County delegation ready for start of legislative session

@Body Copy:5 issues to watch in the 2017 legislative session / A5 The Alabama Legislature will open its 2017 session today, and Walker County lawmakers are in critical roles with many hot topics expected to be addressed throughout the session. While prison construction is not on the agendas released by the House or Senate, it is a topic lawmakers expect to tackle during this session because Gov. Robert Bentley is pushing it. "I think the main focus of the session will be the Governor's proposal to build four new, super prisons to replace most of the existing prison structures," Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed (R-Jasper) said. "Our prison system is at roughly 165 percent over capacity and the state is being sued in federal court over the medical condition of the inmates. Everyone admits there's a problem, but the goal is to find a financially-responsible solution." Rep. Connie Cooner Rowe (R-Jasper) is a supporter of a prison construction bill. "We hear a lot about cutting waste and operating state agencies more efficiently," she said. "Prison Commissioner Jeff Dunn has identified his problems and formulated a solution that doesn't cost taxpayers any more than we are already paying for corrections in this state. Why would you not let him move forward with that plan? "These facilities would be safer for correctional officers and the prison population," Rowe added. "Those who oppose this bill say they don't want their grandchildren to be paying for these four prisons. The bad news is our grandchildren will either be paying for these four new prisons or the continued renovation and retrofitting of the numerous outdated prisons, not to mention the lawsuits that arise from their condition on a regular basis." Rep. Tim Wadsworth (R-Arley) said something must be done concerning prisons during this session. "Prison funding is going to be a hot topic, and it is being pushed by Gov. Bentley," he said. "The State of Alabama has pending lawsuits challenging the adequacy of the overcrowded prisons and mental health medical treatment of prisoners." Rowe said the state also needs to pay considerate attention to people who are being released from prison. "If we are going to let people out of prison, we need to release them with every tool possible to give them the best opportunity stay out of prison," she said. "I think that includes therapeutic and rehabilitative care like addiction treatment, mental health care, educational opportunities like GED obtainment and job training. I am told and I believe that is possible in the design and layout of the proposed facilities. I think investing in an effort to reduce recidivism makes sense." Pre-K funding is also a priority in the House and the Senate. "We have been careful stewards of the education budget and that discipline is paying off. Last year, we were able to afford a 4 percent pay raise for educators and a $16 million increase for Pre-k," Reed said. "This year, our goal is to again increase funds for Pre-k and also for classroom supplies. I believe we have seven Pre-k programs in Walker County now, and I am optimistic that the students who go through Pre-k will have a great foundation for academic success as they progress through elementary and middle school." The Alabama Medicaid False Claims Act is a bill Rowe will carry during this session. This bill would provide a specific remedy for the state to pursue damages sustained when a person or entity commits false or fraudulent acts against the state specifically when a Medicaid provider files false or fraudulent claims. The bill sets out the responsibilities of the Attorney General's Office and others in investigating and proceeding against violators in civil actions. It contains a whistleblower provision, prohibiting any employer from taking retaliatory action or preventing an employee from disclosing information. "If this bill passes it has the potential to return millions of dollars to the Medicaid program through the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit," Rowe said. "As a result, we'd hope to see an equivalent drop in the amount of funds annually requested to sustain the Medicaid program in our state. "As good as it sounds it is not without opposition," she continued. "Medical providers fear that if a monetary threshold or floor isn't clearly defined, unintentional billing errors could put them in violation. Though processing cases under the statute for less than a million dollars wouldn't be likely, it would be possible without further clarification. I'd like to think that there aren't any providers with errors that would amount to anything near that threshold." An upcoming judicial re-allocation bill is one that Wadsworth hopes does not pass. "The bill negatively affects Walker and Winston counties," he said. "The bill needs to be defeated because our counties could lose judgeships. The court system is pushed to the limits now and will be further affected if we lose judgeships." Reed said he had received no requests for local legislation. "Senate Republicans released our legislative agenda Monday, and it includes proposals to strengthen Second Amendment rights and ways to find tax relief for Alabama's families," Reed said. "The state constitution gives us thirty legislative days to conduct the people's business, and we intend to get to work immediately on this legislative agenda that will strengthen Alabama." Wadsworth said he hopes to make decisions that reflect the concerns of his constituents. "Most citizens want fat cut and the waste removed," he said. "They want medical services with low premiums to maintain our health. They want their children educated and good roads. They also want low taxes. It's a balancing act to achieve and meet those goals. My goal is to balance all their factors and make government decisions for the people." Rowe is the chairperson for the Governor's Department of Human Resources Task Force and serves on the Governor's Advisory Council on Gaming. Both of those groups have final reports due this year. Rowe also chairs the sub-committee on felony restitution collection, which will file its final report in May. "As we head into this third regular session of the quadrenium, I'm eager to move into these new roles and continue representing the people who sent me to Montgomery," Rowe said Monday.