A homemade video shows former U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) on the Alabama-Georgia state line.

He explains his very first issue in his newly-announced campaign for Governor in the 2026 election: Legalizing the lottery in Alabama.

Alabama’s four surrounding states – Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida – all have legal lotteries and are members of the multi-state Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots, drawn three times a week.

Soon after Jones posted the video, the Powerball drawing stood at about $1.5 billion, and has since been won by a single ticket sold in Arkansas.

In the video, Jones wanders around to record video of the full parking lot at the Robinson convenience store in Georgia, where he claims dozens of vehicles with Alabama tags are pulling in to buy lottery tickets from Georgia drawing.

Jones is the only character in his two-minute video.

https://x.com/DougJones/status/2002499101800497642?s=20

“Hey folks, it’s Saturday, it’s December 20th, and tonight the Powerball is 1.5 billion dollars.

That’s billion with a B.

And I’m standing right across the Alabama-Georgia line in Georgia because you can’t get a Powerball ticket in Alabama. You can see the sign behind me at 1.5 billion dollars, and right now the traffic coming over here was incredible. The parking lots across in these, there’s like four places here that sell lottery tickets. Now this is parking lot here at Robinson’s right across the line, it is completely full. You can look across the street, same.

Things happening up the hill, same things happening.

You can’t imagine the number of Alabama tags that I’m seeing in this parking lot. Alabama needs a lottery. This is crazy to how people streaming over from Birmingham, Alabama, and all places in Alabama, streaming East coming to Atlanta and Georgia, streaming North coming to Tennessee, streaming West going over to Mississippi, and creating a traffic jam going down to Florida, poor.

Tommy Tuberville is probably going to get stuck in traffic going home for the holidays down in Santa Rosa Beach. But that’s what we’re missing out on. Millions, hundreds of millions of dollars. We got to change that, folks. We got to change that coming up. Legislature is going to be looking at it this time. We need to vote on a lottery. Don’t wait till I get elected governor. We need to vote on a lottery this year, make that vote next November.

So everybody can come out. 1.5 billion dollars. And all the money that’s coming over is time that we put the Power back in the people’s hands. It’s time you had a vote on a lottery. We need to tell all the legislators down in Montgomery, we want a lottery. It’s time to get it. So let’s all get ready for the coming year, 2026, when Alabama finally joins the rest of the South in getting us a lottery.

I’m going to head back. I’m going to go get my tickets now, and then I’m going to head back to Birmingham. Oh, and by the way, Roll Tide,” Jones says.

The idea of using the lottery as a mainstay of a campaign for governor of Alabama is not new with Doug Jones.

In 1998, gubernatorial candidate Don Siegelman used the lottery as his main issue — almost only issue — in running against incumbent Governor Fob James (R-Opelika).

Siegelman brought up his support of the lottery so much and so often that political commentators would say that the solution to funding any Alabama need is a lottery, according to Siegelman.

Support of the lottery may have worked for Siegelman in the short run, but it catastrophically failed in the long run.

Lt. Governor Siegelman defeated Governor James for re-election in the November 1998 general election. As soon as he was inaugurated, he pushed the lottery measure through both houses of the Alabama Legislature.

After that, things went downhill.

A referendum of voters in a 1999 special election failed, and it was not particularly close. Siegelman spent the remainder of his term trying to explain away why his lottery amendment failed.

The early failure of the much-ballyhooed lottery in the Siegelman administration helped pave the way for a re-election challenge from then-Congressman Bob Riley.

Siegelman was the last Democrat to be elected Governor of Alabama, and the general elections have not since been close.

Siegelman and the failure of his marquee issue helped turn Alabama into a ruby red state.

Not only that, but a criminal indictment concerning a campaign contribution to the lottery came down after Siegelman had completed his one term as governor. Siegelman was eventually convicted and served federal time, losing all efforts for a reversal or pardon.

Will the lottery issue be any more effective for Democrat Doug Jones than it was for Democrat Don Siegelman?

Jim Zig Zeigler is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. His beat includes the positive and colorful about Alabama – her people, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former State Auditor and Public Service Commissioner. You can reach him at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.

A single gas station in Pike County was running a gambling operation when it was raided, with gambling machines and $25,000 being found.

The Pike County Sheriff’s Office says the station was selling scratch-off lottery tickets, “coin pusher” games, and even an electronic gambling scheme too.

If gambling is going to be illegal in Alabama, and it should be, people have to be shut down and punished more viciously.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN.

Mecca Musick is the CEO of 256 Today. Sign up for the 256 Today newsletter here.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN.

The legal gaming push driven by the Alabama House in 2024 died with a whimper at the end of session, several weeks after failing by one vote in the Alabama Senate.

That same push was a non-starter in the Alabama Senate in 2025 when Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) effectively ended discussion on legislation reportedly filed by State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) earlier that day.

When asked if he made that call because of the limited number of days in session proportionate to the mountain of legislative lifts remaining, Gudger told APTV’s “Capitol Journal” that was exactly the case.

“But I do believe it was the right decision,” Gudger said.

“I think it came in too late with too few votes, and by doing that, that legislation that I finally got to see after people were talking about it for the while, it came up, and we did a vote count in our caucus and on the floor, and it’s just one of those where it didn’t make sense for us to push as hard as it needed to be pushed to pass.”

RELATED: All in on 2025? Greg Albritton introducing gambling bill in back half of session

Looking ahead to 2026, Gudger said he believes that should continue to be the case — especially in an election year.

When lawmakers return to Montgomery for their next regular session, it will mark the final year of the current quadrennium, and a dead heat of the 2026 primary election season.

“To answer that question, I do not want it to come up. Personally, I think that there are going to be some people that want it to come up. But I think during election — it’s already chaos. If you bring in gambling to that, it is mass chaos times four, with a tornado coming through and at a circus with three rings going on with different people,” Gudger said.

“So I think that the best thing for my colleagues in the Alabama State Senate is to go ahead and hear me say, I do not want to bring up gambling next year. And if we do that, it will take all the oxygen out of the room. So let’s focus on what we need to focus on — the bills that we need to get at hand, get through the campaign season, and then the first year of the next quad. I’m pretty sure it’s coming back, and coming back hard, but I will be monitoring that. But right now, my focus is on my colleagues, which is where it should be.”

RELATED: Gudger predicts no gaming bill until after 2026 elections in Alabama – but ‘it’s going to come back at some point’

Gudger sidelined the issue in 2025, warning that it would derail the legislature’s opportunity to accomplish its top policy priorities, which still fell short of some lawmakers’ expectations.

“Well, and you kind of shut it down this session because… that you didn’t want it to eat up all the oxygen in the room, because there was so much else to do, so many other issues. And I guess that’s part of your role, is to say, ‘Okay, you’ve got to prioritize. You only got a limited number of days.’”

“And my personal opinion is that if it’s not ready to go, and you’ve got your 21 votes for a constitutional amendment vote on the Senate floor, then it doesn’t need to be introduced. And so the key for me was we need to make a decision one way or the other. And I’ve been here for seven years now, and every year it has creeped up on us and creeped up on us to the point by the end of session, everybody — that’s what they’re talking about. I did not want that to happen my first session. I wanted us to have good, clean votes, where our head work was very clear and not clouded by these type of issues. And so I wanted to make sure everyone in my Senate knew we’re done with this for the year. There’s not enough votes. Let’s go forward on things that really matter, like helping our pharmacies, doing a tax package to get money back into the pockets for the hard-working people of Alabama, the health care thing from ALFA.”

RELATED: Senate Pro Tem Gudger discusses possible rule changes next session

“All of that are things that we needed to focus on, and legislation we needed to focus on that affect Alabamians, instead of worrying about, are we going to have enough votes for this? And we didn’t. So the key is, let’s make a decision and move forward.”

7. President Donald Trump could not be any fitter, not that anyone is going to believe this stuff from any president ever again. According to his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, he remains in excellent health, with normal vital signs, including blood pressure, a resting heart rate of 62 beats per minute, and the White House physician noted Trump’s lifelong abstinence from tobacco and alcohol, along with his use of medications for cholesterol and cardiac prevention, and a minor skin condition. The report noted his active lifestyle, filled with meetings, press events, and even noted his frequent golf victories as significant factors in maintaining his robust cognitive and physical fitness to lead as Commander-in-Chief. Because of his amazing health, we might not even see a Trump third term attempt because he may get selected by the NFL draft.

On Thursday afternoon, Alabama Senate Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) effectively closed the door on passing a gaming bill during the 2025 Legislative session.

“With 12 meeting days remaining in the session, both budgets still awaiting approval, and other important bills and measures demanding focus and attention, the comprehensive gaming bill released today is simply too little, too late, and has too few votes to pass,” Gudger said last week.

On Friday, Gudger went to bat for his decision Friday on WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show” by saying the votes were simply not there.

RELATED: Alabama Senate Pro Tem closes door on legal gaming push in 2025

“We ended up pulling our consensus together of all of our colleagues in the Senate, doing an independent vote count, and just looking at the numbers there — we just don’t have the votes,” he said. “There were just two less votes to even get into that topic, and so we decided we needed to shut it down.”

Gudger, now in just his first session as Senate Pro Tem, argued that any gaming bill would have just hindered their ability to pass the other many pieces of important legislation working their way through the final twelve days of session.

“[W]hen you go into it, it takes all the air out of the room,” he explained. “We did not have the votes to go forward, and I’m not going to put my colleagues through what it takes to go through that particular topic, which is the most strenuous topic that we deal with, seems like each year. And so we want to focus on things that they wanted to get done, their constituents wanted to get done. And so that is what my decision was yesterday as the Pro Tem.”

He also said he was taking a lesson with how the gambling issue affected the process in past years.

RELATED: State Sen. Gudger explains legal gambling vote in candid video to constituents – ‘set the record straight’ (2024)

“I believe that it exhausted everyone last year,” he said. “And the time and effort that it took to get to that point, and thinking that there was enough folks to go forward, and that was worth the time and effort, and which just took over everything else in the whole Senate at that time, and the State House — not just Senate floor, but also the House of Representatives. And so we ended up being exhausted, and I knew what it takes, because leadership asked me to be in the middle of that last year, and we didn’t need to do that again.”

Gudger went as far as to predict that lawmakers will not revisit the topic in a major way until after the 2026 election cycle in Alabama, which would be when the next quadrennium begins in 2027, and a new class of legislators have taken office.

“So I think it was the right decision to make,” he said. “I think it was the right decision to make for Alabama. And so as we’re looking at this one-pager, that was the full comprehensive package, it just wasn’t the right time to do that. So, I do think you’re not going to see it next year. I think you’ll see it in the first year in the quadrennium, because it’s going to come back at some point.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

Maybe 2045 will be the year for gambling in Alabama?

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN.

Radio talk show host Dale Jackson and 256 Today CEO Mecca Musick, take you through Alabama’s biggest political stories.

Mecca Musick is the CEO of 256 Today. Sign up for the 256 Today newsletter here.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN, Talk 99.5, and News Radio 1440 from 10-11 a.m., and on Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.

Radio talk show host Dale Jackson and 256 Today CEO Mecca Musick, take you through Alabama’s biggest political stories.

Mecca Musick is the CEO of 256 Today. Sign up for the 256 Today newsletter here.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN, Talk 99.5, and News Radio 1440 from 10-11 a.m., and on Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.

State Sen. Arthur Orr is calling on his colleagues to revisit a statewide lottery proposal during the remaining weeks of the 2025 legislative session – without tying it to a larger gambling expansion.

But he reports that is unlikely to be the case.

“Well, I know a gaming bill is being worked on, and votes are being solicited for a comprehensive gaming bill,” Orr (R-Decatur) said in an interview with Alabama Politics This Week. “And whether the votes are there or not – I don’t think so today – Speaker Ledbetter has said if anything originates, they did most of the work in the House last year, it’s going to have to originate in the Senate.”

“But that bill is being worked among the members.”

After the collapse of the 2024 House-led gambling proposal, little has been discussed publicly about the Senate’s potential to drive the effort in 2025. Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) has said previously the Senate will only vote on a gaming measure if the votes are there.

In the interview, Orr expounded on his belief that lawmakers should focus squarely on a statewide lottery in order to isolate, debate and deal with additional forms of gaming.

RELATED: State Sen. Greg Albritton: ‘We got to do something better’ than pass a simple lottery bill

“I think what the legislature needs to do, quite frankly, is give the people what they want. And from what I hear, that is a vote on a lottery – up or down – a paper lottery, and allow that to go forward. But still, I’m being too simplistic,” Orr said.

“For a simple lottery bill without all the attachments that people want to attach to it… The lottery is the train engine that pulls all the other cars behind it. And on those other cars are table games, maybe sports betting, maybe internet gaming, those kinds of things – they may not get across the finish line unless they have the lottery pulling them.”

“We ought to start with the lottery and then let each subsequent component stand on its own,” Orr said.

7. At a Montgomery federal courthouse news conference, former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy claimed to have uncovered “bombshell” evidence of Department of Justice misconduct, alleging prosecutors hid exculpatory details from 19 of 24 FBI interviews with key witness Nick Bailey that could clear him and former Alabama Governor. Don Siegelman of their 2006 bribery convictions tied to a $500,000 payment for a state board seat, though his lack of concrete affidavits or interview specifics and reliance on a website with recycled documents—like Tamarah Grimes’ dismissed 2009 whistleblower report and Elmer Harris’ 2016 declaration — undermine his assertions. Leslie Scrushy, alongside her husband, their attorney, and two of their nine children, insisted the prosecution was diabolically orchestrated, citing federal Statute 666, the case resting on June 6, 2006 (6-6-6), and the ‘F’ initials of then-Acting U.S. Attorney Louis Franklin, then-Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Feaga, and then-U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller as proof of a spiritual attack, an insane angle that undercuts any attempt to take this seriously. Scrushy seeks a Trump administration review and calls Bailey’s evolving testimony “exculpable,” the absence of fresh, verifiable evidence and Leslie’s symbolic focus over legal rigor invite skepticism about reversing a conviction upheld through, this all seems unlikely.

6. Jim Purcell of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education advised Alabama’s schools and colleges, which draw $2.6 billion yearly from the U.S. Department of Education, to prepare for disruption as President Donald Trump prepares an executive order for Education Secretary Linda McMahon to close the agency, a move State Superintendent Eric Mackey said requires congressional action unlikely with only 53 Republican Senate seats. Mackey emphasized the state’s dependence on $193 million in IDEA and $301 million in Title I funds for special education and high-poverty schools, suggesting flexibility could improve if funds shift elsewhere. However, he and State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) acknowledged legal limits mean staff cuts and program trims, like those already hitting the Office for Civil Rights, are more probable than outright closure. Purcell flagged a broader risk, estimating a $46 million hit to research from agencies like the National Science Foundation, underscoring Alabama’s vulnerability — especially in rural districts like Perry County and community colleges — while the order’s draft admits Trump’s power stops short of abolition, casting doubt on the plan’s full impact versus its political rhetoric, given historical congressional resistance to such drastic shifts.

5. U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) defended all of the Alabama Republicans who voted to censure U.S. Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), passing 224-198, for interrupting President Donald Trump’s address with a Medicaid protest, deeming it a “shameful display” breaching decorum. U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Montgomery) voted “present” in support of Green and U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) voted against, amid a tumultuous scene where Democrats rallied around Green with song as Republicans demanded order. Speaker Mike Johnson had Green removed during the speech and later read the censure aloud as dozens of Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), protested, yet Green told NBC News he’d repeat his heartfelt act despite consequences.

4. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) and U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Birmingham) protested the inclusion of Montgomery’s Freedom Rides Museum — site of the 1961 civil rights clash — on a U.S. General Services Administration list of over 400 federal properties slated for sale by the Department of Government Efficiency. Sewell blasted it as “outrageous” on X with both lawmakers writing to preserve the site’s legacy, though the list vanished within a day and museum staff confirmed no GSA outreach. Sewell is on an embarrassing kick right now over DOGE and is clearly attempting to steal some of the spotlight from some of the more ridiculous members of her caucus like Rep. Jasmine Crockett (R-Texas) or Rep. Ayanna Presley (R-Mass.) by taking to Twitter and saying, “Elon Musk and his DOGE bros have ordered GSA to sell off the site of the historic Freedom Riders Museum in Montgomery. This is outrageous and we will not let it stand! I am demanding an immediate reversal. Our civil rights history is not for sale!”

3. State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), a key voice from a district including the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, explained that the Alabama’s Legislature has draft language for any gambling package, but passing a simple lottery bill would irresponsibly spread gambling to every crossroads without resolving illegal sports betting or navigating federal class three gaming laws that could complicate state control. He rejected a lottery-only approach as inadequate, arguing it neither financially aids Alabama nor curbs the “scourge” of uncontrolled sports gaming. Instead, it calls for a comprehensive package that’s eluded both chambers’ consensus, a stance shaped by his prior vote against a broader bill. Albritton’s push for a “better” solution reflects a moral and practical stance, yet his dismissal of a popular lottery option risks alienating constituents who favor immediate action, underscoring a tension between his regulatory vision and the public’s simpler demands, with no clear path to unify the divided legislative will he acknowledges is essential.

2. With a good portion of the session already in the books, Alabama Democrats are pretending they have a plan to help Alabama – a confusing wish list of nonsense with no chance of passing but they are trying. Alabama House Democrats, led by State Rep. Adline Clarke (D-Mobile) and State Rep. Laura Hall (D-Huntsville), and State Rep. Curtis Travis (D-Tuscaloosa), pitched a $1.7 billion tax cut package at a press conference, targeting grocery tax elimination, a drop in income tax from 5% to 4%, and a permanent overtime tax break, slamming Republican half-measures and tying funding to repealing the CHOOSE Act for $100 million and a speculative $900 million from gambling reform. State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville), Education Trust Fund committee chair, rejected it as a “reckless” throwback to pre-2010 Democratic budget woes, noting the $300 million overtime cut, $369 million grocery tax loss, and $1.2 billion income tax reduction leave a gaping hole, especially with ongoing state needs like Medicaid and prisons unaddressed by the proposal’s shaky revenue bets. While Democrats frame it as a bold fix for working families crushed by costs, critics question its math, with the CHOOSE Act’s repeal stirring education funding debates and gambling’s unpassed status casting doubt on feasibility, suggesting a populist gambit that may falter under scrutiny without broader GOP buy-in or a clearer fiscal roadmap.

1. President Donald Trump, after imposing sweeping 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, issued an executive order pausing duties on USMCA-compliant goods until April 2, covering about 50% of Mexican and 38% of Canadian imports as per a White House official, while maintaining full tariffs on non-compliant items and doubling down on China, amid a week of market swings and retailer alerts on rising costs like avocados and auto parts. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed the partial reprieve but insisted Mexico’s tariff-free trade status justifies its exemption from April’s reciprocal tariffs, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushes for total tariff removal. Yet over 60% of Canadian goods still face levies, highlighting an uneven rollback that Wolfe Research’s Tobin Marcus critiques as lacking policy substance despite Trump’s claims of border security leverage. The shift, leaving significant trade volumes taxable and China untouched, fuels debate over its economic wisdom, with analysts noting no clear fentanyl crackdown gains and potential inflation risks, casting Trump’s tariff strategy as a high-stakes gamble with shaky outcomes, even as Sheinbaum and Trudeau navigate retaliatory pressures and businesses brace for lingering uncertainty.

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As lawmakers return to Montgomery tomorrow to begin the third year of the quadrennium, Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter says there’s a wide range of problems to solve and opportunities to capitalize on during the course of the 2025 legislative session. 

Among those priorities include addressing violent crime in Alabama’s largest cities and upgrading state laws to complement a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration from the federal level.

Ledbetter says both of these topics will be the subject of multi-bill, multi-chamber legislative packages. 

Immigration

Several members of his chamber, including State Rep. Ben Robbins (R-Sylacauga), are bringing immigration bills in concert with several members of the Senate, spearheaded by State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine). 

“I think it’s a combination of what it’s going to take to improve immigration status across the state of Alabama,” Ledbetter told Yellowhammer News. “With the open border that the Biden administration had – we have become a border state – and just about every state in the country has.”

“I think everybody’s really excited about Trump and how he’s hit the ground running, shut the border down and stopped the illegals from coming in. But we still gotta do our due diligence here and make sure that we protect the citizens of Alabama.”

RELATED: Lt. Governor Ainsworth: ALEA forming task force to support deportation efforts – ‘Alabamians also dare defend our border’

Lawmakers working on the issue report the bills are still being drafted. They are expected to deal with laws ranging from stronger regulations on driver’s licenses and legal identification, stronger penalties against those who forge documents, additional fees on international wire transfers, and closer scrutiny on immigrant workers who attempt to utilize public benefits. 

Crime

“We’ll have a package of about nine bills. We’ve been working on them for several months. Certainly, [State Rep. Allen Treadway] and [State Rep. Reed Ingram] has been engaged, as well as Sheriff Cunningham and Hoss Mack, the Sheriffs Association, the League of Municipalities, County Commission Association – we’ve had all the different people at the table,” Ledbetter said.

“Of course, [ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor] has done an excellent, excellent job. Hal started that task force for us there in Montgomery. And the numbers speak for themselves, with over 1,900 stops, and then in those stops, they captured 35 stolen cars, over 400 drug stops made. They’ve done a tremendous job.” 

RELATED: Speaker Ledbetter expects legislative action to address Alabama crime issues in ’25

Ledbetter indicated Governor Ivey’s office is also involved in the package of crime bills and will outline the issues and policy solutions in her State of the State address on Tuesday night. He also thanked State Rep. Treadaway for his leadership on the issue along with State Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road). 

“Once we roll out the package, it’s going to be impactful to the people across the state. You know one thing: police officers in the last few years have been vilified. What we want to do is we want to make sure that people across this state, across the country know that Alabama backs the men and women in blue.”

Speaker Ledbetter said his intended timeline will reach the governor’s desk before the first legislative spring break, which begins the week of March 16. 

Among those pieces of legislation is expected to include a bill passed previously by the House, which would allow local and state prosecutors to enhance the penalties and streamline the prosecution against those in possession of a federally-illegal gun modification part, known as a Glock switch or auto sear. 

RELATED: ‘Glock switch’ ban would target homemade automatic weapons

“We passed that last year in the house and it’s been such an outpour from public safety, because it’s so dangerous … I think that’s something that the Fraternal Order of Police, the Sheriffs Association, and ALEA really want because of the dangerous aspect of it.” 

Although yet to be filed, Ledbetter said that bill is being sponsored and driven from the Senate. 

Overtime tax cut sunset

With the state tax cut on overtime work passed in 2023 lurching toward a June 2025 sunset, Ledbetter said the estimates presented to lawmakers were so inaccurate, the difference between $34 million and over $200 million – “you gotta take a second look at that,” Ledbetter said. 

RELATED: Arthur Orr stresses caution on overtime tax exemption, urges lawmakers to consider alternative tax cuts

“We’ve got a lot of things going on we’ve got to make sure we’re able to fund but I do believe it may allow us to give a broader tax break to the citizens. So that’s something we’re certainly looking at.”

Ledbetter said whatever form of alternative relief lawmakers work toward will have the ultimate goal of putting money back into the pockets of Alabamians. 

Veterans

Ledbetter said the accomplishments made by the House Veterans Affairs committee, and across the legislature, on the subject of mental health for veterans has been commendable – but much more will soon be done. 

“You know, if you look at what we’ve done in the last five years, we’ve increased mental health over $400 million – putting in crisis care centers, we got seven of those brick and mortars, 15 mobile units, put a mental health coordinator at every school district, stepping up programs of peer-to-peer programs – and we’ll continue to try to put pieces in the puzzle,” Ledbetter said.

“Everybody has worked so well together on this.”

RELATED: Military bills signing highlights new laws benefiting Alabama servicemembers and veterans

In 2024, lawmakers passed 10 pro-military bills addressing several policy areas to further solidify Alabama’s status as one of the most military and veteran friendly states in the country. Ledbetter highlighted future investment from the private sector into the ongoing and expanded work on behalf of veterans, thanks in part to the buy-in from the public and the legislature. 

Gambling

“I’ve been pretty clear. I think if anything comes – it’ll have to come from the Senate,” Ledbetter said.

“I think it’s got to be close to what the conference committee reported out. There’s gotta be most of what [State Rep. Andy Whitt] and [State Rep. Chris Blackshear], [State Sen. Greg Albritton], [State Sen. Randy Price] – it’s gotta be one of those two.”

“And without question, I think people are smart enough to vote yes or no – they know what they want to do. So, we’ll see how that goes.”

RELATED: Comparing House and Senate versions of the 2024 Alabama legal gaming bills

Before the 2024 session, Ledbetter and members of the House gaming task force identified the risks posed by illegal gambling operations across the state and made enforcement against them a central element of the legislation. Ledbetter said that must emerge as a focus of any future proposals – as well as clarity on what defines legal and illegal operations.

“First of all, you’ve got to make sure what is legal and what’s not legal. I think that’s up in the air, depending on who you talk to and how the conversation goes. The [Alabama] Supreme Court says they’re all illegal. There’s already 10 in the state. And that was the thing, I think the misperception, it kind of got the conversation strayed, because you had some money from out-of-state entities that was trying to stop it. And then you had illegal operations within the state that was trying to stop it,” Ledbetter said. “I do think it got misconstrued.”

Education

Education remains a top priority for Ledbetter, Governor Ivey, and legislative leaders. With a growing emphasis on improving teacher retention and funding mechanisms, lawmakers are exploring new strategies to strengthen the state’s education system.

“We had an issue earlier on, as you might remember, when we couldn’t get enough math and science teachers,” Ledbetter said. “We started the TEAMS Act, which has certainly helped fill those roles. And I think the way we changed our funding has allowed us to keep teachers that would’ve retired. So those things have been positive.”

Looking ahead, lawmakers are considering adjustments to the Alabama Foundation Program, the primary method of distributing education dollars to school districts. House Education Budget Chairman Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) and Senate Finance and Taxation Education Chairman Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) have already begun discussions on transitioning to a more weighted funding model, which could allocate additional resources to schools based on student needs.

RELATED: Debate looms over potential shift to student-based funding model for Alabama’s education budget

“I really believe once everybody gets used to that, they’ll like it,” Ledbetter said. “It gives more flexibility to the local school systems, and will allow us to be able to put money in areas, if it’s ESL or if it’s in poverty-stricken areas. It certainly gives us opportunity to fund those areas better. So I think that’s going to be one of those steps. If you talk about doubling down and work that they’ve already done with their committees on the doing the budget process.”

Ledbetter praised Ivey’s leadership in raising teacher pay and boosting recruitment efforts, noting the tangible impact of these policies.

“We put that bill through last year, making Alabama’s teachers the highest starting salary in the Southeast. And it matters—it really matters,” he said. “We’re already seeing more young people considering education as a career, reversing the teacher shortage we faced before.”

With Governor Ivey expected to outline further education initiatives in her upcoming State of the State address, Ledbetter remains optimistic about continued progress in the sector.

“She said she wanted to move the numbers up, and she has. I applaud her for the work she’s done, and we’ll continue working together to make sure our students and teachers have the resources they need to succeed.”

New leadership

A rare dynamic going into the 2025 session for Speaker Ledbetter will be his new colleague in legislative leadership, incoming Senate President Pro Tempore Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman). Despite the change, now over halfway through the quadrennium, Ledbetter says the element of respect and reciprocity across chambers will stay the same. 

“We’ve got a good working relationship already, and I believe he’s going to do a great job. I really do,” Ledbetter said of Gudger. 

“I think he’s somebody that you can sit down and have a conversation with. We’ve already had a number of those, as you can imagine. But we’ve agreed that if we have a disagreement, it’s going to be behind closed doors, and that’s the way it always was for Greg [Reed]. You’ll never hear me say anything negative about the Pro Tem, and I feel like he’d be the same way.”

The Alabama Policy Institute launched a new website and initiative aimed at informing the public about the possible consequences of expanding gambling in Alabama this week.

API has long been an opponent of the expansion of gambling because the proposals violate all three pillars of our mission to promote free markets, limited government, and strong families. The expansion of gambling is one of the few issues that violates each of the pillars.

Proposals made through the legislative process during the last several decades have specifically picked winners and losers by statute — literally choosing which operators are allowed to operate, either by name or by location. This “grandfathering in” of current operators, many of whom have been pushing the legal envelope for decades, doesn’t allow for a maximization of freedom or revenue to state coffers.

In addition, the expansion of gambling requires a growth of governmental structures to manage gambling operations and regulation and further expands government by providing additional revenue to cushion state budgets that have grown by double digits in both size and scope since 2016.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the expansion of gambling harms families with documented and verifiable increases in multiple types of addiction, domestic violence, divorce, financial hardship, sex trafficking, petty and violent crime, child abuse and neglect, and suicide ideation.

In a state where we are striving to keep up with the mental health needs of our population, it is irresponsible and frankly disingenuous for state lawmakers to create, condone, and encourage additional addictive behavior while claiming to advocate for those struggling with mental health issues.

API’s new site has research, data, information, and articles about gambling in the state of Alabama and beyond. New research, videos, testimonials, and other content will be added to www.bettinghurtsbama.com to illustrate the significant ramifications of expanding gambling in our state. 

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville offered a brief prediction today about the prospect of state lawmakers in Montgomery being able to put legal gaming, such as a statewide lottery, back on the ballot in Alabama.

The last time voters were asked to consider a change to the Alabama Constitution to make certain forms of gaming permissible under the law was 1999, at which time they rejected the proposal.

In recent years, the Alabama Senate and House have separately passed similar measures, but at no point have the two chambers agreed.

Tuberville says the issue won’t go away.

“Well, I think number one, it should come up in the [Alabama Legislature],” Tuberville (R-Auburn) said. “Last year, I obviously don’t have a vote on that, I heard a lot of pro-for, pro-against. I think it will continue to come up.”

“I think at the end of the day, I don’t know what year this will happen, but the people of Alabama will get an opportunity to vote on this agenda.”

The senior senator added, “I’m sure it’ll come up before the legislature when they go back into session in the very near future.”

RELATED: Arthur Orr says Senators should consider ‘if the votes are there for a lottery’ during 2025 session

Last year, the Alabama House introduced a sweeping proposal that would have created a statewide lottery, welcomed additional casinos into the state, legalized and taxed online sports wagering, regulated gambling activity through a new commission with law enforcement capabilities, and shuttered illegal gambling operations throughout the state.

However, the Alabama Senate had much less of an appetite. They negotiated the deal down primarily to a statewide lottery, which polling shows voters are by far the most interested in. Senators fell just one vote short when considering to concur with a conference committee report that was quickly adopted by the House.

Time expired during the 2024 session for lawmakers to come to a final agreement, much like the close call in 2021 when chamber roles were reversed.

The 2025 state legislative session begins on February 4.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

7. Even though President Joe Biden’s own party shoved him out of the presidential race, he expressed confidence that he believes he could have defeated Donald Trump in the 2024 election but acknowledged doubts about his ability to serve a full second term. His withdrawal from the race in July came amid growing concerns about his health and cognitive abilities, particularly after a weak debate performance, since then the media and their Democrats have acknowledged they conspired to cover up his obvious mental decline.

6. President-elect Donald Trump blamed both President Joe Biden and Gov. Gavin Newsom for the deadly Los Angeles wildfires, claiming poor water management and lack of firefighting resources exacerbated the disaster, citing cuts to budgets, while some point out the DEI focus harmed readiness. Firefighters face overwhelming challenges due to limited personnel and water shortages, with fire hydrants running dry after water demand surged to four times the normal level for over 15 hours

5. Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) explained the complexity of passing a statewide lottery bill, pointing to regional conflicts, opposition from some Republicans, and the high vote threshold required for a constitutional amendment. Despite 80% public support for a lottery vote, previous attempts failed when the House and Senate couldn’t reconcile differences on gaming regulations. Ledbetter stressed the need for legislative clarity to address unregulated gaming operations before moving forward with a lottery proposal.

4. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) indicated he might run for Alabama governor in 2026 but stressed his primary focus remains on his current role as a U.S. senator. He reflected on his service in Washington as a way to give back to the country and honor his late father’s military sacrifice. While Tuberville expressed support for President-elect Trump’s upcoming term, he left his gubernatorial intentions open, saying, “never say never.”

3. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, with 20 other Republican AGs, issued a joint statement backing President-elect Donald Trump’s immigration plans, committing to support the largest deportation effort in U.S. history and stricter border enforcement measures. The AGs praised policies like reinstating “Remain in Mexico,” finishing the border wall, and ending programs such as DACA. Marshall stressed Trump’s success in curbing illegal immigration during his first term and pledged to defend these policies in court if necessary.

2. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) stated the Senate has the votes to advance the Laken Riley Act, which would require Homeland Security to issue detainers for undocumented migrants arrested for specific crimes and allow states to sue for non-enforcement. Several Democratic senators, including John Fetterman and Mark Kelly, have expressed support for moving the bill forward, while others, like John Hickenlooper, have clarified their backing is limited to the procedural vote. Critics, including immigration advocates, warn the bill could harm immigrant families and potentially overturn federal authority on immigration enforcement.

1. The Alabama National Guard has activated around 350 Guardsmen to assist in severe winter weather response, with six Mobility Support Teams stationed across the northern and central parts of the state. The teams, operating under the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, are equipped for tasks like route reconnaissance, transportation of essential resources, and search and rescue efforts. The National Weather Service predicts up to 8 inches of snow in some areas, with hazardous road conditions expected through Saturday.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.

Radio talk show host Dale Jackson and 256 Today CEO Mecca Musick, take you through Alabama’s biggest political stories.

Mecca Musick is the CEO of 256 Today. Sign up for the 256 Today newsletter here.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN, Talk 99.5, and News Radio 1440 from 10-11 a.m., and on Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.

7. U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) reflected on his tenure representing Alabama’s First Congressional District, as he leaves Congress after losing a primary to U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), expressing gratitude for the opportunity to serve. Highlighting his achievements, Carl points to successes in energy policy, infrastructure funding, rural healthcare, and support for veterans, among other accomplishments. While bidding farewell, he expresses optimism for the future of south Alabama, the state, and the nation, emphasizing his pride in their shared values and resilience.

6. With an expanded playoff and legalized player payoffs, some argue that college football is in disarray amid changing rules and a lack of centralized leadership; and the idea of a “commissioner of college football” has gained traction. Penn State head coach James Franklin champions Nick Saban as the ideal candidate, citing his unparalleled leadership and deep understanding of the game. Franklin and others see the role as essential to unifying conferences, establishing consistent rules, and restoring stability to the sport’s rapidly shifting landscape, but Saban really seems to be enjoying his role on ESPN.

5. The National Weather Service confirmed three tornadoes touched down in Alabama Saturday night, including two EF1s in Limestone and Lamar counties and an EF0 in Mobile County. The EF1 tornado in Athens caused significant damage to the town square and tossing an anchored helicopter 50-60 feet at Veterans Memorial Park, while no injuries have been reported from any of the storms. With additional surveys underway in multiple counties, the NWS anticipates identifying more tornadoes amid widespread storm reports across the Southeast.

4. Former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away at 100, is remembered for his journey from peanut farmer to the presidency and his lifelong commitment to faith and service, his record as president is less fondly remembered. Alabama officials, including U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), praised Carter’s post-presidency humanitarian work, especially his contributions to Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center. While his presidency remains an example of a failed administration, his compassion, charity, and dedication to public good continue to inspire across the political spectrum.

3. There is apparently overwrought concern as Auburn University and Auburn University at Montgomery are reportedly the only predominantly white colleges in Alabama with decreases in black student enrollment over the past five years, despite overall enrollment gains. Auburn saw a 12% increase in total enrollment but a 2% decrease in Black students, a trend attributed to more selective admission criteria aimed at improving rankings. In contrast, the state’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities are seeing record enrollment and the University of Alabama and other institutions increased Black student enrollment, with UA highlighting scholarship accessibility.

2. Debate over the H-1B visa program continues with some Republicans arguing for the program while the base is seen as wanting to rein in all types of immigration. X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy championing it as essential for attracting top global talent, while immigration hardliners criticize it for undermining American jobs and wages, there seems to be some agreement on reforms to better balance innovation with protection of American workers. In Alabama, 273 companies employed 1,129 H-1B workers in 2024, with major employers including UAB, Auburn University, and Shipt Inc.

1. Alabamians flock to neighboring states like Tennessee and Florida to buy lottery tickets as the Mega Millions jackpot soared past $1 billion, highlighting the state’s ongoing loss of potential lottery revenue. Many residents and lawmakers like Alabama State Rep. Andy Whitt (R-Harvest) expressed frustration over Alabama’s lack of a lottery, pointing out missed educational opportunities and economic benefits enjoyed by states with legal gaming, adding, “the people in Alabama overwhelmingly support the lottery and the right to vote on it, and they deserve that.” Despite bipartisan support, Alabama’s latest gaming legislation narrowly failed in the Senate, but lawmakers are hopeful for renewed efforts to bring a lottery to the state.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.

7. Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, passed away at 100, he is widely considered the worst modern president and the standard for bad presidents. Though his presidency faced challenges like economic stagnation and the energy crisis, his post-presidential work reshaped his global reputation as a humanitarian and advocate for human rights.

6. Democrats are still trying to figure out why they lost and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) had a few ideas as he criticized Vice President Kamala Harris and Democrats for using “weird” and overly academic language, arguing it alienates average voters. Schatz pointed out Harris’ phrasing, such as “centering the needs,” and dismissed terms like “Latinx” as unfamiliar and unhelpful. While he claimed Harris ran a well-executed campaign, he emphasized the importance of using clear, popular language to connect with voters in the wake of the Democrats’ loss to Donald Trump.

5. An EF-1 tornado with winds reaching 100 mph caused significant damage in Athens, including tearing the roof off the Limestone County Courthouse and affecting about a dozen downtown businesses. The storm downed trees, utility poles, and Christmas decorations, leaving debris scattered across the area, while power outages initially impacted 2,500 homes, later reduced to 750. Cleanup crews and utility workers have been working diligently, with officials expressing gratitude that no injuries were reported despite the extensive damage.

4. The Mega Millions jackpot has surged to $1.15 billion, prompting renewed discussions in Alabama about establishing a state lottery, which remains absent due to legislative gridlock. House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels hopes the Senate will align on a reasonable proposal, as polls show over 70% of Alabamians support a lottery, citing convenience and potential state benefits. Despite strong public demand, key lawmakers remain skeptical about compromise, leaving Alabama as one of five states without a lottery while residents cross state lines to participate in games like Mega Millions.

3. As bird flu fears are starting to spread nationwide, flu cases are surging across Alabama, with over 6% of recent emergency room visits attributed to the illness, a sharp rise from earlier weeks. Public health officials warn that flu cases typically peak around the start of the year and emphasize the importance of flu vaccines to reduce both the risk of infection and severe complications. Along with vaccination, Alabamians are encouraged to practice good hygiene, stay home when sick, and protect vulnerable populations to curb the spread of the flu.

2. Newly released photos from the National Archives show then-Vice President Joe Biden meeting Chinese business associates of his son Hunter Biden, contradicting Biden’s knowingly-bogus claims of no involvement in his family’s foreign dealings. The images capture Biden’s interactions during a 2013 trip to Beijing, including introducing Hunter to Chinese President Xi Jinping and greeting executives from BHR Partners, a state-backed firm co-founded by Hunter. Critics argue these revelations bolster claims of ethical concerns and potential conflicts of interest, while the Biden administration has consistently denied allegations of wrongdoing

1. Mazda North American Operations CEO Tom Donnelly suggested that former President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs could lead to a shift in production from Mexico to the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing plant in Huntsville. Despite warnings about potential job losses due to tariffs, Donnelly indicated the Alabama facility has capacity to increase output by 50,000 units annually, though such a transition would require time to align suppliers and train workers. Trump’s tariffs are a negotiating ploy and development contrasts with critics’ concerns that Trump’s trade policies could harm the state’s economy.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.

7. Hoover saw its first gun homicide in over two years and Anthony Keith Russell, 29, has been charged with murder following the Christmas Eve shooting of 35-year-old Brandon Montez McIlwain during a struggle over a handgun. Police responded to the scene, where McIlwain was found critically injured; he died at UAB Hospital. Russell was arrested on-site, and investigators determined the altercation occurred while both men were visiting the apartment’s resident.

6. While Alabama will not get a cut of the lottery tickets purchased, many residents will be making the trek to all four border states to buy tickets for tonight’s Mega Millions jackpot $1.15 billion prize, the fifth-largest in the game’s history, with a cash option of $516.1 million. The odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 302.6 million with ticket sales disproportionately occurring in impoverished communities.

5. U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) voiced strong support for President-elect Donald Trump’s proposal to regain control of the Panama Canal, emphasizing its importance for U.S. security and economic interests in a piece in Yellowhammer News. Carl highlighted that over 70% of the canal’s traffic benefits American ports and stressed its strategic value for rapid naval deployment, as Trump and U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) have noted. He criticized past decisions to transfer control to Panama and warned about growing Chinese influence and security threats in the region, including terrorism and mass migration through the Darien Gap, advocating for decisive action to protect U.S. interests.

4. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen announced plans to implement a yet-to-be-designed process in 2025 for removing non-citizens from voter rolls after the prior program was blocked by a federal judge in October. The court ruled that the original program, launched shortly before the 2024 general election, violated the National Voter Registration Act by occurring too close to the election. Allen’s office and the Department of Justice have agreed to pause litigation as the state redesigns its voter removal process.

3. While President-elect Donald Trump continues joking about making Canada the 51st state, Canadian Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly traveled to Palm Beach, Fla., to meet with members of Trump’s incoming administration. Their discussions with Tom Homan, Trump’s designated “border czar,” focused on border security, combating fentanyl trafficking, and mitigating the impact of potential tariffs on Canadian goods. These meetings follow Trump’s recent tariff threats, annexation references, and slams on the leaders, but Canada is seeking to safeguard its trade relationship with the U.S., which accounts for $2.7 billion in daily cross-border commerce.

2. As Birmingham prepares to welcome 2025, with a historic number of homicides but a decrease in reported violent crime in the rearview mirror, authorities warn against celebratory gunfire, emphasizing its dangers and illegality. The Birmingham Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office caution that shooting guns into the air poses significant risks, including injury, death, and property damage, with potential legal consequences escalating from misdemeanors to felonies. The cities ShotSpotter technology will allow the police to detect and respond swiftly to gunfire incidents, urging residents to prioritize safety and not start shooting in the early hours of 2025.

1. President-elect Donald Trump’s DOGE team and MAGA have found disagreement and a rift a over highly-skilled immigration. Telsa CEO Elon Musk and other tech leaders advocate for boosting the number of skilled immigrants to address engineering shortages and maintain U.S. competitiveness, but some in Trump’s base are accusing tech billionaires of self-interest. GOP lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), are signaling openness to reforms, such as granting green cards to STEM Ph.D. graduates, setting the stage for potential policy shifts in the upcoming administration.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.

An Alabama woman has won a $10 million cash prize off a $20 scratch off ticket.

Jessica Callihan of Foley purchased the $20 Gold Rush Legacy Scratch-off from a Pensacola Cumberland Farms and became to winner, a stroke of luck that according to AL.com had the chances of 1 in 2.97 million.

Callihan chose to receive her payment in one lump-sum rather than be doled out in payments, which after taxes came out to $6.03 million.

Alabama remains just one of five states to be without a lottery, estimated to have cost the state over $1 billion in revenue. Florida’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund estimates that since the lottery was adopted in 1993, it has created over $19.5 billion in revenue for the state.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.

State Rep. Andy Whitt (R-Harvest) is sharing a more in-depth account of state lawmakers’ inability to pass legal gambling and lottery legislation during the 2024 session.

Whitt, who chairs the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, was charged with looking at gambling within the state by Alabama Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter last year. On Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” Whitt discussed his frustration with how that process played out when lawmakers met earlier this year.

“Not only was it a disappointment to me, I had put in over 16 months of work hard work into this bill,” Whitt said. “We felt that we had a good deal. The Senate obviously thought different, that it needed to be watered down. In the spirit of negotiations the House went into it with good intentions, and was faithful in our negotiations with the Senate. We had a lot of belief in the Senate that they would hold uphold their end of the bargain and let’s it out for a floor vote. And we did that in the House and it got to the Senate and ultimately then failed by that one vote.”

RELATED: Whitt: It’s time we let the people decide the fate of gambling in Alabama

Whitt said outside influences successfully leveraged their might and resources to impact the final outcome in the Senate, which was not brought up for a second vote after the first attempt.

“Can’t tell you why. I have my suspicions,” he said. “Obviously there’s outside influences. But I will tell you that it was disappointing, but not just to me, but also to all the other House members that voted for it, and then the senators that did support the legislation.”

The lawmaker argued that the Yellowhammer State really missed out on an opportunity to benefit from the legislation.

“Our biggest loser, once again is the citizens of Alabama,” he said. “We’ve let them down again, and not allowing them the right to vote on a piece of legislation for lottery. And it was an education lottery. We had gotten it back to that point the Senate had changed. But we had gotten it back to an education lottery out of that conference report.”

“And that’s what we wanted people to vote on,” he added. “And I’m a firm believer that the people should be allowed to vote on it. And again, they unfortunately, have been let down and we’ll have to wait another year to see if it comes back up.”

RELATED: Ledbetter on fate of legal gambling: ‘At the end of the day, there just wasn’t enough time’

Whitt said if the Legislature wants to have a chance of passing it in the next session, it will have to come from the Senate first.

“You know, if it does, it’ll have to come from the Senate,” he argued. “I believe that it needs to be brought up in the Senate. Then let us bring it back down the House. The House has proven that we could pass it and they were willing to pass it. The voters want it. They deserve it. And they were quite disappointed. And I think some of the senators are hearing that now from their constituents.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee

Alabama Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter appeared on Capitol Journal late last week to rehash the 2024 legislative session. Among several topics, the Speaker spoke in detail about the push for legal gambling made by House lawmakers that came up one vote short in the Alabama Senate.

“Well, there was a lot of conversation,” he said. “I don’t think it ever came to fruition. It was just talk that we’d got with the Senate and some conversation that was going on. At the end of the day there just wasn’t enough time.”

Ledbetter said he firmly believes voters should have a say on gambling. Although he is now unsure about the likelihood of passing legislation after an investigation was conducted by a state appointed study group.

The group found hundreds of illegal gambling operations across the state.

“We have so much,” he said. “I didn’t realize until the committee we put together kind of went around the state and found out the types of illegal gaming we had and how much of it there was. I think everybody was shocked to know that.”

RELATED: Alabama lawmakers advance compromise of legal gambling proposal – ‘We’ve never gotten to this point’

He acknowledged that the revenue is going to neighboring states that have a lottery.

“The money is going out of state. We got almost half of our counties that borders another state that has got it as far as the lottery is concerned. So I think the voters really want a chance to vote. That was one of the things I wanted to try to do and I’m the last person to know anything about gambling.”

“It’s all across the state. Every county has some.”

The main issue, according to Ledbetter, is that the operations are not regulated.

“You know that all kinds of things happen in those facilities that shouldn’t. So we put the commission together to regulate it and stop it.”

He said that Alabamians have often expressed their desire for tougher laws on the books to fight illegal gaming.

“I hear people say we need to enforce with tougher laws, which these laws were a lot tougher, but the problem is you got to have people enforce it,” said Ledbetter.

RELATED: Albritton elaborates on ‘no’ vote, citing failure to address sports, online and PCI gambling

In addition to the lack of manpower, law enforcement in several counties is reportedly involved in the gambling operations.

“Some of these counties actually the sheriff they are the ones that does the the licenses for them,” Ledbetter said. “Then we got one county where the sheriff’s brother had some. So it’s hard and it’s hard for county sheriffs to do it because they don’t have the facilities to put the machines in and they don’t have the manpower.”

In the near future, Ledbetter said that their is the possibility of increased legal resources for the Attorney General’s office and other prosecutors to fight illegal gambling but without enforcement “nothing will change.”

He also predicted a rise in illegal gambling after the failed attempt to pass the 2024 legislation.

“Probably after this, we’re gonna see an expansion of more illegal gambling. The problem we had you get a lot of people that’s making money off of it illegally, and some of it I think, is organized crime. You can tell just by how the facility is set up. They showed me those pictures. So I think this has given them a runway to be honest with you.”

“I don’t know if we upped it who’s gonna enforce it. You say well the local people will. Well a lot of them may have people that are involved or engaged they think it’s legal.”

“I know the Attorney General said everything’s illegal. I guess it depends on who you talk to. There’s different opinions on that.”

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.