When will the new State House be ready for Alabama’s lawmakers?

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — It’s out with the old, and in with the new in Alabama’s Capital City. Lawmakers say a new State House will make for more effective policymaking.

The $325 million facility will be finished in November of 2026, ready for lawmakers to move in for the 2027 legislative session.

“It will be so much easier for the public to get into the committee rooms, and to be in the galleries, and to navigate the State House, which increases transparency as well” said Neah Scott with Retirement Systems of Alabama.

That transparency is important to Rep. Marilyn Lands (D-Huntsville). She said having the House and Senate on the same floor will build stronger relationships between lawmakers.

“Sometimes, I’m having to leave the House floor, and it takes time to get up those stairs, and move around like that,” said Lands. “But, just passing in the hallway, I think, at the coffee pot, that’s where the relationship building really happens.”

Besides building those relationships, Rep. Rick Rehm looks forward to having more room to welcome visitors from back home.

“If you ever think, when you go to these meetings, especially that have some controversial topics, they get filled up quickly,” he said. “There’s limited space. So, I think the new State House will add room for constituents to have access to their legislators.”

Scott said they are also building a parking deck and a greenspace. She said it was expected for the project as a whole to cost $400 million, but they are under budget.

“To be able to do this one-of-a-kind project in the country, and to do it for the state, to better the state, it’s an honor,” said Scott.

The old State House will be demolished and turned into the greenspace. Scott said it will make for a very nice capitol complex.