During the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division’s media tour of Portland Landing, the newest Special Opportunity Area (SOA), a flood of memories rushed over me as we wound through the Alabama River bottomlands and nearby rolling hills last week. As the members of the media got their first look at this prime hunting […]

With elections due in little over a month, I figured it was time to learn more about issues that concern me on a local level. Aside from the distressing shortage of off-leash dog parks in the city, law and order in Birmingham, Jefferson County and Alabama writ large sits squarely at the top of my list. What could […]

For the past 11 years, I have served the citizens of Alabama, representing Baldwin County and the Gulf Coast area in the Alabama State Senate. As a firm believer in the value of term limits and the idea of citizen-legislators, I have decided to not seek re-election and to allow others to step forward and serve. If the […]

Four states have already legalized sports betting in the wake of last May’s Supreme Court decision. While many Alabamians have moral objections to gambling, economics also provides a reason not to bet on sports, namely that betting will prove unprofitable. And this illustrates an important aspect of financial markets in general. To understand the likely […]

The Northern District of Alabama is part of a nationwide offensive against violence in America’s cities. Last year, in response to President Trump’s directive to reduce crime and improve public safety, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the National Public Safety Partnership, an alliance of local and federal law enforcement agencies coordinating with community organizations to […]

Since Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act last year, the American economy is booming, and Alabama families have more money in their pockets. By lowering taxes and simplifying the tax code, we have unlocked our economic potential and made life better for hardworking Americans. The economic numbers speak for themselves: higher wages, lower […]

Less than a year ago, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to simplify our complicated tax code and lower rates for all Americans. Thanks to tax reform and other pro-growth policies, our economy is booming. You don’t just have to take my word for it – here […]

On November 6, Alabamians will vote on four proposed statewide constitutional amendments. Although the first two amendments will likely receive the most attention (API’s analyses can be found on our website), amendments three and four deserve notice as well. They are, in fact, changes to the longest known constitution in the world. We’ll start with […]

In Matthew 22, we are painted a vivid picture of Jesus being cornered by the Pharisees and the Herodians. Maybe you remember He was asked if it is right to pay taxes to Caesar. This was a well-crafted plan on the part of the Pharisees, not only in asking the question but also in bringing […]

For almost a decade, the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) has worked to share the good news about outdoor tourism – the most profitable and attractive industry in a historically economically challenged region of our state. ALBBAA was formed in 2009 to promote outdoor recreation like hunting and fishing, as well as its rich history and many […]

Saturday, September 22 is our nation’s 46th annual National Hunting and Fishing Day. As Co-Chair of the Alabama Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and as a member of the 48-state National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, I am proud to take time to celebrate the time-honored traditions of hunting and angling. I am also pleased to recognize the historical and ongoing […]

Senator Doug Jones and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin have called on the EPA to reconsider placing the 35th Avenue Superfund Site on the National Priorities List (NPL) for a faster and more expensive cleanup. And we heard of a Democratic opponent attacking Congressman Mo Brooks for signing a letter to the EPA supporting an extension of time for […]

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last May that states could legalize sports betting. New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia and Mississippi have joined Nevada in offering legal sports betting, and about twenty other states have taken steps toward legalization. Should Alabama join this crowd? The size of the sports betting market is one argument in the […]

I know this may be hard for you to believe, but there was a major, bipartisan victory in Congress last week that failed to gain any of the attention it deserved. I want to highlight some of the progress we made last week and explain why it should matter to those of us back in […]

Today is Constitution Day. On this day in 1787, our Founding Fathers gathered in Philadelphia to sign the Constitution. They had been meeting together throughout the hot summer to debate what form of government would best protect our hard-won freedoms and give our young nation the best chance to endure. Little did they know, as they signed the […]

Every August, Congress takes a District Work Period so members have extra time to spend across their congressional district. Although I live in Weaver full-time and am home when I am not in Washington for votes, it is always wonderful to have some uninterrupted time in East Alabama. During my time in August, I got […]

According to Pew Research, the only state that is more pro-life than Alabama is Mississippi. Our status as one of the leading states in the pro-life movement is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing in that our state has successfully passed legislation curbing abortion. It is a curse, however, in the sense […]

United and Jet Blue recently increased their checked bag fee to $30. Nobody likes paying for things we didn’t pay for in the past, like checked luggage. A bill in the U.S. Senate would limit airlines’ checked bag and other fees, which topped $7 billion in 2016. But economics suggests that bag fees can make […]

We’re about halfway through the month of September, which means the September 30 expiration date for our current government funding is quickly approaching. I am pleased to report that in the House and Senate, we are unified in our motivation to send final funding packages to the President’s desk before the upcoming fiscal deadline. I am committed […]

On November 6th at midnight my public service in the Alabama state Senate will come to an end. It has been a great honor to represent the citizens of Baldwin County and serve with my colleagues in the State Senate. These individuals do their best to represent their constituents and make the government process work. […]

When you turn on the TV or log onto your computer these days, you are bombarded with negative news stories about the latest s0-called scandal from Washington. I’ve said it before, but I believe it is so true: we need to tune out the noise from the national news media and look at what is […]

I am disappointed to find myself, once again, in a position to ask what purpose the Alabama Ethics Commission serves to the people of this state. To whom are the elected officials or those seeking public office to look to for ethical political leadership? The people of Alabama need an Ethics Commission that will enforce […]

For years, discussion over the public display of the Ten Commandments has animated Alabama’s political landscape. The issue is so energizing, it seems, that many politicians frame their own races through the lens of this battle––that support for their candidacy is a vote for the Ten Commandments. Even so, Alabamians have never actually gotten a […]

The farm bill is a critically important piece of legislation that sets agriculture policy in our country for about five years at a time, meaning every five years or so, it is Congress’ responsibility to craft and then ultimately pass a new – and hopefully improved – version to provide our farmers with the certainty […]