Associated Press April 14, 2010

MONTGOMERY, ALA. — The Alabama House has passed a bill to pump $1 billion into construction and repairs for the state’s roads and bridges.
But House members amended the bill more than a dozen times adding numerous projects including airport runways, improvements at the state docks, advertising for rural newspapers, and high speed rail projects. The bill passed the House after 10 p.m. Tuesday.

The House sponsor, Democratic Rep. Billy Beasley of Clayton, said the Senate-passed bill was changed heavily in the House and he hopes the problems can be worked out in a House-Senate conference committee.

Beasley said he agreed to all the amendments in an attempt to keep the bill from being killed because of his concern for the condition of the state’s roads.