On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate voted to concur with changes to the state general fund budget made by the House of Representatives last week. Governor Kay Ivey congratulated lawmakers following final passage. “Here in Alabama, we continue budgeting wisely,” said Gov. Ivey. “Despite the tough national economic climate, our financial footing is strong, and we […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee met and voted to advance legislation that would allow the state to issue up to $50 million in new bonds. HB394 is sponsored by State Rep. Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville) and being carried in the Senate by State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), the chairmen of […]

The Alabama Senate passed a $9.3 billion education budget Thursday which includes teacher pay raises and increased funding. It is the largest education budget in the history of the state.  The Senate also passed a $651 million supplemental appropriation. Every public school, college, and university in the state can expect a supplemental check in the […]

Manufacturers will be able to store greenhouse emissions underground, according to legislation passed by the state Senate and House. The geological storage bill will allow manufacturers to store carbon dioxide emissions in “pore space” where oil and natural gas have been pumped out of the ground. The House version was sponsored by State Rep. Alan […]

The Alabama House of Representatives passed a record General Fund budget and a supplemental appropriation to the 2024 budget Thursday. The bill now goes back to the Senate for its consideration of the House changes to the budget. There are just three days left in the legislative session to take action on the spending plan. […]

That bottle of bourbon or the bottle of wine you buy at a state ABC store may be a little more expensive in coming weeks. In a move that supporters say levels the playing field with private alcohol retailers, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday requiring state ABC alcohol retail stores to […]

Updated at 3:20 p.m. Thursday — Governor Kay Ivey has signed the bill into law.  On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation to make certain that the Democratic nominees for President and Vice President, presumably President Joseph R. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, will be on the November 5, 2024 general election […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate passed legislation to require Alabama public K-12 schools to instruct students about the dangers of fentanyl and fentanyl poisoning. The Senate passed the bill unanimously and it now goes to Governor Ivey for her signature. House Bill 280 is sponsored by State Representative Joe Lovvorn (R-Auburn). The bill was carried […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation to allow all law enforcement agencies in the state to use cameras to catch persons who are racing or driving extremely recklessly – so called exhibition driving. HB474 is sponsored by State Rep. Allen Treadaway (R-Morris). “Technology is growing and most of these cities have real […]

On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation that would require that a doctor, health clinic, or pharmacy get parental permission from the parent or guardian before giving a vaccine to anyone between the ages of 14 and 18. HB165 is sponsored by State Rep. Chip Brown. “House Bill 165 is a parental rights […]

On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation that would protect children from being exposed to sexual, or otherwise explicit, material or behavior in school or public libraries. As defined by HB385, sponsored by State Rep. Arnold Mooney, adults who “distribute material that is harmful to minors is a public nuisance,” can be charged […]

On Wednesday, the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee failed to advance a bill to increase the penalties for crimes against an election official. HB100 is sponsored by State Rep. Adline Clarke (D-Mobile). “I do have House Bill 100, which proposes to amend Alabama’s Felony Voters Disqualification Act,” Clarke. “It would do two things: One, it would […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate passed the gun owner financial privacy bill to establish privacy rights for gun buyers. The bipartisan bill was passed unanimously by the Alabama Senate. SB281 is sponsored by State Senator Tim Melson (R-Florence). The legislation would prohibit a financial institution from declining a payment card transaction for a firearm purchase […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation to prevent public school teachers in the 6th through the 8th grades from teaching LGBTQ+ ideology in Alabama schools. HB130 is sponsored by State Representative Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City). In 2022 the Alabama Legislature and Governor Kay Ivey, signed legislation that prevents Alabama public schools from teaching […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation to prohibit businesses from receiving economic development incentives if union elections are not held through a secret ballot. The bill is sponsored by State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) and carried in the House by House Majority Leader Brett Stadthagen (R-Hartselle). “SB231 gives the employees the opportunity […]

On Thursday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation that greatly increases the criminal penalties for persons convicted of human trafficking. Trafficking a minor in Alabama would carry a life sentence. “HB42 — The Sound of Freedom Act — is now the TOUGHEST anti human trafficking law in the nation,” Gov. Ivey said on Twitter. “I […]

On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate considered the impeachment brought by the House of Representatives against U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate, led by U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), voted to dismiss the charges against Mayorkas in a party-line vote. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville was livid at what he […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate County and Municipal Government Committee voted to give a favorable report to legislation creating new supervisory positions at the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC). SB322, sponsored by State Sen. Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville). Sen. Chambliss chairs the Joint Prison Oversight Committee. That committee holds an annual public hearing every year. In […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed bills of the education budget package combined, which allocated over $11 billion to k-12 schools, the two-year college system, specialty schools, state four-year colleges and universities, and other state agencies. Most of the bills of the education budget package were carried by State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) […]

On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation that would define biological sex as the gender of legal record for purposes of the state of Alabama. The legislation is sponsored by State Representative Susan DuBose (R-Hoover). ‘The What is a Woman Act’ defines man, woman, boy, girl, father, mother, male, female, sex for purpose […]

On Monday, Alabama State Board of Education Member Jackie Zeigler announced that she has endorsed Caroleene Dobson in the Tuesday, April 16 Republican runoff election for Alabama’s Second Congressional District. “Reckless policies from Washington, D.C. are corrupting education and putting a burden on Alabama students. Caroleene Dobson is ready to fight,” said Zeigler. “We need […]

On Saturday, Iran launched hundreds of unmanned suicide drones and missiles against the state of Israel. Tehran attacked in retaliation to an attack on a facility in Damascus, Syria killing a top Iranian general. Iran has supported Hamas in its war against Israel and according to intelligence reports that general helped plan the October 7 […]

Authorizing budgets for the coming fiscal year is the top institutional priority of the House Ways and Means Education Committee. On Tuesday, members of the committee did exactly that by advancing several key bills. The package includes the supplemental appropriations from the Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund, supplemental appropriations from Education Trust Fund, […]

On Thursday, the Alabama Senate passed legislation making artificially-generated child pornography illegal under Alabama law. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously. The bill now goes to Governor Kay Ivey. HB168 was introduced by State Rep. Matt Woods (R-Jasper) and carried in the Senate by State Sen. April Weaver (R-Briarfield). “The purpose for this bill is […]