MONTGOMERY, Ala. — When Alabama's new concealed carry law went into effect, funds for county sheriff's offices went down. For those offices that relied heavily on concealed carry permit fees for their income, this loss was immediately felt.
Now, Governor Kay Ivey has approved grants for sheriff's offices in all 67 Alabama counties to help offset this loss. Each office will get grant money quarterly based on what that county’s sheriff’s department collected on pistol permit fees in 2022.
“A couple of core tenants of the Ivey Administration is that we back the blue in the strongest way possible and that we support upholding our citizens’ Second Amendment rights. As we have amended Alabama law to help our gun owners, we also worked to ensure our sheriffs received their critical funds, and I am proud that these grants will do that,” said Governor Ivey. “The Sheriffs’ Grants will provide them with funding for training, equipment and other needs not provided by county commissions in their annual appropriations. We are proud to support the vital work our sheriffs’ departments do on a daily basis.”
The grants aren't automatic. According to the governors' office, under the Local Government Pistol Permit Revenue Loss Fund, Alabama sheriffs need to show a loss of pistol permit funds based on the 2022 figures. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs will disburse money to the sheriff’s offices based on reports collected by other state agencies.
“ADECA intends to carry out our duties in this matter to ensure that Alabama’s sheriffs’ offices are compensated for their losses based on those shortages provided in the data,” said Director Kenneth Boswell.