Tag: Alabama Legislature
Trussville’s Danny Garrett to Head House Budget Committee
Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, is the new Alabama House education budget committee chairman.
Garrett replaces former Rep. Bill Poole, who this month became the state’s finance director.
Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, made the announcement Tuesday. Garrett was first elected to the House in 2014. This term he’s been vice-chairman of the budget committee under Poole.
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Lawmaker Proposes Legislation to Bar Schools from Requiring Masks
MONTGOMERY — While most health officials are advocating for more mask wearing amid the rapid spread of the COVID-19 delta variant, one north Alabama lawmaker said he is drafting a bill that would prohibit any public K-12 school in Alabama from requiring masks.
Rep. Andrew Sorrell, R-Muscle Shoals, told Alabama Daily News on Thursday that his bill is not pro- or anti-mask but about giving more freedom to parents.
“This bill says that parents should have the right to choose whether or not their child wears a mask in a public school, and I believe the parents are more qualified to make that decision than the government,” said Sorrell, who is running for state auditor in 2022.
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New Law Eases Restrictions on Cottage Food Makers
Melissa Humble and her husband moved back to Alabama in March 2020, just before much of the state shut down.
Looking for a way to earn income and stay home to protect her immunocompromised spouse from COVID-19, Humble began baking and selling French macarons and other treats.
HumbleBee Bakes is now a regular at farmers markets around Headland in Henry County, and Humble locally sources the fruit, jellies and eggs that go into her products. But the state’s laws regulating the cottage food industry were limiting. It capped gross sales at $20,000 a year and didn’t allow for Internet sales.
Starting Monday, those restrictions will be eased under Senate Bill 160, approved in the spring. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, sponsored the law change. “It takes the ridiculous shackles off of people who want to start home businesses,” Orr said. “This could be the first step, the incubation of new small businesses in the home.”
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Legislative ‘Blackout’ on Campaign Fundraising Shrinks to 2 Weeks
Alabama is one of 29 states that has some restrictions on campaign contributions to candidates for state office during legislative sessions, but that “blackout” window is shrinking to two weeks next year. Read more.
Sen. Priscilla Dunn Won’t Seek Reelection, Candidates Line Up to Run
MONTGOMERY — Democratic State Sen. Priscilla Dunn won’t be running for reelection in 2022, and at least two current state representatives plan to run for the vacant seat.
Dunn’s husband, Grover Dunn, told Alabama Daily News on Monday that his wife would be retiring after finishing her last year in office.
State Reps. Louise Alexander, D-Bessemer, and Merika Coleman said they plan to run for the seat. Rep. Rod Scott, D-Fairfield, said he has been considering running for the Senate seat but has not officially decided.
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Bill Would Offer More Protections for Pregnant Workers in Alabama
MONTGOMERY — A pre-filled bill in the Alabama Legislature seeks to offer more protections for pregnant workers by outlining accommodations that employers would be required to take supporting their health. House Bill 1 from Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, would require employers to provide “reasonable accommodations” related to pregnancy, childbirth or other related medical conditions. Read more.
Bill Poole Named State Finance Director
MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey has appointed state Rep. Bill Poole as the state’s next finance director, her office announced Friday. The appointment is effective Aug. 1. Read more.
Second Bill Targeting Critical Race Theory Filed for ’22 Legislative Session
MONTGOMERY — A second bill targeting how theories on race and bias are taught has been pre-filed in the Alabama House, this one applying to education institutions and the training state employees and contractors receive. Read more.
Anti-Rioting Bill Pre-Filed for 2022 Legislative Session
MONTGOMERY — A bill that would change the definition of riot in state law and increase penalties for those who participate in one has been pre-filed for the 2022 regular legislative session. Read more.
State Leaders Discuss Building New, Renovating Old Prisons
State leaders are now discussing building two new prisons and renovating others in an effort to improve the state’s dangerous and crowded correctional system.
Legislative and Alabama Department of Corrections leaders met Thursday in Montgomery for the third time in less than a month to discuss options. Another meeting is scheduled for next week, Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, told Alabama Daily News. Read more.
