Matt Woods, Author at Yellowhammer News

As Alabama continues to grow and evolve, so too must our approach to addressing critical needs within our community. Today, our education system faces a shortage of prospective teachers, and we need to be creative and innovative in developing solutions.

That is why I have introduced legislation creating the Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate (SB149), a new and exciting opportunity to tackle both issues head-on.

This teaching certificate allows qualified veterans to provide instruction in specific subject areas where a bachelor’s degree is otherwise required.

By recognizing the value and unique skill sets veterans possess, we open the door to more flexible and adaptable ways to enrich our educational system.

This approach has been tried in our neighboring state, Florida, and has been extremely successful.

First, I want to thank Governor Ivey for her strong support of this veteran-friendly legislation. During her State of the State address last week, Governor Ivey included SB149 among her legislative priorities.

She understands that our students, our veterans, and our communities across the state of Alabama will all benefit from this important partnership.

Last week, SB149 passed the Alabama Senate with unanimous bipartisan support. This legislation allows the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) to issue temporary teaching certificates to eligible veterans who would otherwise need at least a bachelor’s degree.

This bill not only strengthens our teacher recruitment efforts but also creates a clear, meaningful pathway for Alabama’s veterans to continue serving by bringing their leadership, discipline, and real-world experience into our classrooms. Our students, our veterans, and our communities across Alabama will all benefit.

Why veterans, you might ask? Veterans epitomize service, resilience, and leadership—the very qualities we need in our classrooms. They have also received specialized, high-quality, and often advanced technical training while serving in the military.

They have faced extraordinary challenges and thrived, often in high-pressure environments. Who better to inspire and lead our children than those who have served our nation with that level of dedication?

Imagine a mathematics course taught by a former Navy electronics specialist or a history class enriched by the firsthand experiences of an Army officer with an extensive knowledge of global affairs.

Their experience and real-world expertise will enhance students’ learning, making lessons more engaging and impactful.

Our schools are at the heart of our communities. By enabling veterans to serve as educators, we foster an environment of respect, understanding, and excellence.

With thoughtful oversight from educational institutions, we can ensure this transition is seamless and well-supported, allowing veterans to take on these new roles with confidence.

Furthermore, this bill aligns with our goal to make Alabama the most military-friendly state in the nation.

By offering veterans a viable and fulfilling career path in education, we not only enrich our schools but also encourage these skilled individuals to plant their roots in our communities. Retaining veterans in Alabama strengthens our local economies and enriches the social fabric of our neighborhoods.

In conclusion, the Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate is not merely a response to current educational staffing challenges.

It is a testament to how we can creatively and respectfully acknowledge the contributions of our veterans, crafting a future where their service continues to inspire and benefit the next generation. It’s time we give back to those who have already given so much by welcoming them into one of the most noble professions—teaching.

Let us seize the opportunity to improve our education system while honoring those who have served our nation.

Representative Matt Woods represents Alabama State House District 13, which covers parts of Walker County. He is also the Republican nominee candidate for State Senate District 5. You can contact him at matt.woods@alhouse.gov.

We all know that dropping out of high school is truly a fork-in-the-road moment. For many, it was the moment that their prospects took a turn for the worse. Dropping out increases the likelihood of poverty, criminality, and lifelong instability.

Dropping out should not be a life-ending decision. Make no mistake: the best route to success will always include a high school diploma. However, that does not stop us from developing alternative routes for young people who made a rash decision or were victims of circumstances outside their control.

Our education system should take a holistic approach because every student’s situation differs. We should develop as many pathways as possible for our young people to achieve the American Dream.

Secondly, as policymakers, we are constantly working with business leaders to address our state’s labor force participation rate by implementing various workforce development initiatives.

By giving these young people options, we can vastly increase their likelihood of becoming productive members of society. As a state, we can’t afford to let young, healthy individuals leave the labor market.

That’s why I sponsored the Restoring Advancement of Completing High School Act (REACH) and am proud to say that it has now been passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law.

Working with the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), we developed a solution that ensures students know they have a second chance. The REACH Act enhances ACCS’s non-traditional high school diploma program for students who leave school without completing their graduation requirements.

The REACH Act requires that students be informed about non-traditional high school diplomas and other adult education programs during their exit interview as part of the dropout process.

It is important to note that the non-traditional diploma meets the same standards as a traditional one and qualifies students for admission to any two-year or four-year public college in Alabama.

Our very own Chancellor Jimmy Baker of the Alabama Community College System put it well:

“Anyone willing to do what’s necessary to better their situation shouldn’t be held back by an unfortunate event or decision made during their teenage years. One of the best parts of Alabama’s community colleges is that we meet our students where they are, and the REACH Act will allow more students to take advantage of the Alabama High School Diploma Option (HSDO) Program offered through the ACCS Adult Education Division,” said Chancellor Baker.

Baker continued, “In 2024, more than 300 students earned their high school diplomas through the HSDO program. These recipients have become more employable in Alabama’s workforce and will earn a higher wage than they would with a GED. This is what making life better for Alabamians is all about.”

With the REACH Act now signed into law, Alabama is taking an important step. We are not giving up on students who left school too soon. We are giving them a reason to come back.

As students, we all remember the emphasis our teachers and administrators placed on finishing high school and getting our diplomas. Today, most people assume that everyone has a high school diploma, but the reality is that some students still drop out. We all know that dropping out of high school is truly a fork-in-the-road moment. For many, it was the moment that their prospects took a turn for the worse. Dropping out increases the likelihood of poverty, criminality, and lifelong instability.

The state of Alabama has two major reasons for ensuring that students who drop out have a pathway to finishing their education and starting a career. First, it is simply the right thing to do. Oftentimes, these students feel hopeless and believe they have no options. Our education system should take a holistic approach because every student’s situation differs. We should develop as many pathways as possible for our young people to achieve the American Dream.

Secondly, as policymakers, we are constantly working with business leaders to address our state’s labor force participation rate by implementing various workforce development initiatives. By giving these young people options, we can vastly increase their likelihood of becoming productive members of society. As a state, we can’t afford to let young, healthy individuals leave the labor market.

That’s why I sponsored the Restoring Advancement of Completing High School Act (REACH) and am proud to say that it has now been passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law. Working with the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), we developed a solution that ensures students know they have a second chance. The REACH Act enhances ACCS’s non-traditional high school diploma program for students who leave school without completing their graduation requirements.

The REACH Act lowers the age of eligibility for the program from 19 to 18 and requires the State Department of Education to share information about students who have dropped out with ACCS so that these students do not slip through the cracks. The REACH Act requires that students be informed about non-traditional high school diplomas and other adult education programs during their exit interview as part of the dropout process.

It is important to note that the non-traditional diploma meets the same standards as a traditional one and qualifies students for admission to any two-year or four-year public college in Alabama.

Our very own Chancellor Jimmy Baker of the Alabama Community College System put it well: “Anyone willing to do what’s necessary to better their situation shouldn’t be held back by an unfortunate event or decision made during their teenage years. One of the best parts of Alabama’s community colleges is that we meet our students where they are, and the REACH Act will allow more students to take advantage of the Alabama High School Diploma Option (HSDO) Program offered through the ACCS Adult Education Division,” said Chancellor Baker.

Passing the REACH Act is not just about changing policy. It is about giving people a real second chance. Dropping out does not have to mean the end for young people. Providing them with alternative pathways to become productive members of society is in their best interests and ours. With the REACH Act now signed into law, Alabama is taking an important step. We are not giving up on students who left school too soon. We are giving them a reason to come back.

Growing up in a small town is a way of life for many Alabamians. I had the privilege of being raised in a rural community. I attended a small high school, I knew all the students in the grades above and below me. Going to a small school allowed me to participate in almost every sport.

Our smaller numbers also created opportunities for my classmates and I to be involved in clubs and service organizations, after all, if we didn’t who would? Surprisingly, even with all my experiences, the one thing that concerned me most when I graduated from Oakman High School was, “How would I fit in at a larger university?”

I had always known my teachers, my administrators, the bus drivers, and the cafeteria workers.

To say that I had familiar surroundings was an understatement. The idea of entering a lecture hall with more students than my entire high school was a bit daunting. At Oakman High School I was the class president my senior year, captain of the football team, voted most likely to succeed, and yet I doubted myself because I thought only kids who attended larger schools could succeed at large colleges.

By the end of my senior year in high school, I realized my dreams of playing college sports were not likely, so I started pursuing other scholarship opportunities. I learned that Bevill State Community College was hosting college ambassador interviews, and I decided to give it a shot.

I was fortunate to be offered an ambassador scholarship at both the Sumiton and Jasper Campuses. I attended my freshman year on the Sumiton Campus. It was a wonderful experience. I was at ease with the class sizes, my instructors knew my name and through the ambassador program I became immersed in the college experience.

My sophomore year I transferred to the Jasper campus where I also served as an ambassador and eventually became S.G.A. President. I cannot say enough good things about my time at Bevill State and how it prepared me to transfer to Auburn, where I received a business management degree.

My time at Bevill State continues to have an impact on my life even today. In 2018, I was appointed by Governor Ivey to serve as a board of trustee member with the Alabama Community College System.

A small-town boy who once doubted whether he could succeed at a bigger college was now serving on a board that makes policy decisions for the 168,000 students, and over 9,000 employees within the Alabama Community College System. Serving on The Board was a wonderful experience. I was able to see firsthand how the community college system was continuing to transform lives, like it did for me.

Hearing success stories of people just like me who were first generation college students was very gratifying. I got to be part of significant systemic changes that created opportunities for people from every walk of life to have access to a quality education while creating new workforce training opportunities to meet the needs of industry.

Since serving on the ACCS Board of Trustees I have been honored to give back to my community and state in other ways. For the last three years I have been a member of the Alabama House of Representatives where I get to work on a myriad of issues that impact our state. I have the honor this legislative session of carrying a bill called the REACH ACT, Restoring Educational Attainment of Completing Highschool.

This bill will help students who drop out of high school by removing barriers that exist for them to enroll in adult education programs through the ACCS. I am so thankful I get to continue to be a part of the good work being done through the community college system in my current role.

I never dreamed that my experience with Bevill State Community College would open so many doors for me to serve my community, but I am grateful for every single one. I want others to know that it doesn’t matter where you are from or where you start in life. If you are willing to work hard, the Alabama Community College System can take you as far as you want to go.

During my time of service with the ACCS Board of Trustees the system adopted the slogan: You don’t have to go far, to go far in life, now, it’s Make Life Better. I am living proof of these statements.

State Rep. Matt Woods represents District 13 in the Alabama House, he’s a 2002 graduate of Bevill State Community College, where he served as president of the Student Government Association, and a candidate for Alabama Senate District 5.

Over the past few decades, so much about daily life in our nation has changed, especially for teenagers and children. Young people are dealing with so many new challenges and fears that are affecting their mental health. Unfortunately, being a victim of a school shooting has become a real fear for many of our students.

Many parents are terrified that one day, their child could be a victim of one of these tragic events. They dread receiving a text, a call, or a news alert that there is an active shooter or bombing at their child’s school.

Thankfully, Alabama has not had a mass casualty event at one of our schools, but we have seen an increasing number of school lockdowns because of threats against our students. When someone calls in a bomb threat or claims they are going to shoot up a school, it causes chaos in our communities.

The stress, mental health consequences, and learning loss from false alarms are real. Parents and teachers are terrified that their worst fears have come true. Classroom instruction time is lost. First responders and law enforcement are forced to waste time and money because they must take every threat seriously. A terroristic threat against a school hurts the entire community.

As a parent and legislator, I knew it was time to act after witnessing the negative impact these violent threats had on our students and our community in Walker County. The state of Alabama must send a clear message that threatening our schools is not a funny prank, and the consequences must serve as a deterrent.

This is why I introduced House Bill 85 (HB 85), which increases penalties for bomb and shooting threats, including threats against schools. Currently, a first-degree terrorist threat is a Class C felony, and a second-degree terrorist threat is a Class A misdemeanor. HB 85 would make a first-degree charge a Class B felony and a second-degree charge a Class D felony. If we want to deter this behavior, we must punish perpetrators accordingly.

You might ask: what if the perpetrator is a student? If a student is charged with making a terrorist threat, HB 85 requires that they be immediately suspended and banned from school property for a minimum of a year or until the charges have been dismissed.

HB 85 requires that before a student can be readmitted to the school, all criminal charges must be disposed of, the student must complete a psychological evaluation and counseling, and the student must satisfy all other requirements imposed by the local board of education.

If the student is convicted of making a terrorist threat, they will be expelled from school, and their legal guardian will be required to pay for the cost of the responses by law enforcement, emergency medical service providers, and the local board of education.

Accountability is a lesson that young people must learn, and parents are ultimately responsible for monitoring their child’s behavior.

Our students deserve to learn in a safe environment, and they should not live in fear of being a victim of violence at their schools. False alarms have real consequences for our students, parents, and communities. I firmly believe that HB 85 will send a clear message that we have zero tolerance for this behavior in Alabama.

Representative Matt Woods represents Alabama State House District 13, which covers parts of Walker County. He is also a candidate for State Senate District 5. You can contact him at matt.woods@alhouse.gov.

Change often leads to reflection. I am blessed. I am grateful for my wife and daughter, my extended family, my church family, and our employees at Jasper Auto Sales. In their own ways, each of them has shaped my life and helped make me who I am today. It’s not every day though, that an unexpected person enters your life and forever alters your path. But that is exactly what Senator Greg Reed did for me.

When he called me in 2017, he asked me to consider giving back by joining the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees, which I agreed to pursue. Little did I know that this would eventually lead me to enter public service. In 2022, I left the Community College Board after being elected to represent Walker County in the Alabama House of Representatives. Over the last two years, my relationship with Senator Reed, and my appreciation for his leadership, have grown. We have worked together on legislation, budget items, and state grants to help the communities we both represent. We have worked to solve problems for constituents and through it all, he has been a steady hand and statesman.

This week, Senator Reed announced that he would soon step away from his role in the Alabama Senate. As surprised as I was, I am happy for my friend who also happens to be my senator. Throughout his 14-year career in the Alabama Senate, Senator Reed has been a highly effective voice for District 5 and was selected by his peers to leadership roles as the Majority Leader and later as the Pro-Tempore of the Senate, where he leads the full Senate. He is also the highest-ranking state senator in Walker County’s history and that has been a great thing for our region. When I reflect on what it means to be a public servant, a leader, and a Godly influence, Senator Reed checks all the boxes. As I’ve looked back this week on my time serving with him, I am reminded of some significant accomplishments that I have had the privilege of working on with him.

We have been blessed to secure record funding for several major projects in our area over the last few years. Together, we secured over $44 million for Bevill State Community College to address facilities needs and upgrades at every campus and over $6 million to renovate the Glen Clem Gymnasium, which should be ready this January on the Jasper Campus. We have been able to return and expand a plethora of career tech training opportunities at the Sumiton campus as well. We have a shared vision to see Walker County fully connected by broadband internet. While there is still work to do, we have already obtained over $10 million in broadband expansion grants which will bring new service to over 2,500 homes and businesses once fully implemented. Last Winter, when record low temperature affected the water supply in South Walker County, hundreds of families were without water for weeks. This was a major problem for people across Northern Fayette County as well. Senator Reed and I worked with local water board authorities to find grants totaling $6.7 million to improve the water delivery capabilities in Oakman and Parrish to avoid similar situations in the future.

Senator Reed has been a strong advocate for job-growth and economic incentives to bring new jobs to Alabama. We have been a beneficiary of those efforts in Walker County. I was glad to join him in supporting the SEEDS Act which allowed the Walker County Commission to purchase 200 acres of future industrial property south of exit 78 on I-22. We also renewed the Growing Alabama Tax Credit program which secured an additional $4.7 million in funds to get this site ready to build. Realizing a vision for the future is often a long process, but these are the types of projects that allow an area to thrive and position us for future growth.

Strong schools have also been a priority for Senator Reed. His knowledge of the public education system is vast, and it has been a privilege to work with him on grants that have provided funding for school safety, athletics, and career pathways across the county. In 2023, Alabama was fortunate, thanks to conservative budgeting, to institute a program to support public schools with building needs. I am proud to say that Walker County saw $4.9 million in funding to help build a new Cordova Elementary School and to help Jasper City with renovations of their growing Jr. High School. One of my favorite educations bills that I have carried is one that I worked on directly with Senator Reed. The “Parents Right to Know Act,” was passed this year and requires every school in the state to publish class curriculum and materials for review on a school website. This law ensures that parents and guardians have a way to know what their children are being taught and gives parents more opportunities to engage in with their child. We want our children to have the best possible education and the best opportunities for success. The Parent’s Right to Know law helps parents and teachers be in lockstep with their student’s education.

I could list many more grants, infrastructure projects, and local programs that would not have happened without Senator Reed. We all know that he is an accomplished statesman, businessman, and leader. But what I really want people to know is that he is the same person in Montgomery that he is at home: always polite, always professional, the kind of person you’re proud to call a friend. Of all the titles that he has achieved, I can say with confidence that the titles of husband and father are what he is most proud of. He loves his family, and I am thankful that they have shared Senator Reed with us these past 14 years.

Greg, thank you for your friendship and our working relationship. Each of us in Walker County and Senate District 5 are better off because of your service and because you have been our senator. I hope the Lord blesses you and Misty in whatever comes next.

Representative Matt Woods represents Alabama State House District 13, which covers parts of Walker County. You can contact him at matt.woods@alhouse.gov.

Technology can be a wonderful thing. It can make our lives easier; it can help us solve complex problems; it can even save lives. But we must remember that while technology can be used to solve many of our old problems, it always seems to create a new set of problems that must be addressed.

A prime example of this is the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) which has been a major technological breakthrough has also resulted in the proliferation of morphed or artificially-generated child pornography.

Recently, I was contacted by a friend who told me about her daughter’s tragic experience with digitally-morphed pornography created from an actual innocent image. This young girl’s face was imposed onto the body of someone engaged in extremely explicit sexual activities. This is known as “deepfake” pornography.

In her case, the alleged perpetrator–a 14-year-old classmate–used an easily accessible website that generates pornographic images at no cost.

Imagine the horror of being a high school student and having your face imposed on a nude image or worse yet your likeness used to make a pornographic movie that is shared with your classmates. Imagine facing the perpetrator each day in class while bearing the shame of something you didn’t do.

This innocent young girl had her image altered in a lewd and heinous way for all the world to see. Today our young people are under more mental health stress than ever before now they must deal with the threat of deep fake pornography too. I cannot idly sit by and watch our children be robbed of their innocence.

Under current Alabama law, children under the age of 17 are protected against child pornography. I am proposing legislation that will raise that age limit to anyone under the age of 18.

My legislation will also provide victims of child pornography with a civil remedy. Violators will be liable for actual damages, legal fees, and punitive damages up to $10,000 per image for all forms of child pornography involving actual children.

After discussions with Attorney General Steve Marshall’s Office, it has also come to my attention that our state laws lag behind when it comes to fully simulated child pornography. Although purely artificial child pornography may not involve actual child victims, it has no societal value—instead, feeding the evil of pedophilia and child abuse.

Though the U.S. Supreme Court struggled with this issue two decades ago, working with our Attorney General, I am prepared to prohibit this practice in Alabama in a manner that will withstand constitutional scrutiny.

Our prosecutors need not be hamstrung in their pursuit of child pornographers by having to first discern whether highly sophisticated electronic images involve real victims.

I want Alabama to have the strongest laws in the country when it comes to protecting our children from predators who want to exploit them. That’s why I’m filing the Alabama Child Protection Act ahead of the upcoming 2024 legislative session.

This a national problem, and one that Alabama should lead the way in addressing. We must send a crystal-clear message that child sexual abuse material, in all its forms, will not be tolerated in Alabama.

As technology evolves, our laws should too. Our children deserve the best protections possible, and this legislation will enhance our ability to hold those who want to exploit our children accountable.

The Alabama Child Protection Act can truly make a difference in our fight against child exploitation.

Matt Woods is a father and small business owner from Jasper, AL. A Republican, Woods represents District 13 in the Alabama House of Representatives.