Alabama will retain all seven of its seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Monday after seeing statewide population totals and Congressional apportionment results released by the Census Bureau. The results show that Alabama has grown 5.03 million residents, up from 4.8 million when the 2010 census was conducted. Read more.
MONTGOMERY— A bill in the Alabama Senate regarding the construction of public buildings has some concerned about what it could mean to the safety of school buildings, while proponents see the legislation as a way to help education entities save money. Bill sponsor Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, said House Bill 220 would help decrease building costs for public schools by reducing bureaucratic red tape, enabling money to be better used. He gave an example of a $2.4 million project being reduced to $1.7 million. “I’ve heard from K-12 and (Alabama Community College System) about the construction costs increasing due to red tape,” Ledbetter, the House majority leader, said. “This bill would help them save money, money that can be better spent elsewhere.” Read more.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin launched a collaborative effort with federal and local law enforcement agencies to put an end to the city’s growing gun violence problem. The partnership, announced Friday, imposes stiff penalties for people who have unauthorized guns. Officials called on the community to help make the city safer by providing information on people who may be involved in criminal activity. Read more.
MONTGOMERY — Two bills meant to promote and boost entrepreneurship in the state overwhelmingly passed the Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday. House Bill 540 from Rep. Bill Poole, R-Tuscaloosa, would create the Alabama Innovation Corporation to help increase Alabama’s competitiveness in areas of technology and innovation as it relates to economic development strategies. Read more.
MONTGOMERY — A bill that would have allowed public charter schools to receive more local tax dollars failed to advance the Alabama House of Representatives Thursday. Read more.
The Alabama Senate on Thursday approved several measures related to elections and alleged voter fraud. “There are few pillars of our democracy more important than the security of our elections,” Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed, R-Jasper, said after the votes. “Free and fair elections, conducted in a secure manner, are a hallmark of our country, and serve as a defender of the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans.” Among those measures are ones that would make it a felony to vote twice in any election, require legislation related to the conduct of general elections be passed at least six months before the election, and move up the deadline for applying to vote by absentee ballot. Read more. More from the Legislature: Charter School Funding Bill Fails in the House Innovation Corporation Bills Pass the House Legislative Oversight and State Parks Bills Advance, Other Bills Considered by Committees Civil Asset Forfeiture Compromise Clears Senate Legislative Briefs: Nursing Home, Hospital Visitation; Drive-Through Alcohol Sales
MONTGOMERY — Several legislative committees met Wednesday as the Alabama Legislature continues its final month of the 2021 regular session. Here's a rundown of what happened at the State House. Legislative Oversight Bill Passed by Committee A bill that would create a joint legislative oversight committee to review any large expenditures from state agencies passed the Senate General Fund Committee on Wednesday. Read more. More from the Legislature: Civil Asset Forfeiture Compromise Clears Senate Legislative Briefs: Nursing Home, Hospital Visitation; Drive-Through Alcohol Sales
MONTGOMERY -- The Alabama Legislature met for the 24th day of its 30-day regular session Tuesday. Here are some highlights of what happened at the State House. Bill Ensuring Hospital, Nursing Home Visitation Rights Goes to Governor Committee OKs Inmate IDs for Absentee Voting, Kills Curbside Voting Broadband Expansion Bill Heads to Full House Drive-Through Alcohol Bill Passes House Free Menstrual Products in Schools Passes First Vote Read more.
Mayor Randall Woodfin on Tuesday announced the pardons of more than 15,000 Birmingham residents convicted of marijuana possession, declaring that “one small mistake should not define an entire lifetime.” The pardons — which were announced April 20, an unofficial holiday celebrating cannabis — covers residents with closed marijuana possession cases in the Birmingham Municipal Court between 1990 and 2020. The pardons are part of Woodfin’s Pardons for Progress program, launched in November 2019, which was meant to remove employment barriers for people who had been convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession. Read more.
MONTGOMERY -- The Alabama Senate on Tuesday approved legislation changing the state’s civil asset forfeiture laws, putting new rules on what law enforcement can take from those charged with low-level drug offenses. Advocacy groups have argued for years that current law allows police to seize property even without a conviction, which they say disproportionately hurts low-income individuals and minorities. “This will put better boundaries around the property of people and raise the bar for the government seizing it and forfeiting it for low-level charges,” Sen. Arthur Orr told Alabama Daily News. Read more.
