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Advocacy Update
2025 Legislative Session Update
Whitney Miller-Nichols, CLAS Director of Governmental Relations
The 2025 Legislative Session began Tuesday, February 4, when the Alabama House and Senate convened in the State House before attending the Governor’s State of the State address in the Capitol that evening. The State of the State sets the tone for the coming session, signaling Governor Ivey’s support for issues legislators have already announced as priorities or for announcing a priority the governor wants the Legislature to take up.
Both Gov. Ivey and the House and Senate Republicans have highlighted public safety and immigration as key issues to tackle in the 2025 session. That focus hopefully brings a breather to education advocates’ continued battle to protect the ETF – the last three legislative sessions have featured big economic development or workforce bill packages that have created hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits and incentives in an effort to boost Alabama’s economy.
I encourage you to review the State Board of Education’s FY2026 ETF budget request and the Governor’s FY2026 Recommended Budget (bill and spreadsheet) and let your school’s legislators know which line items are of particular importance for the students you serve, especially if they serve on the education budget committees. Use this tool or the legislative directory in this magazine to find their contact information. The budget starts in the Senate this year, and we generally
Check out all the bills CLAS is tracking, which I update weekly, and share your insights with me. If you feel strongly about a bill, I encourage you to let your system’s legislators know!
CLAS Legislative Platform
Each winter, the CLAS board approves a legislative platform for the coming legislative session. This platform serves as a governing document to guide the Advocacy Team’s efforts on behalf of members throughout the session.
Stay Informed During the Session
Keep an eye on your inbox on Friday afternoons for a weekly Advocacy Update during the legislative session. This email will include a rundown of the week’s legislative action and a preview of the coming week. It may occasionally include a Call to Action, where CLAS asks you to reach out to your school or system’s legislators to share how a piece of legislation will impact your school or community.
CLAS Advocacy Days 2025
Thank you to the CLAS members who joined us for Advocacy Days in February! These days provide an opportunity for you to deepen relationships with your system’s legislators while getting a peek at the legislative process. We start each Advocacy Day session with an issue briefing and quick legislative update before heading to the State House to watch education committee meetings. Afterwards you will connect with your legislators so that you can share priorities and concerns. We’ll end your day in Montgomery with lunch back at the CLAS office. Sign up for the Budget Advocacy Day on Wednesday, April 9.
Use the CLAS Legislator Lookup Tool to find your school or site’s legislators and check out the legislative directory on pages 30-39 for their contact information. Schedule meetings with your legislators for the days you will attend CLAS Advocacy Days so that they will hold time for you in their busy schedules.
As always, email me at whitney@clasleaders.org with questions!
