7. Graham might do exactly what Texas Democrats just did

• During a recent interview, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) discussed a spending package that’s been put forward by Democrats, and he said that he would take the same direction that Texas Democrats recently did and just leave to stall the package.
• Graham said that he “would use everything lawfully in my toolbox to prevent rampant inflation,” which could be caused by the $3.5 trillion in infrastructure spending that Democrats have said they’ll use budget reconciliation to pass. Graham added that this spending contains “all kinds of new social programs unrelated to infrastructure.”

6. Orr wants to make sure people can sue big tech for censorship

• State Senator Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) has decided to take on big tech and fight against the political censorship that takes place on social media platforms. He’s signaled that he’ll bring a bill forward that is similar to the one signed into law in Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis (R) to protect the state from the companies.
• Orr said that these companies are “out of control when it comes to their censorship, political censorship.” He added that “giving citizens the private right of action, like Florida did is the way to go – at least my initial research shows that.”

5. DACA is found unconstitutional

• When then-President Barack Obama created a program out of thin air that allowed illegal aliens to be protected from prosecutions and deportations nine years ago, many argued the creation of this program was unconstitutional. Now after nine years, the program has been ruled unconstitutional.
• Even after the ruling, those in the program will still be protected. The judge who made the decision says that those in the program will be unaffected. The program can not approve new applicants in the program while accepting applications for it.

4. Brooks criticized for laughing at COVID-positive Texas Democrats

• Five of the Democrats from Texas that fled the state to block a voting regulations bill have tested positive for the coronavirus, and in response to the news, U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) posted on Twitter, “Someone above has a great sense of irony & humor!”
• Brooks added, “Anyone else unable to chuckle?” The congressman was quickly criticized for making light of the situation, and critics pointed out that there have been nearly 600,000 deaths from the coronavirus in the United States.

3. Unemployment in Alabama is now at 3.3%

• The Alabama Department of Labor has updated its data on the unemployment rate for June, which fell to 3.3%. This is only down by 0.1% from May. However, the state unemployment rate in June 2020 was 7.7%.
• Governor Kay Ivey has said that “we’re proud to celebrate the fact that Alabama is open for business,” and added that the improvements that have been made since the coronavirus pandemic started in 2020 “are truly remarkable and are a testament to the dedication to work ethic of Alabamians.”

2. The only vaccine incentive in Alabama is in the form of a TikTok competition

• Governor Kay Ivey has said that there’s no reason to provide an incentive for people in Alabama to get the coronavirus vaccine, so as a new way to encourage people to get the vaccine the Alabama Department of Public Health has announced a TikTok contest. The contest is focused on people in the state between 13-29 years old, and the whole focus is on getting people to post videos explaining, “This is why I got vaccinated.” Winners, who are selected by a panel of judges based on how many likes and shares they get, originality, and creativity, will receive a $250 Visa gift card.

1. Harris doesn’t see a new way to increase the number of people vaccinated

• Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris is at a loss for what to do moving forward to encourage more people in the state to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, as he discussed on Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal” over the weekend.
• Harris said that he’s “not sure what else we can do,” adding, “We have really tried to get the messaging out there.” He went on to say that there “are just a lot of people who are determined not to take the vaccine, and it’s really an unfortunate situation.”