Tag: Alabama Legislature
Bill Would Remove Red Tape for Local School Projects, but Contractors Aren’t on Board
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.
Innovation Corporation Bills Pass the House
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.
Charter School Funding Bill Fails in the House
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.
Senate Approves Ban on Double Voting, Delays Decision on Curbside Ban
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
Legislative Oversight and State Parks Bills Advance, Other Bills Considered by Committees
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
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.
Civil Asset Forfeiture Compromise Clears Senate
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.
Child Abuse Cost Alabama $3.7 Billion in 2018, New Report Says
MONTGOMERY — A new report from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention says child maltreatment, abuse and neglect have cost the state around $3.7 billion.
Various community organizers and state agencies that work to prevent child abuse gathered at the State House on Tuesday to present the report and stress to legislators the importance of investing in the prevention of child maltreatment.
“You can pay now or you can pay later; you can’t do more with less,” Sallye Longshore, director of the ADCANP, said.
Read more.
Proposal Changing Charter School Funding Has Potential Bipartisan Support
MONTGOMERY — As advocates for public charter schools push for more equal funding in the Alabama Legislature this year, an unlikely ally has emerged signaling potential bi-partisan support for the proposal.
Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D- Birmingham, a prominent voice in the state’s minority party, recently filed Senate Bill 387, similar to House Bill 487, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, earlier this session.
These bills would make changes to the Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act and allow for some local tax dollars to follow students to charter schools similar to how they would to any other school. Currently, both state and federal dollars follow students who leave traditional schools and enroll in charter schools, but local dollars do not.
“Many of these people are constituents and so they asked for some help in those areas, and that’s what the objective was, just to help them to provide them with some funds so that they could ease the burden on the students,” Smitherman told Alabama Daily News.
Alabama Democrats have historically been against expanding charter schools in the state and fought against the broad 2015 school choice legislation, arguing it would undermine traditional schools. Read more.
Lottery, Casino, Sports Betting Legislation Sent to House Committee
The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday received a Senate-passed gambling measure that had morphed from one entirely focused on a state lottery into an umbrella bill with the lottery, casinos and sports betting.
The bill got a first reading and was sent to the tourism committee. This is the twisted trail of a legislative effort to enhance state revenues without directly imposing new taxes. Read more.
More from the Legislature this week:
Broadband Expansion Bill Close to Final Vote
Bill Would Create Scholarships for Rural Teachers
Teacher Retirement Bill Advances
ADOC Reporting, Sexual Assault Victim Bills Advance, Grand Jury Bill Delayed
Bill Would Change State’s Grand Jury Secrecy Laws, Free Witnesses to Talk About Testimony
