MONTGOMERY — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall warned local governments Tuesday to use incoming funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act in accordance with state law or be subject to criminal charges. Read more.
MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate on Tuesday voted to delay by two years the requirement that third graders who don’t read at set levels be held back in school, as described in the Alabama Literacy Act, despite opposition from some chamber leaders. Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, sponsored Senate Bill 94. It passed by a vote of 23-9. The 2019 law currently requires that, starting at the end of the 2021-2022 school year, third grade students demonstrate sufficient reading skills before being promoted to fourth grade. Smitherman and others argued that COVID-19-caused learning loss would lead to more students being held back next year if lawmakers didn’t act. Read more. More from the Legislature this week: Bill Would Change State’s Grand Jury Secrecy Laws, Free Witnesses to Talk About Testimony Governor Signs Alcohol Delivery Bill Read complete legislative coverage.
Recent information about prison company CoreCivic’s agreement with the state to build two large facilities is renewing concerns among some about the cost and state funding priorities. On April 2, Bloomberg News reported on bank Barclay’s plans to be an underwriter for CoreCivic. The story included a report from CoreCivic to potential investors that said ADOC’s revenues are provided by the Legislature. “This will include budgeting for all of ADOC’s obligations under the new lease agreements,” it said. “ADOC has discretion over how to spend the appropriation provided by the Legislature and has covenanted in the lease to prioritize lease payments above all other obligations to the extent permitted by law.” Read more.
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to rezone the Southtown Court housing project, making way for a mixed-use redevelopment of the property. Now designated a “mixed-use downtown” district, the property, near St. Vincent’s Birmingham, will be transformed into a development that includes multi-family residential, hotel, office, retail/dining, medical office, parking garage and open space uses. Developers intend to turn the property into a “pedestrian-friendly corridor,” including pocket parks, green spaces and bike lanes. Plans to redevelop the property, near where a 455-unit housing project now stands have existed in some form since at least 2008. Read more.
A lawmaker from north Alabama wants grand jury witnesses to be allowed to discuss their testimony and experiences with prosecutors, something now prohibited under state law. Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison, says current law takes away witnesses’ First Amendment rights. His bill would repeal an oath of secrecy for grand jury witnesses. House Bill 202 will be in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Ball said his original bill is modeled after federal grand jury laws, but he will bring a substitute to committee that makes the “bare minimum” changes he thinks are needed in state law. “They could talk about whatever they knew before, the questions they were asked and how they were asked,” Ball told Alabama Daily News. Read more. More from the Legislature this week: Governor Signs Alcohol Delivery Bill Read complete legislative coverage.
MONTGOMERY — The Legislature approved several bills Thursday. Here is a wrap up on action on important legislation. Read more.
The Alabama Senate on Thursday approved a bill to prohibit the issuance of state or local government “vaccine passports.” Senate Bill 267 sponsor Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said governments shouldn’t allow access to services based on individuals’ immunization status. Orr talked about the current COVID-19 situation, but the bill isn’t specific to the coronavirus. Read more.
Legislative sessions most years bring a bipartisan chorus decrying the grocery tax as a cruel burden for low-income families, who are disproportionately people of color. And yet, the tax remains untouched in Mississippi and Alabama. Along with South Dakota, those states are the only ones charging the full sales tax rate on groceries used for home cooking, from vegetables to flour to even baby formula. “We exempt food for farm animals, but we don’t exempt food for babies,” said Chris Sanders, the communications director at Alabama Arise, a nonprofit advocacy organization. “It offends me, quite honestly.” Read more.
Birmingham will receive just more than $5 million to combat homelessness from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s American Rescue Plan Act, it was announced Thursday. The funding is intended to help cities create affordable and supportive housing and services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Read more.
MONTGOMERY — A bill that would create a lifetime concealed carry permit and require the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to develop a statewide firearm "prohibited person" database passed its final vote Thursday. Read more. More from the Legislature this week: ‘Vaccine Passport’ Ban Bill Passes Senate Legislature Advances Wine Shipment Bill, Other Health Care and Employer-Related Bills Constitutional Amendment Would Allow $80M Bond Issue for State Park Renovations Passes First Vote House Committee Advances Medical Marijuana Bill; Three More Votes Needed Yoga Bill Going to Senate, Committee Advances Student-Athlete Compensation Bill, More Action in the Legislature Legislature Sends Alcohol Delivery Bill to Governor House Passes CA Prohibiting Legislative Changes Within Six Months of Elections Distracted Driving Bill Fails Bill Increases Tax Credit Limit for Accountability Act Donors
