MONTGOMERY — Governor Kay E. Ivey on Thursday signed into law HB 219. The legislation, sponsored by Senate Pro Tem Greg Reed (R-Jasper) and Rep. Kyle South (R-Fayette), extends for a 10-year period the coal severance tax, which provides vital resources to local communities in Alabama mining communities. Indeed, the bill will generate at least […]

Count U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) as an opponent of President Joe Biden’s partisan infrastructure and tax proposal, which carries a price tag of more than $2 trillion. In a statement released on Thursday, Tuberville warned that the Biden proposal is really a Trojan horse for far-left pet projects. “Our country could use targeted investment […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would effectively end the distinction between so-called “non-essential” and “essential” businesses when it comes to states of emergency imposed by the State of Alabama. HB 103 is sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel (R-Russellville) and was carried in the Senate by Sen. Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman). If […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate on Thursday passed SB 308 as substituted, which would establish the Alabama Uniform Concealed Carry Permit Act. The legislation would standardize the process statewide for the issuance of concealed carry permits. Right now, this process — including fees and forms involved — varies county-by-county. SB 308 would notably create a lifetime concealed […]

Brookwood’s Warrior Met Coal on Wednesday released a written statement about ongoing contract negotiations with the company’s employees, who are unionized members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). The current union contract is set to expire on Thursday, and Warrior Met Coal advised that it has “been working in good faith to reach an […]

C Spire recently connected its first customers in Trussville to its ultra-fast, fiber-based Gigabit broadband internet service, continuing the telecommunications and technology company’s expansion in Alabama. Trussville becomes the second Yellowhammer State city – following Jasper in late 2020 – to receive the game-changing services as part of C Spire’s FiberFast initiative. The announcement was […]

Congressman Jerry Carl (AL-01) on Wednesday hosted Secretary of the U.S. Navy Thomas Harker on a tour of the state-of-the-art Austal USA manufacturing facility in Mobile. This comes after Austal last week broke ground on its new steel manufacturing line. “Today, I had the opportunity to host Secretary Harker on a tour of Austal USA’s […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature on Wednesday held a committee-only day. Because this is a two-day legislative week, a legislative day was not burned. However, the committee schedule for both chambers was packed.

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development on Wednesday gave a favorable report as amended to HB 167, which is sponsored by Rep. Chris Blackshear (R-Phenix City) and would prohibit an individual from voting multiple times in a single election. Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield (R-Guntersville) is carrying the bill […]

Anniston businessman Keith Kelley on Wednesday announced his Republican candidacy for the Alabama State Senate. Kelley will run in 2022 for the District 12 seat to be vacated by longterm officeholder Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston), who has announced he will not seek reelection. The president of Harris-McKay Realty for more than 26 years, Kelley started […]

The 2021 “Don’t Drop It On Alabama” spring cleanup will be held statewide throughout the month of April, it was announced this week. The cleanup is held annually and coordinated by Alabama PALS (People Against a Littered State), which also coordinates and implements the Alabama Coastal Cleanup (through a partnership with the Alabama Department of […]

Twenty airports in Alabama will benefit from more than $11.2 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) made the announcement in a press release. The grants are administered through the fiscal year 2021 Airport Improvement Program, which was funded in the annual appropriations package that was signed into law in […]

Leigh Hulsey and Kenneth Paschal are heading to a runoff following Tuesday’s special Republican primary in Alabama House District 73. Unofficial results showed Hulsey leading the five-person primary field with 30.77%, while Paschal garnered 27.10%. The safely Republican seat was vacated by former Rep. Matt Fridy’s (R-Montevallo) election to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate Committee on Education Policy on Wednesday morning voted 9-0 to approve a bill that would prohibit biological males from competing in public school female sports, and vice versa. HB 391, sponsored by Rep. Scott Stadthagen (R-Hartselle), would limit student athletes to competitions that align with the gender listed on their […]

Former State Rep. April Weaver (R-Brierfield) on Tuesday routed the competition to win the special Republican primary in Alabama Senate District 14. The district comprises portions of Bibb, Chilton and Shelby Counties, including areas hit especially hard by severe weather last week. The SD 14 seat became vacant when former State Sen. Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) was […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature on Tuesday convened for the 17th day of its 2021 regular session. This was the first day after the legislature’s one-week spring break. The House gaveled in at 1:00 p.m., while the Senate got in at 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday is National Doctors’ Day, an annual commemoration set aside to honor the physicians who care for Americans every day of the year. Doctors’ Day was first established on March 30 in 1934. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush proclaimed National Doctors’ Day as a time for the nation to celebrate the dedication and leadership of […]

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI) is set to assist the State of Alabama with COVID-19 vaccine distribution to rural communities around Escambia County. The tribe on Wednesday and Thursday of this week will host a drive-through vaccine clinic on the PCI reservation; eligible Alabamians will be able to receive a first dose of […]

In the latest twist to the Gulf Coast Passenger Rail saga, Alabama’s senior senator has stated unequivocally that an impact study should be completed before the project moves forward. As Yellowhammer News has reported since 2019, the proposal would have two Amtrak passenger trains daily utilize CSX’s existing mainline from the west into downtown Mobile […]

Attorney General Steve Marshall has taken another strong stand in favor of religious liberty. Alabama’s chief law enforcement officer on Monday filed a motion to intervene as a defendant in a lawsuit brought by the State of New York against the U.S. Department of Labor challenging the department’s rule clarifying the scope and application of […]

Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth (R-AL) is speaking out after reports surfaced Monday that President Joe Biden’s administration is working on a national COVID-19 vaccine-passport program. Through the potential program, proof of vaccination could be required for international travel or for entry into sports arenas, music venues, restaurants and more. CNN reported that vaccine passports could also […]

The Energy Institute of Alabama on Monday announced the release of a series of eight independent studies that advise that coal ash storage sites across Alabama can be safely and effectively closed in place in full accordance with federal and state regulations. The studies were conducted by Tuscaloosa-based P.E. LaMoreaux & Associates, Inc. (PELA GeoEnvironmental) […]

MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature on Tuesday will convene for the 17th day of its 2021 regular session. This will be the first day back after the legislature’s annual spring break, which lasted one week this year. During that brief hiatus, Senate Pro Tem Greg Reed (R-Jasper) reiterated just how busy this session has been […]

Yellowhammer News on Monday spoke with Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06) about a number of pressing federal issues affecting the state of Alabama and the nation. The phone interview was conducted in between Palmer visiting locations in Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District that were hit hard by severe weather last week. To open the conversation, the Central […]