Contract review committee presses Corrections on prolonged litigation costs; reviews federal-funded projects and education testing renewals

Montgomery — The Joint Interim Committee on Contract Review on Monday reviewed a broad slate of agency contracts and paused one Department of Corrections contract after lawmakers pressed for a clearer strategy and a cost accounting for long‑running litigation.

Representative England, a committee member, pressed corrections officials about a 2018 lawsuit that remains pending and questioned whether continued outside legal spending was the most cost‑effective path. “If we had just paid these folks, we probably would have saved millions and millions and millions of dollars,” Representative England said during the meeting as members debated whether to approve a new contract for outside counsel assigned to the case.

Why it matters: Committee members said the continuing expenses for outside lawyers are drawing down state resources with little visible end date, and they asked the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) and the Attorney General’s Office for a comprehensive briefing on litigation strategy, case counts and projected costs.

Corrections contract held pending briefing

Andy Spears, representing the Alabama Department of Corrections, told the committee the case referenced by England “was filed ... in 2018.” Spears said the department must contract with outside counsel in some matters, including monitors appointed by a federal judge in the Bragg case. Committee members asked for a written strategy that would list pending cases, projected costs and options such as settlement or alternative dispute resolution. Senator Butler moved to hold the…