With the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg last week, there has been a renewed focus on U.S. Senate races across the country down-ballot from the presidential contest. The Supreme Court fight has not been lost by Republican U.S. Senate nominee Tommy Tuberville, who will face incumbent U.S. […]

On Monday, the Tuberville campaign announced a new 30-second TV ad that highlighted his father’s World War II military service and calls for individuals who burn the American flag to be put in “prison.” According to a release from the campaign, the ad will be airing on broadcast and cable stations throughout Alabama as well […]

Earlier this year, State Rep. Tommy Hanes (R-Bryant) unveiled a bill that would ban Confucius Institutes from operating on publicly-funded college campuses in Alabama. While it remains to be seen if his effort will gain traction in the Alabama Legislature, he has an ally in U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville), who during an interview on […]

In 2017, the Alabama Legislature passed the Monument Preservation Act, which at the time was considered to be a valuable political tool for Republicans. In 2018, Gov. Kay Ivey touted the legislation in a campaign ad for her election. Two years later, as the removal of Confederate monuments has become a requirement of Black Lives […]

Earlier this year, State Rep. Tommy Hanes (R-Bryant) unveiled his effort to bar Confucius Institutes from operating on publicly funded college campuses in Alabama. However, according to Hanes, the reach of these Chinese government-funded “institutes” goes beyond institutions of higher learning and has made its way into the K-12 classrooms of public schools. Their purpose, […]

For the better part of the last half-century, the State of Alabama has been grappling with the systemic problems within its prison system, struggling to pass muster with the federal government on numerous occasions. The latest chapter in this saga is currently unfolding as Gov. Kay Ivey unveiled her plan for new prison construction, which […]

For the last few years, State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) has been a vocal proponent of the state of Alabama no longer being in the business of retail alcohol sales. Orr, chairman of the Alabama Senate’s General Fund Budget committee, argued the reasoning behind the state extricating itself from the retail alcohol business goes beyond […]

Last week, Gov. Kay Ivey’s prison proposal made a splash with many behind the scenes breathing a sigh of relief that she will take a so-called go-it-alone approach to tackle part of the issue. The proposal also has its critics, however, given the Alabama Legislature had seemingly been circumvented in the governor’s decision-making process. However, […]

During this week’s broadcast of Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) reacted to Gov. Kay Ivey’s proposal to build three new prison facilities through a public-private partnership that would have the state of Alabama leasing those facilities. Daniels told “Capitol Journal” host Don Dailey there was a lack of discussion […]

Even though the chances seem to be slim that Gov. Kay Ivey will call the Alabama legislature into a special session before the 2021 regular session is slated to convene, the chorus for a special session is growing. Add State Sen. Clay Scofield (R-Guntersville) to the list of those that would like to see Ivey […]

On Thursday, the Ivey administration unveiled its plan to lease three new prisons, which would be privately constructed and owned. The facilities, which would be built in Escambia, Elmore and Bibb Counties, would have the Alabama Department of Corrections as a tenant and would not require the approval of the Alabama legislature. During an appearance […]

Although many are bearish on the prospects of Gov. Kay Ivey calling a special session before next year’s regular session of the Alabama legislature, State Rep. Steve Clouse (R-Ozark), the chairman of the House Ways and Means General Fund Budget Committee, argues there is a need. During an interview with Mobile radio’s FM Talk 106.5 […]

Earlier this year, Gov. Kay Ivey named her 12-member gambling study group that was tasked with “gathering detailed information to allow the governor, the Legislature, and the citizens of our state to make an informed decision on gaming expansion.” At the time, Ivey had previewed the group in her State of the State address as the […]

Time is running short as the U.S. Census Bureau is set to announce reapportionment numbers based on the 2020 Census outcome, which will reveal whether or not Alabama will keep or lose one of its congressional seats. Last week, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) was deposed in the federal suit State of Alabama & Mo […]

Earlier this year, State Rep. April Weaver (R-Brierfield) resigned her spot in the legislature to take a job in the Trump administration. That meant a special election for constituents in House District 49, which includes parts of Shelby, Chilton and Bibb Counties, and is a solidly Republican district that consists of a mix of suburban […]

It is a presidential campaign issue that no one would have seen coming a year ago, but House Democrats under the leadership of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are demanding additional funding for the U.S. Postal Service. Their reason: The USPS is not equipped to handle the potential onslaught of vote-by-mail ballots coming this […]

While the likelihood of a special session before the legislature is scheduled to reconvene in February 2021 remains extremely low, chatter continues in and around state government about the possibility. Several items went unresolved from the 2020 regular session, including Alabama’s prison crisis and issues related to the pandemic, including state taxation on federal relief […]

While the $3 trillion in federal government funding put into the American economy in the name of coronavirus relief under the CARES Act have been a lifeline for many, in Alabama some of those benefits are considered taxable income. State Sen. Dan Roberts (R-Mountain Brook) argues an act of the legislature will be required to […]

While many national polls show a presidential election contest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden tightening, most polls still have Biden ahead. That’s given many political watchers license to anticipate Biden will win on November 3. However, U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) does not see it as a foregone conclusion that the presidential election is […]

Last week, State Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa), now the chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party, said he “absolutely” saw U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) and former Vice President Joe Biden winning in Alabama on November 3. Most see that outcome as a longshot but will acknowledge the Alabama Democratic Party is in better hands […]

During this week’s broadcast of Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” State Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa), who also serves as the chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party, was optimistic about his party’s chances in Alabama in November. England said that both Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and incumbent U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) could win […]

One of the problems all of Alabama’s 67 counties have encountered with the COVID-19 outbreak is the housing of inmates at county jails that under normal circumstances would be in an Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) facility. However, the pandemic has prevented the routine transfer of inmates to state facilities, leaving county governments with the […]

Once a year, and especially in presidential election cycle years, politicians flock to Selma to mark the anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. However, Selma faces struggles, including high crime and high unemployment. Thursday, Fox News Channel’s Tucker Carlson pointed to Selma as a place where Democratic leadership has failed […]

One of the hot-button issues thus far in the presidential election cycle has been the U.S. Postal Service and how it might be used to implement a so-called vote-by-mail system. However, Dr. Alec Yasinsac, dean of the University of South Alabama’s School of Computing, who has studied vote-by-mail voting systems, argues you cannot guarantee the […]