‘Big Bertha’ debate stalls legislative action
Published 12:00 am Friday, February 22, 2002
Action in the Alabama House remained stalled Thursday as House members dealt with a 1,000-page bill nicknamed "Big Bertha."
The bill was introduced three weeks ago as a GOP stalling tactic after Republicans became angry about a proposed redistricting plan which eventually passed.
But, according to The Associated Press, a proposed compromise between Republicans and Democrats fell apart Thursday, and House members failed to pass a suspension of rules that would take the lengthy bill off the table.
In the meantime, the Senate had little action Thursday as well, despite efforts to pass a bill to that would allow Troy State University and other regional universities to waive fees for out-of-state students.
The Senate debated the bill Thursday but took no action on it.
Out-of-state students pay two times the tuition Alabamians shell out.
"(TSU) says they’re not getting out-of-state students like they once were, and they aren’t getting HOPE scholarship students," Sen. Ted Little, D-Auburn, said Wednesday.
The state of Georgia provides HOPE scholarship money through its lottery.
"What it really means is that if it passes, the taxpayers of Alabama will be subsidizing a state institution," Little said.