All Resources
Blog
Arise legislative update: March 13, 2023
Arise's Carol Gundlach discusses our thoughts on how Alabama legislators plan to allocate the rest of the state's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money. Gov. Kay Ivey called a special session on ARPA funding shortly after lawmakers returned Tuesday to begin the 2023 regular session.
Blog
Fresh opportunities to push for a better Alabama
The Alabama Legislature will welcome 37 new lawmakers to its halls when its 2023 regular session begins March 7. Alabama Arise sees this as an opportunity to educate new legislators and identify new allies on issues of importance to our members. We urge folks to join us in calling for change, including at Arise Legislative [...]
Blog
Budget priorities for the people
Two weeks before the Alabama Legislature’s 2023 regular session, lawmakers, lobbyists and advocates packed into the State House in late February for the annual joint legislative budget hearings. One might call it the Super Bowl for budget nerds. After years of scarcity, both Alabama budgets are starting out with a revenue surplus. There’s $351 million [...]
News Releases
Public transit, healthy food access among key pathways to increase economic opportunity in Birmingham area, new report finds
Greater Birmingham has experienced a resurgence in economic growth and civic engagement in recent years. But the benefits of this prosperity are not widely shared among everyone living in the region – and a new comprehensive report that Alabama Arise and the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) released Thursday shows that people across Jefferson County [...]
News Releases
Alabama Arise unveils 2023 roadmap for change in Alabama
Expanding Medicaid and ending the state sales tax on groceries will remain top goals on Alabama Arise’s 2023 legislative agenda. More than 400 members voted on Arise’s issue priorities in recent days after the organization’s annual meeting Saturday. The seven issues chosen were: Adequate budgets for human services like education, health care and child care, [...]
Blog
ARPA 101: How the American Rescue Plan Act can build a more equitable Alabama
The COVID-19 pandemic has stretched families, hospitals, schools, businesses and food banks across Alabama to their limits. Like tens of millions of other Americans, local and state officials have had to adapt to new challenges and respond to existing health and economic challenges exacerbated by the pandemic over the last two years. Congress reacted to [...]
News Releases
82 Alabama groups urge Ivey, legislators to fund public transportation using ARPA funds
Lawmakers should jump-start public transportation across Alabama with an allocation of $20 million from the state’s remaining federal COVID-19 relief money, according to a letter that 82 churches and organizations across the state sent Wednesday to Gov. Kay Ivey and legislators. Alabama Arise is among the groups that co-signed the letter. The organizations asked Gov. [...]
Letters & Testimony
Alabama Arise, 81 partner groups urge Alabama to fund public transportation
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) relief funding provides an opportunity for Alabama to jump-start public transportation across the state. Alabama Arise joined 81 partner organizations Wednesday in a letter asking lawmakers to allocate ARPA money to public transportation. The full text of the letter is below. Letter text Dear Governor Ivey, Lieutenant Governor Ainsworth, members [...]
Report
Alabama’s road to a better public transportation future
Public transportation is an investment in people, communities, the economy and the environment. By providing state funding for public transportation, Alabama lawmakers can help ensure these freedoms for everyone in our state.
Blog
Arise legislative recap: Jan. 25, 2022
The Alabama Legislature has stepped away briefly from its regular session for a special session on federal COVID-19 relief funds. Arise executive director Robyn Hyden provides an overview of how lawmakers plan to allocate the next portion of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money this week. And she explains why affordable housing and public transportation [...]