After a productive first week back in session, several members of the Alabama Senate will step into new and elevated committee roles beginning next week. State Sen. Lance Bell will fill the chairmanship on the Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee, left by State Sen. Garlan Gudger upon his confirmation as President Pro Tem. RELATED: […]

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees has appointed Sid J. Trant as chancellor, entrusting him with the leadership of the state’s most influential higher education and health care enterprise. Trant, who has served as interim chancellor for the past ten months, now assumes the permanent role, guiding the UA System’s three world-class research […]

After several hours of resistance by Democrats, Alabama Senators passed legislation setting forth a clear definition of gender into state law using the terms man, woman, boy, girl, father, mother, male, female — and no others.  SB79 would require that public spaces designate multi-occupancy restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters for exclusive use by either […]

Jackson Hospital & Clinic will remain open with “uninterrupted service” after receiving a debtor in possession (DIP) loan. The hospital recently defaulted on roughly $60 million worth of municipal bonds, declared bankruptcy, and faced closure. But on Thursday, it was announced that Jackson Healthcare and its parent company, Jackson Investment Group, will keep the hospital’s […]

Global steel giant ArcelorMittal will invest $1.2 billion to build a cutting-edge electrical steel manufacturing facility in Alabama and create 200 permanent jobs in Mobile. Set to begin construction later this year and set to open in 2027, the future facility will produce up to 150,000 metric tons of non-grain-oriented electrical steel (NOES) every year. […]

Alabama State Finance Director Bill Poole spoke to some major opportunities for lawmakers as the 2025 legislative session gets underway. After Governor Ivey’s State of the State address on Tuesday night, Poole reported that Alabama’s financial outlook remains stable and positive as lawmakers consider post-pandemic economic adjustments. According to Poole the state is transitioning from the […]

Chairmen of the Alabama House and Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committees have introduced legislation to establish the Alabama Veterans Resource Center (AVRC), a comprehensive, one-stop hub designed to provide holistic support for the state’s veterans, military personnel, and their families. Filed by State Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville) and State Sen. Andrew Jones (R-Centre), the […]

After Governor Ivey ushered her support for State Rep. Susan DuBose’s legislation enshrining gender definitions, male and female, into Alabama law last night in her State of the State address, DuBose will be at the White House today supporting Title IX. Today, Trump will sign an executive order banning biological men from competing in women’s […]

On Tuesday night, the board of the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) issued a statement detailing years worth of concern about Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed’s involvement with the organization. They said Reed has attempted to exert his “unilateral” control over an entity that predates his tenure as mayor. The spillover comes while the museum […]

At age 49, State Sen. Garlan Gudger, a second-term senator from Cullman, was officially elected as President Pro Tempore of the Alabama Senate in a unanimous vote of the full chamber on Tuesday. When he stepped up to the mic to address colleagues for the first time as their leader, Gudger expressed tearful appreciation for […]

Lawmakers are considering tangible alternatives to the state tax cut on overtime work as the measure is set to sunset in June. When passed in 2023, the fiscal estimate first brought to lawmakers was roughly $40 million while the actual annualized cost is proving to exceed $230 million.  Alabama Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro) […]

Despite widespread awareness of the dangers of smoking, it remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Alabama and across the United States. Data from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids reveals that 14.2% of adults in Alabama smoke cigarettes — a rate significantly higher than the national average of 11.6 percent, as reported […]

As lawmakers return to Montgomery tomorrow to begin the third year of the quadrennium, Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter says there’s a wide range of problems to solve and opportunities to capitalize on during the course of the 2025 legislative session.  Among those priorities include addressing violent crime in Alabama’s largest cities and upgrading […]

Tomorrow, the Alabama Department of Labor will officially become the Alabama Department of Workforce — and Secretary Greg Reed will serve as its first leader. Governor Kay Ivey announced that on February 1, 2025, the transition first initiated by lawmakers during the 2024 state legislative session will go into effect, current Secretary of Labor Marty […]

Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth announced on Friday that the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) has formed a task force to work “hand-in-glove” with federal agencies in carrying out the Trump administration’s orders related to illegal immigration – including the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Ainsworth said in a video message that he will be […]

Former Alabama Congressman Spencer Bachus III has been appointed as the Interim President and Chair of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the federal agency announced this week. He is a member of EXIM’s Board of Directors, currently serving his second term which is set to expire in 2027. Bachus, a Birmingham native, represented […]

Rob Green, a trusted advisor to many lawmakers and officials across state government, is returning to the private sector with Jeff Rabren’s quiet, yet viciously-effective firm, Red Level Strategies. Rabren announced an expansion of the firm’s practice with the addition of Green as Director of External and Public Affairs. “Red Level is pleased to welcome […]

A veteran advisor to Alabama’s elected officials in both Washington, D.C. and Montgomery, Jordan Howard was recently named to a strategic spot at the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) where he will coordinate partnerships central to the mission of the state’s business future. As Vice President of Strategic Alliances for EDPA, Howard will cultivate […]

The Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBS) have launched dueling advocacy groups over a proposal that would allow ALFA to offer healthcare benefits to their members.  ALFA launched a web and social media presence for Alliance For Affordable Healthcare and BCBS for Protect Alabama’s Quality Coverage.  While no […]

Mayor Randall Woodfin is on a nationwide media tour promoting sales of his new book while Birmingham is facing the highest number of homicides in a century and the lowest number of sworn-in police officers in recent history. State Rep. Jundalynn Givan (D-Birmingham), who is challenging Woodfin in the 2025 Birmingham mayoral race, says he […]

Diversified Energy has agreed to acquire Maverick Natural Resources for $1.275 billion. It marks the Birmingham-based company’s largest deal to date. Before the deal, Diversified Energy’s valuation was roughly $800 million, but after acquiring the natural gas giant and combining forces, the total entity’s value will approach $4 billion. EIG will retain a share of […]

With just a week remaining before the Alabama Legislature is called into regular session in Montgomery, Senate President Pro Tem-designate Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) and his wife, Heather, are busy answering an even higher calling 8,000 miles away. Snow was in the forecast when the couple departed Alabama on January 20, but much different conditions were […]

With the state legislative session gaveling in next week in Montgomery, the Alabama House Republican Caucus unveiled its 2025 “Alabama Values” agenda and principles. Caucus leaders have identified a bold, conservative vision that prioritizes job creation, border security, election integrity, public safety, education, economic growth, military support, and the protection of innocent life. According to […]

U.S. Senator Katie Britt intervened to address manufactured concerns surrounding the removal of educational materials honoring the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen from the U.S. Air Force’s basic training curriculum. Her direct engagement with newly sworn-in Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth resulted in the immediate reversal of the decision. By Sunday afternoon, Sec. Hegseth thanked […]