia County.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the only way we’re going to have to meet this (prison funding) obligation,” Albritton said about gambling revenue on the Senate floor.
Escambia County is home to Holman Prison, portions of which have been closed in recent years because of structural issues, and Fountain Prison, originally built in 1928.
“This is my district that is being ignored,” Albritton said. “(Holman) is falling down, we already had to shut (part of it) down … and now you want me to take this after we’re building the Elmore facility and not put the one in my own county?”
“We answer to the people of Alabama,” Jones said in response. “The people of Alabama want better roads and bridges, better schools.”
The amendment was approved and Albritton immediately requested debate on the bill stop. He was overruled and then spent about an hour on a filibuster.
Albritton favored the gambling legislation that was passed by the House last month, but said he made compromises to get to something palatable to Senate Republicans. In return, he said he discussed the prison funding with his colleagues.
“We can get this money, we can borrow the remainder that we need to and finish this job or we can delay it and we can phase it in and we can wait until who knows when…”
Lawmakers and Gov. Kay Ivey in a 2021 law dedicate $1.2 billion to two prisons in Elmore and Escambia counties. The Elmore site is under construction and was originally expected to cost less than $700 million. That’s ballooned to more than $1 billion because of inflation and design changes. The Escambia prison is expected to cost less than Elmore because it won’t have specialized medical facilities. Construction hasn’t started and the Department of Corrections told Alabama Daily News an updated cost estimate isn’t yet available.
“Funding is not yet available in full,” an ADOC statement said. “Estimated pricing continues to be developed as negotiations continue for a design contract and finalized design. Costs cannot be fully estimated until design is complete.”
Legislative leaders and Ivey have said they’re still committed to the prison that would allow inmates to be moved from some old and dangerous prisons.
“As Gov. Ivey has said, she is committed to the construction of these two new facilities, and she will continue working with the Legislature to accomplish this,” Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for Ivey, said.