Takeaways From Gov. Ivey's State Of The State Address

MONTGOMERY, AL — Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey delivered her 2022 State of the State Address to an in-person audience Tuesday night to kick off the Legislative Session, citing accomplishments over the last year and looking ahead to the future.

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Here's a breakdown of our five biggest takeaways from the governor's agenda for the Legislative Session and the coming year.

• Ivey took the chance to announce the widening I-59 from four lanes to six lanes from Chalkville Mountain Road to I-459, in east Jefferson County near Trussville. She also mentioned The West Alabama Corridor, which will aim to connect Mobile to Tuscaloosa with a four-lane highway.
• With Alabama exports up nearly 25% in the last year, Ivey said the state plans to make improvements to Alabama’s Deepwater Port in Mobile. As she cited current global supply issues, Ivey exclaimed that Alabama's port is "open for business."
• The governor touted Alabama's economic recovery following the initial hit to employment numbers from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. According to preliminary numbers for 2021 provided by Ivey, Alabama saw $5.4 billion in investment over the last year, with some 9,000 new jobs created. She also took this time to mention large-scale investments like Smucker’s $1.1 billion project in McCalla.
• After expressing support for law enforcement, Ivey said she plans to propose a 4% pay raise for state employees, specifically citing state troopers, corrections officers, mental health officers and others in law enforcement.
• Ivey expressed her support for legislation that would create a Math Task Force to provide recommendations for recruiting and retaining math teachers in Alabama, along with increasing support for struggling students and evaluating the quality of the state's assessments, learning materials and standards. She also said she plans to propose allocating resources to support grants for failing elementary schools that are tailored to the school's individual needs.
• The governor expressed her hope over the highly-contentious Alabama Prison Program, as the state aims to construct several new prisons partially funded by federal COVID-19 relief money.
• Ivey praised the Legislature and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall for their opposition to federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates for certain employers, saying "Momentum is on our side. As I have said all along, the courts are where we will win this battle. "

Click here to read a full transcript of the governor's 2022 State of the State Address.

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