Government

In the Weeds: Sessions Campaigns as the Consistent Conservative He’s Always Been

RATTVILLE — Jeff Sessions hasn’t changed. That’s his message to voters as he campaigns to be elected back to the Senate seat he held for 20 years before leaving it to become attorney general of the United States. He wants Republicans in Alabama to remember the rock-ribbed conservative who often irritated his party’s leadership by pushing his unique brand of conservatism that heavily influenced today’s Trump agenda. But as he exits the passenger door of a black SUV and strides by himself into the Courtyard Marriott hotel, it’s clear that a lot has changed for Sessions. Read more.

In the Weeds: Tuberville Disrupts Senate Race as ‘Outsider’

MONTGOMERY — Tommy Tuberville does not care about your need for nuance. In a political landscape where tricky issues can sometimes cause politicians to split hairs on policy, the former football coach and current candidate for U.S. Senate has found a winning formula: be blunt, keep it simple and always pivot back to President Donald Trump. Read more.

Leading Business Operations Back Board of Education Amendment, Conservative Republican Groups Urge a No Vote

Some of Alabama’s leading business groups and corporations have put up almost a half million dollars to support a state constitutional amendment on Tuesday's ballot that would replace the elected state Board of Education with a commission appointed by the governor. A political action committee called Yes for the Best Education Committee has raised $471,000 in support of the proposed amendment. The PAC was registered with the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office on Feb. 13. Jimmy Parnell, president of ALFA, the Alabama Farmers Federation, is listed as chairman and treasurer. There apparently is no organization raising money for an effort to defeat the amendment, but the executive committee of the Alabama Republican Party and Eagle Forum of Alabama, a group that espouses conservative causes, have called for its defeat. Read more.

State Health Officer: State Focused on Coronavirus Prevention, Alabamians Should Be Aware, Not Afraid

As the coronavirus spreads worldwide and the number of confirmed cases in the United States increases, the state’s top health official says Alabama is in a “prevention stance” and encourages Alabamians to prepare for this virus like they do the flu. “This is a situation that is changing very quickly,” Alabama Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris told Alabama Daily News on Thursday. Since the outbreak was first reported in China in late 2019, the Alabama Department of Public Health has monitored more than 100 Alabamians who have returned from China and other places the virus is known to be, Harris said. That monitoring includes making daily phone calls to check on the individuals and encouraging “social distancing,” avoiding large crowds and public places. Harris this week sent the state’s universities and colleges letters with guidance about limiting for at least 14 days public interactions for anyone returning from China or any other country with active community transmission. A few of the Alabamians being monitored have presented coronavirus symptoms, which are similar to flu symptoms, but no one has tested positive for the new disease, referred to as COVID-19. Harris said Alabamians should be aware of the developing situation, “There is no need to be afraid, since we don’t have community transmissions in our state.” Read more.

What to Know About the New Coronavirus and COVID-19

What to Know About the New Coronavirus and COVID-19

Symptoms and prevention — According to the CDC, the new coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19: Spreads mainly through person-to-person contact via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes; Has symptoms that include fever, cough and shortness of breath and may appear two to 14 days after exposure; Currently has no vaccine,

Legislature Approves Bill to Slow Future Occupational Taxes

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama State Senate on Thursday voted along party lines to give final approval to legislation slowing cities' ability to pass local occupational taxes. House Bill 147, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, limits municipalities from enacting occupational taxes by requiring any such policy to pass the Legislature as local legislation. Democrats argued strongly against the bill, saying it unfairly hurts the capital city of Montgomery, which passed an occupational tax last week. The Senate debated the bill for more than three hours before passing it on a 27-7 vote. It now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey, whose office previously signaled support for it. Read more.

Ban on Smoking in Cars With Children Progresses, but Concerns Over Rights Remain

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill to ban smoking tobacco and using vaping products in vehicles when children younger than 14 are present. But as the bill moves to the Senate, some lawmakers are concerned about policing people’s actions within their property. The House last week approved House Bill 46, by Rep. Rolanda Hollis, D-Birmingham, in a 78-19 vote. It was amended to add the vaping prohibition and to say that smoking or vaping with children in the car is a secondary violation, not a primary reason a driver can be pulled over. The violation comes with a fine not to exceed $100. Hollis told Alabama Daily News she drafted the bill after riding in a vehicle with her husband while he smoked. Read more.

Bill to Give Voters Option to End Police Jurisdictions Passes First Vote

MONTGOMERY — A bill that would require counties to allow voters to decide whether they want to eliminate police jurisdictions passed out of a Senate committee Tuesday, but disagreements between representatives of counties and cities still exist.

Don’t Go to the Polls Without BW’s 2020 Primary Voter Guide — Mobile

In BirminghamWatch’s 2020 Primary Voter Guide, you’ll find: A story on what candidates in the U.S. Senate race have to say about issues important to voters and why the Senate race is driving debate about the election. A story about the candidates’ positions on issues in the Republican primary for president, and in the Democratic primary for president. A story about the statewide amendment on the ballot, which would move the state Board of Education from an elected board to an appointed one. Profiles of candidates on the ballot, including basic information about each of the candidates along with the top contributors to their campaigns, the main issues they’re citing in their campaigns and links to their web or social media sites. A list of those links will be updated this evening. Printable sample ballots you can use to mark your own choices for each race. And a Voter’s Toolbox of information about voting, including which districts will be on your ballot and how to find your polling place. It’s all in one package on the BirminghamWatch 2020 Primary Voter Guide.

Parkers Will Be Able to Pay at Birmingham Meters Using an App

The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to modernize its parking system, approving a three-year contract with ParkMobile, an application that allows users to pay for parking with their smartphones. The change, officials stressed, will add to, not replace, the coin-operated meter system used by the city. ParkMobile will charge a 45-cent processing fee for payments made through its app; 15 cents of that fee will go to the city. Read more.