Government

Ivey Recommends a One-Year Delay on Holding Back of Third Grade Readers

MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday recommended a one-year delay to the Alabama Literacy Act's holdback provision for third graders struggling with reading. “Because we are implementing a new assessment, we need the spring 2022 data to further validate the cut score before we implement the promotion policy and, in the meantime, we will be doubling down for the supports needed to implement the Alabama Literacy Act to fidelity,” Ivey said at the state school board meeting. The board voted on setting the reading score on standardized testing that will determine which students would continue on to the fourth grade. To implement Ivey's recommended delay, the Alabama Legislature will have to approve the change during its regular session starting in January. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Advocates Suggest Housing Assistance for Those Leaving Prison

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Commission on Reentry heard presentations Tuesday about the need for expanding housing assistance for those leaving prison as a way to reduce recidivism. The state currently provides no housing assistance for the majority of people who are leaving prison at the end of their sentences. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Commission on State’s Pandemic Response Recommends Legislation

MONTGOMERY — Alabama state agencies say they need more flexibility in purchasing during emergencies and the ability to hire essential staff in times of crisis. Those were among the findings of the Alabama Pandemic Response and Preparedness Commission based on input from various state agencies on how they responded in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The commission’s final report included recommendations that could become legislation. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Birmingham Promise Gets $1.8M Grant From Bloomberg Philanthropies

Mayor Randall Woodfin’s Birmingham Promise educational initiative has received a $1.8 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, it was announced Tuesday. That grant will go toward the program’s apprenticeship initiative, which Woodfin said “will be used to help Birmingham City Schools high school students to start gaining work experience to gain career skills that will last them a lifetime.” Woodfin also told the City Council during Tuesday’s meeting that Bloomberg Philanthropies’ “very vigorous vetting process … shows that this program is sustainable, and it’s a model for any city across America for how we should engage in partnerships to invest and give opportunity and exposure to our youngest generation and our high school students.” Read more.

by Sam Prickett

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

by Caroline Beck, Mary Sell and Todd Stacy, Alabama Daily News

Jeffco Commission Approves $500,000 for USFL, Plan to Adjust District Lines

The Jefferson County Commission on Thursday unceremoniously approved providing $500,000 to help bring the United States Football League to Birmingham. With much more consternation, commissioners settled on a plan for redrawing commission district lines. The USFL money, which will pay for personnel to operate Protective Stadium on game days, was passed without discussion, along with 48 other resolutions on the agenda. The City of Birmingham also will provide $500,000 to aid the USFL operation. Most of the meeting was comprised of a public hearing discussing three options for redrawing commission district lines to reflect changes in the population of the districts. Lines are adjusted every 10 years to keep populations of the districts as even as possible. Commissioners voted 4-1 for a plan that Commissioner Steve Ammons said was needed without making additional changes. He noted that Districts 3, 4 and 5 were the same in each plan. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

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

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

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.

by Todd Stacy and Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Shipt Announces Start of Alcohol Delivery in Alabama

MONTGOMERY — Shipt, the Birmingham-based grocery delivery service, announced Tuesday that it will start same-day delivery of beer and wine from Target, marking the beginning of alcohol delivery in the state. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

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.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News