Category: Alabama Legislature
Bill That Would Ban Concealed Carry Permits in Alabama Advances
Lawmakers also advanced a so-called bathroom bill but delayed a bill increasing penalties for rioters. Read more.
Alabama Republicans Pass Bill to Hike Penalties for Removing Confederate Monuments
Republicans also advanced a bill that would require jail time for those who participate in a riot, plus another banning certain therapies for transgender youth. Read more.
School Choice and Permitless Carry Bills Face Rocky Road in the Alabama Legislature
The 2022 Alabama Legislative Session Starts Tuesday. Here’s What to Expect
The COVID-19 pandemic will be an undercurrent to this year’s legislative session. So too will the fact it’s an election year. Read more.
Now or Later? What Will Happen With Remaining Rescue Funds?
Alabama lawmakers, particularly those on the General Fund budget committees, will have a larger task in the legislative session that begins in January. But it’s still unclear how much of the remaining about $1.6 billion American Rescue Plan Act will be allocated in the Legislature’s spring meeting.
“We’ve got a lot more to figure out than just the Education Trust Fund and General Fund,” Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, said about lawmakers’ normal annual budgeting process.
The state’s more than $2 billion in ARPA money comes in two tranches, about half this year and half likely in June 2022, according to the Department of Finance. By May, lawmakers have will already ended their 2022 session.
Whether they’ll allocate all the money in the spring session or wait to distribute the 2022 share is still being discussed. Read more.
Bill Would Prevent Social Media Companies From Blocking Users Over Viewpoints
Proposed legislation would prohibit large social media platforms from blocking a user in Alabama or deleting the opinions or information they share. Read more.
Lawmakers Pass 2 Vaccine Mandate Bills in Final Night of Session
MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature late Thursday passed bills to make it easier for workers in the state to opt out of federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates and prohibit minors from getting vaccinated against the virus without parental consent. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bills Friday.
Lawmakers worked into the night on compromises between Senate and House-passed versions of the bills. The road to final passage on both bills was bumpy in the week-long special session that was supposed to focus on voting district maps.
At times the legislation pitted the GOP-dominant Legislature against business groups in the state. Senate Bill 9 would allow employees to claim religious or medical exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccine through a standardized form given to employers. The law will sunset, or expire, in May 2023. Read more.
Earlier in the Legislature:
Legislature Wraps Redistricting Work, Sends Maps to Ivey
Vaccine Mandate Exemption Bills Move to Final Votes Thursday
MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature could give final approval Thursday to legislation supporters say protect workers and residents in the state who want exemptions from federal COVID-19 vaccine requirements.
Senate Bill 9 and Senate Bill 15 are two of several bills the GOP-led legislature filed in this special session to push back against federal mandates and protect the unvaccinated. While the mandates for federal workers and contractors and large employers already allow for medical and religious exemptions, supporters of Senate Bill 9 say it creates an easy-to-use form for employees seeking those exemptions.
Senate Bills 9 and 15 put GOP supporters at odds with the state’s business community, which argues the legislation creates confusing, dueling mandates on employers. Read more.
Also in the Legislature Wednesday:
Legislature Wraps Redistricting Work, Sends Maps to Ivey
MONTGOMERY — State lawmakers wrapped up their work on redistricting Wednesday, sending all four maps redrawn with Census 2020 data to Gov. Kay Ivey.
The Senate gave final approval to the congressional and Alabama House of Representatives district maps. Meanwhile, the House passed new district maps for the state Senate and the Alabama State Board of Education. Read More
Legislature Wraps Redistricting Work, Sends Maps to Ivey
MONTGOMERY — State lawmakers wrapped up their work on redistricting Wednesday, sending all four maps redrawn with Census 2020 data to Gov. Kay Ivey.
The Senate gave final approval to the congressional and Alabama House of Representatives district maps. Meanwhile, the House passed new district maps for the state Senate and the Alabama State Board of Education.
Democrats raised several objections to the redrawn congressional districts, particularly as it concerns the racial makeup of districts. Sen. Rodger Smitherman said as currently drawn, the 7th District packs too many Black voters into a single district and diminishes their voting power statewide. Read more.
Maps Clear Senate, House Committees, Head to Final Votes
MONTGOMERY — Committees in the Alabama House and Senate approved the four bills containing new congressional, state board of education and state House and Senate districts Tuesday, readying them for final passage on Wednesday. Each of the bills cleared committees without changes to the district maps. Some Senators attempted to make changes to the congressional map in the Senate General Fund budget committee but were ultimately unsuccessful. Read more.
