Alabama Lawmakers Roll the Dice on a New Lottery Bill
The constitutional amendment would authorize a state lottery, sports betting, eight full casinos and two smaller gambling operations. Read more.
Alabama Legislature
Alabama’s ‘Ultimate School Choice’ Bill Gets Complicated When Considering Race and Poverty
Parents could get about $5,600 per kid in state money to use for other schooling options. The proposal is currently in a legislative study committee. But experts told WBHM school choice brings up concerns around equity. Read more.
Rep. David Wheeler of Vestavia Hills Dies
Vestavia Hills legislator David Wheeler died Wednesday morning. The Alabama House of Representatives released the following obituary: State Rep. David Wheeler, R-Vestavia Hills, died this morning. He was 72. A retired employee of Alabama Power Company, he was elected in 2018 to his first term serving House District 47 in Jefferson County. He had qualified
Alabama Lawmakers Advance a Record-Setting Education Budget
Legislators also took up measures to improve math education and attack what's known as "period poverty." Read more.
Alabama Educators Push Back on Bill Banning ‘Divisive Concepts’ From the Classroom
Lawmakers also took action this week on a delay to a school reading requirement and a ban on transgender treatments for youths. Read more.
Alabama Republicans Pass Bill to Hike Penalties for Removing Confederate Monuments
Republicans also advanced a bill that would require jail time for those who participate in a riot, plus another banning certain therapies for transgender youth. Read more.
School Choice and Permitless Carry Bills Face Rocky Road in the Alabama Legislature
Alabama often falls near the bottom among states when it comes to school standardized test scores. One state lawmaker said that needs to change and proposed what he called the “ultimate” school choice bill to shake up the education system. Republican State Sen. Del Marsh of Anniston introduced a bill that would allow families to
Bham Council Approves $500,000 in BOLD Funding, Sets Legislative Priorities and Pledges In-Kind Services to Support USFL
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to approve more than $500,000 in grant funding for five local nonprofits as part of the city’s Building Opportunities for Lasting Development initiative. Mayor Randall Woodfin launched the BOLD program in 2018 as a mechanism for distributing city funds to local nonprofit and economic development organizations. The council also voted on its legislative agenda. At the top of the list for councilors is expanding the city’s number of entertainment districts from five to 15. It also approved $500,000 in in-kind services to the new United States Football League, which this year will be playing its entire season in Birmingham, including eight to 11 games at Legion Field. Read more.
The 2022 Alabama Legislative Session Starts Tuesday. Here’s What to Expect
The COVID-19 pandemic will be an undercurrent to this year's legislative session. So too will the fact it's an election year. Read more.
Now or Later? What Will Happen With Remaining Rescue Funds?
Alabama lawmakers, particularly those on the General Fund budget committees, will have a larger task in the legislative session that begins in January. But it’s still unclear how much of the remaining about $1.6 billion American Rescue Plan Act will be allocated in the Legislature’s spring meeting. “We’ve got a lot more to figure out than just the Education Trust Fund and General Fund,” Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, said about lawmakers’ normal annual budgeting process. The state’s more than $2 billion in ARPA money comes in two tranches, about half this year and half likely in June 2022, according to the Department of Finance. By May, lawmakers have will already ended their 2022 session. Whether they’ll allocate all the money in the spring session or wait to distribute the 2022 share is still being discussed. Read more.