Local lawmakers, from left, Sen. Garlan Gudger and Reps. Randall Shedd and Corey Harbison, see opportunities to bring meaningful legislation to the floors of their respective chambers.

The proposed gasoline tax and prison funding are expected to lead what promises to be lively session when the Alabama Legislature convenes Tuesday.

Gov. Kay Ivey’s proposal for a 10-cent increase in gas to improve the state’s aging roads and bridges has raised debates across Alabama. Even with the Alabama Republican Party expressing opposition, other Republican leaders are standing with the governor that funding for infrastructure is a must-do issue.

And with the state correctional system under scrutiny of the federal government, lawmakers will be under pressure to find a funding solution for new prisons, better security and mental health care.

While those two issues may come to a boil, several other needs may quietly find traction in this session.

Local lawmakers — Sen. Garlan Gudger and Reps. Randall Shedd and Corey Harbison — see opportunities to bring other meaningful legislation to the floors of their respective chambers.

“Going to the Senate for the first time, I’m excited to represent everyone in the district, and I think our local delegation is going to make a good team in making some positive things happen for area, for our districts,” Gudger said.

Gudger said he is working on a bill that will bring improvements in out-patient mental health care that includes the means to continue or extend coverage for longer periods of time.

“This is one of the issues in our area and across the state where everyone is looking for help and improvements, and we need to be able to step up,” Gudger said.

He also said many of his other efforts will focus on career workforce and education issues, including expansion of broadband coverage for rural areas.

Shedd will join with Gudger from the House side on pushing for improvements in the broadband coverage over last year’s legislation, which created grants to bring more coverage to areas that are poorly served.

“The broadband issue is still alive and well. We were able to established the grants last year at the end of the session, and we knew we would need to come back with improvements to speed up the process and encourage more service,” Shedd said.

Shedd also plans to push for more improvements in the convenience and function of driver’s license exam operations in the state.

“We do well in Cullman County, but some areas are still having a lot of problems,” Shedd said.

Harbison said he will again bring a bill back in the House that would require cities that want to establish separate school systems to pay the cost of establishing administrative offices.

“As it stands now, if a city chooses to create its own school system, the money for the administrative part comes out of the education fund,” Harbison said. “I think if they choose to start a new system, the city should pay for it. The bill would not affect existing school systems, and I would think they would support this because it keeps the money in the education fund.”

With the governor’s push for a gas tax hike, which last occurred in 1992, momentum appears to be growing for a lottery.

Shedd said with so many issues facing the state, the lottery will gain more attention.

“I’m not that big on the lottery. It always gets mixed in with other things and that’s why it hasn’t passed,” Shedd said. “I wouldn’t be surprised this time to see a lottery pass because of everything that’s going on.”

Harbison said he also expects to see renewed energy for a lottery.

“Here we are looking at the gas tax, but with the lottery it’s like a voluntary tax and something people can decide on for themselves,” he said.