Politics — Page 184

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) blasted the Biden administration for discontinuing the policies of former President Trump at the southern border. Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on President Biden’s 2024 budget request, and received harsh criticism from Republicans on the committee. Strong said the Biden administration […]

Ivey signs patient visitation rights into law

Those who had a loved one in the hospital in recent years know how heartbreaking it can be to not be guaranteed access by their side – especially in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. A law went into effect Tuesday that will allow more visitation freedom in Alabama healthcare facilities. Patients will be able […]

Poll: Britt most popular freshman GOP senator

The “mama on a mission” has apparently taken Washington by storm. According to a poll by Morning Consult, Sen. Katie Britt is the most popular GOP senator among the freshman class, with the widest margin between her approvals and disapprovals (plus-27% net). More powerfully, Britt (R-Montgomery) maintains the lowest disapproval rating of any member of […]

Tuberville: VA abortion policy 'illegal'

Sen. Tommy Tuberville said Wednesday the Biden administration’s use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions has nothing to do with the Dobbs decision or Roe v. Wade. The administration is using Dobbs as an excuse to allow Veterans Affairs-provided abortions, he said. Tuberville (R-Auburn), who was joined at the news conference by Sens. Joe Manchin […]

Tuberville sponsors 'Protect Farmers' legislation

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, is cosponsoring a bill that will exempt family farmers from Securities and Exchange Commission requirements forcing farmers to report all operational Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Tuberville was joined by Sens. John Boozman of Arkansas and Mike Braun of Indiana. The […]

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) continues to highlight the national security threat from North Korea and China. Rogers, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, spoke about the issue during a hearing on U.S. military posture and national security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Chairman @RepMikeRogersAL delivered the following opening remarks at a hearing on […]

Ivey: Dadeville 'will persevere'

Gov. Kay Ivey is mourning the loss of those who were killed Saturday night in a shooting at a birthday celebration in Dadeville. Authorities continue to investigate the shooting where four people were killed and 32 others injured, but have not yet identified any suspects. Ivey spoke about the incident Monday during a speech to […]

The Alabama House of Representatives advanced a bill that would send high school graduates into the real world with a deeper understanding of financial literacy and personal money management. If passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, the law would implement the standards in ninth-grade classrooms during the 2024-2025 school year. The bill, […]

Rep. Jerry Carl: House Republicans’ first 100 days

Tuesday marks 100 days of the new House Republican Majority. I’ve written before about how we have hit the ground running, fulfilling our Commitment to America – this includes building an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a future that’s built on freedom, and a government that’s accountable to the American people. I’m proud […]

Forestry Association endorses McCool

The Alabama Forestry Association has endorsed Appellate Court Judge Chris McCool for the Alabama Supreme Court. “Growing up in rural Alabama, Judge McCool appreciates private land ownership and he is quite familiar with the role our industry serves providing economic opportunity in these areas. We need more leaders in our state like Judge McCool and […]

State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville), who chairs the House Ways and Means Education Committee, said any school choice legislation in Alabama needs to be properly vetted before it can pass. Last week, the Parental Rights in Children’s Education (PRICE) Act, which would allow parents to get $6,000 in state tax dollars to put into an […]

Sen. Arthur Orr

State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, is still unsure if his proposal to cut the grocery tax has a chance of passing the legislature this session. Orr’s bill would phase out the grocery tax on items covered by the Women Infants and Children (WIC) federal program. The plan includes a […]

All bets are off: 14 bingo halls raided

State law enforcement, the FBI and DEA deployed across Jefferson County this week in a coordinated raid on 14 bingo halls — and it’s likely not going to be the last. “Allowing illegal activity to operate freely in broad daylight is offensive to the rule of law and we aren’t going to tolerate it,” Attorney […]

There was intense debate in the Alabama Legislature this week over the “divisive concepts” bill. The proposed law would ban the teaching of “divisive topics” related to race, sex or religion, including the idea that people from any one group should be asked to feel guilty because of their race or gender. The sponsor of […]

Economic 'Game Plan' moves closer to goal line

The renewal and expansion of Alabama’s economic incentives toolkit, known as the “Game Plan” moved closer to the goal line today.  The Senate approved two of the four bills included in the package while the House cleared all four. Each bill across both chambers received unanimous approval.  Scheduled to expire in July, the initial Alabama […]

“As college students that are fresh out in the world, we have experienced the struggle of understanding how the financial system works.” Those were the words of Hunter Weathers, vice chair of the College Republican Federation of Alabama. According to Weathers, the group has for two years been pushing for legislation that could help to […]

Bill would help ID, target gang members

A bill passed by the Alabama House Judiciary Committee today would define what it legally means to be gang-affiliated. The bill increases sentences for gang-related crime, requires juveniles 16 years of age or older to be tried as an adult, and sets out guidance for what law enforcement can consider when it comes to suspected gang […]

The Parental Rights in Children’s Education (PRICE) Act, which would allow parents to get $6,000 in state tax dollars to put in an education savings account (ESA), has been filed in the Alabama House and Senate Parents would be able to use the ESA money to put their children in a private school of their […]

The recently passed Deputy Brad Johnson Act reduces how much time state inmates can get off their sentences based on the “good time” incentive. Before the law, inmates were permitted to have up to 75 days removed from their prison sentence for every 30 days served. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who was present at […]

Physician Workforce Act to treat doctor shortage

Alabama is experiencing a malady felt in most states across the country: A shortage of primary care doctors. State Sen. April Weaver (R-Briarfield) and State Rep. Paul Lee (R-Dothan) are teaming up on legislation to help stop the bleeding. “If we want more doctors to practice in Alabama, we need to make our state more […]

“Trash talking” at the state Capitol is underway, but it’s all in good fun. The yapping is between state representatives and senators leading up to the annual “Battle of Goat Hill” charity softball game. This year’s game will aid the victims of January’s tornadoes that devastated the state’s Black Belt region. Specifically, the money raised […]

Survey: Most Alabamians want grocery tax ended

The majority of Alabamians would like to see the state grocery tax eliminated, according to a survey by the Alabama Republican Party. The survey polled 1,610 registered voters in the Yellowhammer State on a multitude of topics. In it, 83% of voters who had an opinion on the grocery tax favored eliminating the grocery tax […]

Britts aid injured athlete at son's track meet

Sen. Katie Britt and her husband, Wesley, like many other parents, attend their children’s athletic events. At a recent track and field meet, the couple put their school allegiance aside to offer assistance without hesitation to an injured athlete from a rival school. Rick Karle of Birmingham station WVTM Channel 13 posted about the Britts’ […]

Inmate ‘good time’ restriction heads to Ivey

Pending a signature from Gov. Kay Ivey, it became a lot tougher for dangerous inmates to be let out on “good time” as a new look at the law drove both chambers of the Legislature to crack down today. During a lengthy deliberation on the floor of the house Tuesday, Rep. Russell Bedsole led colleauges […]