Government

Kelly Butler to Retire as Finance Director Citing Possible ALS Diagnosis

MONTGOMERY — State Finance Director Kelly Butler is retiring Aug. 1 due to medical complications that might be associated with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Gov. Kay Ivey said today. Early symptoms point to an ALS diagnosis, and Butler will undergo additional testing in the coming days, a press release from Ivey’s office said. “Without exception, Kelly Butler has been the finest finance director to have ever served the state of Alabama,” Ivey said. Read more.

by Mary Sell and Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Chemical Castration Law Hasn’t Been Used Since 2019 Enactment

MONTGOMERY — An Alabama statute requiring chemical castration for certain convicted child sex offenders has not been used after being passed two years ago. The law was national news when it was passed in 2019, but its lack of impact is mostly due to the relatively minor scope of cases in which it could apply. Read more.

by Caroline Beck, Alabama Daily News

Bang, Bang. You’re Closed: Birmingham threatens to close clubs with violent episodes.

The city of Birmingham is going to make a greater effort to close clubs and venues where gun violence takes place, Mayor Randall Woodfin said Tuesday. “I want to give public notice to any club owner,” Woodfin said in a press conference after Tuesday’s City Council meeting. “You are responsible for protecting your patrons, and if you do not do so, we will move to shut you down.” The announcement follows an early morning drive-by shooting at Club Euphoria in west Birmingham that left 21-year-old Lykeria Taylor dead and another male injured. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

5 Ways Birmingham Is Celebrating Its 150th Birthday

Mayor Randall Woodfin and Darlene Negrotto, Vulcan Park and Museum CEO, announced on Monday a series of events to celebrate Birmingham’s 150 anniversary. Read more.

by Cody Short, WBHM

Club for Growth PAC Endorses Mo Brooks

MONTGOMERY — Club for Growth PAC, the campaign arm of the Washington, D.C.-based conservative group, endorsed Congressman Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, in the race for U.S. Senate. Read more.

by Todd Stacy, Alabama Daily News

‘Retain Alabama’ Effort Looks to Keep Bachelor’s Degree Recipients in State

Knowing that nearly half of Alabama’s public university bachelor’s degree earners are working in other states five years after they graduate, state leaders are funding more efforts to keep that talent pool at home. In the 2022 state education budget, lawmakers allocated $800,000 for a new “Retain Alabama” initiative to introduce college students to opportunities for them in the Yellowhammer state. “Our state has been a low-growth state and we have to do all we can to retain that knowledge capital that we’re losing every year when they leave,” said Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, chairman of the Senate education budget committee. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

To Curb Gun Violence in Gulf States, Activists Are Taking a Closer Look at Policing Alternatives

Over Memorial Day weekend, at least 26 shootings were reported in major cities across Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. At least 10 people were killed and 17 others were injured. It was the latest example of rising homicides and gun violence across the Gulf states this year. Read more.

by Becca Schimmel, Gulf States Newsroom

Brooks Isn’t Backing Down from Claim that Trump Won the Election

WASHINGTON — Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, isn’t giving up on his claim that Donald Trump was elected president last year. “Somewhere in the neighborhood of 900,000 to 1.7 million non-citizens voted in the 2020 presidential election, overwhelmingly for Joe Biden,” Brooks told the Washington Examiner this week. He said former President Trump won "if only lawful votes cast by eligible American citizens were counted." The Examiner noted that Brooks didn’t provide any backing information for his claims, which have been rejected by the departments of Justice and Homeland Security, the FBI and numerous courts and elected officials. Read more.

by Brett Davis

Ivey, Lawmakers Talk Next Steps on Prison Plan

Gov. Kay Ivey and some legislative leaders met Wednesday to discuss possible next steps after the governor’s proposal to lease three new men’s prisons stalled earlier this month. “No decisions were made today; this was simply an opportunity for an update on where we are and what needs to happen, going forward with respect to improving our prison infrastructure,” Ivey said in a written statement. The meeting included Ivey, Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed, R-Jasper, Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, and the Legislature’s two General Fund budget chairmen. Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, and Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range. Officials did not disclose the details of what was discussed, but called the meeting productive and the first of several. Lawmakers earlier this year balked at a nearly $3 billion price tag on Ivey's 30-year prison lease plan and said they’d largely been excluded from discussions. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News

State of the State House: Officials Consider What to do With Building in Disrepair

When replacement parts are needed for the Alabama State House’s electrical system, some have to be “scavenged” because the system is so old that new parts are no longer available. Meanwhile, the HVAC system has outlived its intended lifespan and is contributing to mold issues in the nearly 60-year-old, eight-floor building, according to a recent facility condition assessment by a Georgia-based engineering firm. The report has renewed discussions about the health and safety conditions of the building and the need for a new building, or at least significant renovations. The report and springtime presentation to the Legislative Council outlined some concerning conditions in the building and about $51 million in renewal costs needed in the next 10 years. The bottom line is that lawmakers need to act on the condition of the State House and the costs will be significant, Rep. Victor Gaston, R-Mobile, told Alabama Daily News on Tuesday. Gaston is chair of the Legislative Council, which owns the State House. Read more.

by Mary Sell, Alabama Daily News