HB183 Summary

• Appropriates $36,616,436 from the Children First Trust Fund for fiscal year 2026 to eleven child-focused agencies including the Department of Youth Services ($8,107,318), Alabama Department of Human Resources ($7,958,464), and Department of Public Health ($4,766,197).

• Requires tobacco settlement revenues designated for the Children First Trust Fund to be deposited within 30 calendar days of receipt and mandates the Director of Finance to notify agencies by September 1, 2025 of their expected allocations.

• Establishes quarterly allocation distribution of at least one-fourth of each agency's annual appropriation when tobacco revenues are available, with allocations made within five working days of quarter commencement.

• Appropriates an additional $44,177,773 from other tobacco settlement funds for fiscal year 2026 to the Department of Early Childhood Education, 21st Century Debt Service, Senior Services Trust Fund, Alabama Medicaid Agency, and Department of Senior Services.

• Requires the Department of Early Childhood Education to certify investment plans for each receiving agency before funds are allotted and mandates quality assurance reporting including number of children served and measurable success metrics.