Ivey defends new prison funding as Alabama House Speaker demands audit

Alabama’s prison expansion projects have reached a critical juncture as political leaders clash over financial management and construction timelines. Governor Kay Ivey’s administration moved forward with a second facility while the state’s top legislative official called for a formal review of the first.

House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, announced on Thursday that he is seeking an investigation into the construction of the Kay Ivey Correctional Complex in Elmore County. He also requested a halt to the construction of a new men’s prison in Escambia County. Ledbetter cited the first facility’s cost overruns and delayed schedule as primary reasons for his concerns.

The Alabama Corrections Institution Finance Authority voted 6-1 on Thursday to officially fund the Escambia County facility. Ledbetter stated that the administration’s handling of the two projects was incorrect. He noted that the Elmore County facility is currently more than 635 million dollars over its initial budget and one year behind schedule.

The delay at the Elmore County site has pushed the completion date from October 2026 to a window between March and May 2027. The Alabama Department of Communications reported on October 16 that the facility was more than 85 percent complete. The department stated that the contractor, Caddell Construction, failed to meet the contractual final completion deadline of October 15, 2026.

Governor Ivey’s office responded to the speaker’s concerns shortly before 5 p.m. on Thursday. The governor said the recent vote provided the green light for construction to begin on the Escambia facility. She described the step as a positive move that would enhance the state’s ability to manage violent individuals sentenced to the care of Corrections.

Ivey said her administration has remained focused on protecting taxpayer dollars while advancing public safety projects. She stated that the state saved the necessary money to make the facilities a reality in a fiscally responsible way. The governor, who is in the final months of her ten-year term, emphasized her commitment to an open and transparent administration.

Ledbetter argued that seeking additional taxpayer-backed debt for a second prison is financially irresponsible while the first facility faces major overruns. The two new prisons are now expected to cost well over 2 billion dollars, compared to an initial projection of 1.3 billion dollars. He noted that the ACIFA voted to issue more than 190 million dollars in bonds for the Escambia County project, which is expected to cost close to 1 billion dollars.

The speaker stated that taxpayers deserve to know what transpired during the construction of the first facility. He alleged that the governor ignored previous legislative requests to pause the Escambia County construction. Requests for comment were sent to the Alabama Department of Corrections, which had not responded as of Thursday evening.