Group rallies at Alabama Statehouse in support of state prepaid college tuition program

Group rallies over Alabama prepaid tuition program

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — More than 100 members of Save Alabama PACT gathered in Montgomery on the Legislature’s opening day in support of a bill saying the state will stand behind the financially troubled prepaid college tuition plan.

The members rallied on the Statehouse steps Tuesday morning and then met one-on-one with legislators to push a bill by Republican state Rep. Greg Wren of Montgomery. His bill says the state will provide four years of college tuition for participants in the Prepaid Affordable College Tuition plan.

The plan’s assets are not sufficient to pay its long-term obligations for the 45,000 participants. Save Alabama PACT President Patti Lambert of Decatur said families wrote checks to the state because it promised college tuition and they expect the state to keep its word.