Alabama Constitution Section 71 - Restrictions on general appropriation bill.
Alabama Constitution – Section 71: Restrictions on General Appropriation Bill
⚖️ Text of Section 71:
“The general appropriation bill shall embrace nothing but appropriations for the ordinary expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments of the state, for interest on the public debt, and for public schools. All other appropriations shall be made by separate bills, each embracing but one subject.”
📘 Explanation of Key Elements:
✅ 1. What is a General Appropriation Bill?
A general appropriation bill is the main budget law that allocates money to keep the government running — paying for things like:
State employee salaries
Office operations
Court system funding
Education (public schools)
Interest on state debt
🔒 2. What Does Section 71 Restrict?
Section 71 limits what can be included in the general appropriation bill. Specifically, it must only include funding for:
The executive branch (e.g., governor's office, state agencies)
The legislative branch (e.g., lawmakers and their offices)
The judicial branch (e.g., courts, judges)
Interest on state debt (loan repayments)
Public schools
This means no unrelated spending can be “snuck in” — for example, money for parks, special projects, or roads must be in separate, single-subject bills.
🎯 Why This Section Matters:
🛡️ Prevents "Pork-Barrel" Spending:
It stops lawmakers from inserting unrelated or politically motivated projects (called “pork”) into the main budget.
🗳️ Promotes Transparency:
Each non-essential or additional appropriation must be considered on its own merit — in its own bill — so it’s clear, focused, and debatable.
⚖️ Strengthens Checks and Balances:
By restricting the scope of the general appropriation bill, this section makes it harder for one branch to dominate budget decisions or sneak through controversial expenditures.
🧠 Example Scenario:
If the state wants to fund a new prison construction, this cannot be part of the general budget.
Instead, the legislature must pass a separate appropriation bill just for that prison project — and that bill can’t include anything else.
✅ Summary Table:
| Aspect | What Section 71 Says |
|---|---|
| Purpose of General Bill | Fund ordinary expenses of government and schools |
| What It Must Include | Only routine executive, legislative, judicial, debt interest, public school costs |
| What It Must Not Include | Any other types of spending (e.g., highways, parks, buildings) |
| How Other Spending Must Be Handled | Separate bills — each with one subject only |
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