MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Senate delayed action Thursday on a bill authorizing the state to borrow $100 million to help move Alabama students to digital textbooks.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Gerald Dial of Lineville, said switching from paper to digital textbooks would save money over the long run. “This is an opportunity to move Alabama ahead,” the former high school coach said.
Dial’s bill would authorize the state to sell $100 million in bonds over several years. The money would be divided among school systems based on their attendance to install the infrastructure and buy or lease the tablets or other electronic devices for students to read their textbooks and do their homework digitally.
Schools systems would have to put up 25 percent of the funding, but the state Department of Education could waive the requirement for poor districts. This is the second year Dial has tried to pass similar legislation.
He ran into opposition from some fellow Republicans. GOP Sen. Paul Bussman of Cullman questioned whether the state should be selling any more bonds because more than $1.1 billion in bonds have been authorized since 2011. “I’m afraid we are headed in the same direction as the federal government. We are spending money we don’t have,” he said.
Others questioned the financial soundness of borrowing money for 20 years to buy technology that could be outdated in a few years.
After more than an hour of debate Thursday, Dial asked the Senate to set his bill aside and give him time to round up support. The Senate agreed, which will allow Dial to try to pass his bill again later in the legislative session.
Some schools in Alabama have already used their local money to supply students with tablets.
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