U.S. Senator and 2026 frontrunner to become the next Governor of Alabama, Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), voiced his support Wednesday for the multi-bill utility reform package moving through the Alabama Legislature. In a weekly call with in-state reporters, Tuberville urged lawmakers to pass the legislative package, saying the current Public Service Commission members who fail to […]

The Alabama House and Senate Education Trust Fund budget committee chairmen addressed the Business Council of Alabama’s Tuesday morning briefing, and discussed budget priorities, their working relationship, and the future of education in Alabama. State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) and State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) agreed that managing expectations will be a key challenge this […]

On Tuesday, the Alabama House passed HB220, legislation that would give the Governor, Speaker of the House, and Senate President Pro Tem the authority to remove and replace members they appoint to state boards and commissions. The bill, sponsored by House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) and Speaker Pro Tem Chris Pringle (R-Mobile), establishes that all […]

Defend American Jobs, the Republican-aligned affiliate of crypto super PAC Fairshake, is spending $5 million to support U.S. Rep. Barry Moore’s (R-Enterprise) campaign for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat, the group announced Tuesday. The five-week advertising buy will feature a new spot highlighting President Trump’s endorsement of Moore, running on broadcast television, Fox News, and […]

A new study from the Center for Effective Lawmaking ranks State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) as the most effective Alabama Senate Republican and the only senator to exceed expectations for four consecutive legislative sessions. The Center for Effective Lawmaking, a joint research enterprise of Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia measures legislative effectiveness using […]

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals ruled Friday in favor of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, dismissing a lawsuit that had sought to block the agency’s licensing process. The case was brought by Jemmstone Alabama LLC and other companies that were denied licenses, including Bragg Canna of Alabama, Insa Alabama and Alabama Always. The applicants […]

State Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur), announced Monday her endorsement of Patrick Johnson to succeed her in the Decatur-area Alabama House District 8. After announcing her retirement from the House last year, Collins, who has represented the district since the 2010 Republican wave has quite the record to follow. She was involved in major legislative achievements […]

A group of Alabama legislators composed of leaders from both parties introduced a three-bill “Affordability Protection Plan” on Thursday aimed at addressing utility costs and oversight for the next wave of the state’s economic growth. In a news release issued Thursday by the office of Alabama Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro), lawmakers who will […]

The Alabama Senate unanimously passed HB161 on Wednesday, sending the App Store Accountability Act to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk after it also passed the House unanimously. The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Chris Sells (R-Greenville), requires parental consent before minors can download apps, requires app stores to verify users’ ages, and requires apps to carry […]

The Alabama Senate passed HB41 in a 33-1 vote on Thursday, sending the Child Predator Death Penalty Act to Governor Kay Ivey, who has pledged to sign it into law. The bill passed the House earlier this session. The legislation permits prosecutors to seek capital punishment in cases of first-degree rape or sodomy involving victims […]

The Alabama Rural Health Transformation Advisory Group held its first meeting Wednesday following the state’s $203.4 million award from the Trump Administration for year-one funding of the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Program (ARHTP). Governor Kay Ivey established the advisory group by executive order to advance policy development and implementation of the program. “The Trump Administration […]

This week, State Sen. Merika Coleman (D-Birmingham) filed SB257, a constitutional amendment that would establish a statewide lottery and legalize in-person casino-style games and in-person and online sports wagering. Under the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, the Legislature has no power to authorize lotteries or gift enterprises for any purposes, this bill would propose an […]

Last week, State Rep. Greg Barnes (R-Jasper) introduced HB363 to make disrupting a worship service a felony under Alabama law, on the heels of the recent disruption of a worship service by anti-ICE protesters in Minnesota, where they targeted the pastor for his service as a local ICE field office director. And now, he has […]

A 2024 report from Americans for Public Trust found that a Swiss billionaire funneled close to $100 million through a dark money organization to influence state ballot campaigns across the country, including measures on abortion, election law, redistricting, and minimum wage. On Tuesday, the Alabama House moved to ensure that kind of influence doesn’t reach […]

The Alabama House passed HB111 on Wednesday, creating the crime of human cloning and making violations a Class C felony. The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Phillip Rigsby (R-Huntsville), prohibits performing or attempting human cloning, participating in cloning attempts, and shipping or receiving embryos or cells for cloning purposes. The legislation does not restrict in […]

The Alabama Legislature gave final passage Tuesday to HB181, legislation banning the dumping of dredged sediment in Mobile Bay. The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) and State Rep. Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise), prohibits the practice known as “mud dumping,” in which sediment from shipping channel dredging is sprayed into the bay. Environmentalists say […]

A Russell County grand jury has indicted three individuals on a combined 33 counts related to absentee election crimes, including 13 felony counts and 20 misdemeanor counts. The indictments follow the arrests of the three individuals in August on charges of absentee ballot harvesting. “The actions of this grand jury reflect Alabama values and send […]

State Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne) was taken to the hospital Tuesday after falling ill. State Rep. Joe Lovvorn (R-Auburn) announced Simpson’s hospitalization on the House floor during a point of personal privilege and led the chamber in prayer. Simpson’s wife updated the public on her Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, saying “doctors think it’s likely his […]

The Alabama Rural Roadmap Initiative was created during the 2025 legislative session to develop a coordinated plan for revitalizing the state’s rural communities. Operating under the Alabama Growth Alliance, a public-private partnership established by the Legislature. At Yellowhammer News’ annual Legislative Preview event last week, Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) outlined what rural […]

When state officials talk about jobs and keeping Alabama economically competitive, the word “workforce” is no longer just a slogan. Alabama’s top leaders detailed those efforts last Tuesday evening at Yellowhammer News’ annual Legislative Preview event, featuring remarks from Workforce Secretary Greg Reed and a Q&A with House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) and Senate President […]

The Alabama House passed HB152 on Thursday, repealing the 1965 legislative mandate requiring the University of Alabama to maintain a standalone School of Social Work. The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville), passed 76-14 and now heads to the Senate. Under current law, UA is the only institution in Alabama required by statute […]

When Alabama established the Alabama Supercomputer Authority in 1989 during Governor Guy Hunt’s administration, it was a bold move. Few states invested in public computing infrastructure at that scale. That early decision paid off, supporting research, education, and economic development for decades. Today, Alabama has a similar opportunity with artificial intelligence.  In February 2024, Governor […]