By Jeff Devine, Editor-in-Chief, Dale County Chronicle.
MONTGOMERY—Governor Kay Ivey used her State of the State address to highlight what she described as a decade of progress in Alabama, pointing to record economic development, infrastructure investment, education improvements, and public safety initiatives as priorities for the year ahead.
“The momentum is in our sails in Alabama, and we are not done yet,” Ivey told lawmakers, state officials, and guests at the Alabama State House. Marking her 10th regular session as governor, Ivey said the state has changed significantly since she took office in 2017, calling the transformation the result of difficult but necessary policy decisions.
Economic growth and infrastructure
Ivey emphasized Alabama’s economic performance, noting the state has secured $69 billion in business investments and created more than 100,000 jobs since 2017. She said Alabama consistently ranks among the nation’s top states for doing business.
“We are prioritizing workforce development, guaranteeing site readiness, and remaining steady and reliable for economic growth,” Ivey said, citing major projects involving Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, First Solar, Meta, Novelis, and Lilly Medicine.
One of the address’s most notable announcements was confirmation that U.S. Space Command headquarters will be located in Huntsville.
“Now, finally, it’s official: Space Command Headquarters is coming to Sweet Home Alabama,” Ivey said, calling it a statewide win.
The governor credited the Rebuild Alabama Act with generating more than $2 billion for infrastructure improvements since 2019, supporting about 500 road and bridge projects in all 67 counties. She also highlighted broadband expansion, noting Alabama has climbed from near the bottom nationally to 24th in connectivity, with universal access as the goal.
Government efficiency and family support
Ivey said restructuring state government has improved efficiency, pointing to the creation of the Department of Workforce, which she said helped move 25,000 people back into the workforce in its first year. She also cited changes within the Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies.
Family-focused initiatives highlighted in the address included record foster care adoptions, paid parental leave for teachers, and education savings accounts through the CHOOSE Act. Ivey also pointed to growing investments in tourism and outdoor recreation, saying Alabama continues to become a more attractive place to live and visit.
Public safety and corrections
Public safety was a central theme of the speech. Ivey urged lawmakers to pass legislation imposing the death penalty for those convicted of raping or sodomizing a child.
“I am urging you to pass this legislation so I can sign it into law,” she said.
She also called for tougher penalties for criminals who flee law enforcement and praised the work of state troopers and local officers. Ivey proposed a two percent pay raise for state employees, including troopers, mental health workers, and cybersecurity personnel.
On corrections, Ivey said construction is nearing completion on a new men’s prison in Elmore County, with work continuing on a facility in Escambia County, while the state recruits a record number of corrections officers.
Education progress and proposals
As a former educator, Ivey devoted significant attention to education, noting improvements since Alabama once ranked near the bottom nationally in fourth-grade math and reading.
“We are now 32nd in math and 34th in reading,” she said, adding that Alabama ranks first nationally in math recovery and third in reading recovery.
She highlighted expanded pre-K access, growth in computer science education, new specialty schools, and record college and career readiness rates. Ivey said her final Education Trust Fund proposal would be the largest in state history and includes another two percent pay raise for teachers.
Ivey also reiterated strong support for school choice, proposing to increase CHOOSE Act funding to $250 million for the 2027–28 academic year. She criticized efforts to sideline student athletes participating in the program and endorsed legislation known as the “Let the Kids Play Act” to prevent future disputes.
Healthcare, resilience, and rural investment
Ivey announced Alabama will receive more than $203 million in first-year funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program, part of a five-year effort to improve healthcare delivery in rural communities. She urged lawmakers and healthcare leaders to fully implement the state’s approved plan.
Addressing disaster preparedness, Ivey said legislation is being introduced to establish a statewide resilience plan and announced the launch of a statewide flood notification system ahead of the upcoming summer.
“We cannot put our young people at risk,” she said, while also proposing an additional $50 million for K-12 school safety efforts.
Democratic response highlights affordability concerns
Following the governor’s address, Alabama House Democrats offered a contrasting assessment, acknowledging progress while warning that everyday life is becoming increasingly unaffordable for many residents.
Delivering the caucus response, Rep. Adline Clarke, D-Mobile, said families across Alabama are struggling with rising costs for housing, utilities, groceries, health care, and education, arguing that state policy decisions are contributing to the problem.
“We can find common ground with several of the points the governor made, and we recognize the progress that has been made,” Clarke said. “But it’s time to speak plainly: the state of the state is rapidly becoming unaffordable.”
Clarke said affordability should be the central issue for lawmakers, pointing to higher rents, rising home prices, increasing grocery bills, and soaring utility costs. She shared examples from communities across the state, including families unable to afford health insurance, students facing obstacles to completing nursing degrees due to changes in federal student loan rules, and first-time homebuyers unable to save for down payments as rents continue to rise.
Democrats said the gap between economic growth figures and household financial strain highlights the need for policies that directly address cost-of-living pressures.
Looking ahead
Ivey closed her address by praising legislative leaders from both parties, members of her administration, and young people across the state. She encouraged students to consider careers in public service and emphasized unity moving forward.
“The state of our state is strong, and our future is even stronger,” Ivey said. “The people of Alabama deserve our very best. Future generations of Alabamians deserve our hardest work today.”
The governor urged lawmakers to “finish strong” during the legislative session as Alabama approaches the nation’s 250th anniversary and what she described as the state’s next chapter of growth and opportunity..
