On Wednesday, an Alabama House committee and Senate committee approved similar legislation to ensure President Joe Biden is able to appear on the ballot in November. Last week, Secretary of State Wes Allen warned the Democratic National Convention and Alabama Democratic Party that a certification of nomination must be submitted to his office no later than August 15. According to Alabama  Code § 17-14-31(6) the certificate must be delivered 82 days before the general election. In a letter to the Alabama Democratic Party Chair Randy Kelley, Allen stated that Biden and Kamala Harris would b ..read more

Employees who retired from the state before October 2023 could see a 3 percent cost-of-living-adjustment. The House Ways and Means General Fund committee on Wednesday approved HB440 by Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview, that would enact the adjustment. Local governments could opt in, but would have to fund the COLA with local funds.  The bill is estimated to cost about $17.1 million in 2025, steadily declining about 3.6 percent each year. “Not to be morbid, but the expense would go down every year due to death,” said Neah Scott, legislative counsel for RSA. The bill is a companion to HB201 ..read more

Exchanges on social media over political issues are rarely productive.  For the overwhelming majority of them, it is simply two people trying to out hot-take each other repeatedly. There is typically nothing substantive or lasting about the exchanges, and I’m not sure there has ever been a single mind changed about anything.  That said, on occasion, an exchange can lead people to a better understanding of a complicated topic, if they choose to do the off-social media research on that topic. Or follow up with an email or message.  That was the case earlier this week, when I resp ..read more

Last year, the Alabama Legislature passed a bill creating the Distressed Institutions of Higher Learning Revolving Loan Program specifically to bail out Birmingham Southern College. Now that the program has failed to save BSC, lawmakers took a first step forward Wednesday toward repealing the program entirely. The $30 million loan program relied on State Treasurer Young Boozer to OK the loan, and Boozer denied to give BSC the money, calling the college a bad credit risk. Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, brought legislation to remove Boozer from the process entirely in a last-ditch effort ..read more

House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels addressed the public on Wednesday regarding the recent election results for Alabama’s second congressional district. In his statement, Daniels conveyed a mixture of respect for the electoral process and optimism for the future. “While last night’s results were not in our favor, I respect the decision made by the voters of AL-2. Despite the outcome, I am grateful and more determined to advance our shared values,” said Daniels. He expressed profound thanks to his family and the voters who supported his campaign. “I am indebted to my family and the residents ..read more

In a swift move following her triumph in the runoff election, Republican candidate Caroleene Dobson has received a resounding endorsement from U.S. Senator Katie Britt for Alabama’s newly-drawn 2nd Congressional District. Dobson’s victory, celebrated by GOP voters, has garnered praise from Senator Britt, who hailed her as a multifaceted professional and advocate for Alabama’s interests. “Caroleene Dobson is not just a distinguished attorney, but also a devoted wife and mother,” remarked Senator Britt, underscoring Dobson’s commitment to family values and public service. The endorsement comes ..read more

A new podcast on electric vehicles (EVs) – the “Drive Electric Alabama Podcast” – released its first episode Wednesday. This podcast is now available on streaming platforms.  The podcast will feature discussions surrounding topics such as EV transition, infrastructure, funding and automobile manufacturing, as well as economic development, training and workforce development, auto sales, battery research and commercial vehicles. Led by hosts Cedric Daniels, a former EV marketing manager for Alabama Power Company, and Michael Staley, president of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition (ACFC), th ..read more

On the heels of Alabama’s ballot harvesting ban, I am turning my attention towards the next step in ensuring Alabama elections are the most secure elections in the country: the outlawing of ranked-choice voting. SB 186 sponsored by Senator Arthur Orr and HB 423 sponsored by Representative Mark Shirey prohibit the use of ranked choice voting in Alabama’s elections, with an exception for electors who vote by absentee ballot pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. This bill would help preserve the integrity of our state’s elections process. Ranked choice voting is a ..read more

Governor Kay Ivey announced Wednesday that Republic Airways Holdings and its Leadership in Flight Training (LIFT) Academy plan to develop an advanced flight training program in Tuskegee that will prepare the next generation of aspiring pilots for high-paying career opportunities in the airline industry. LIFT is teaming with Tuskegee University and the City of Tuskegee to base the training center at the storied Moton Field, where the pioneering Tuskegee Airmen received flight training before becoming the first African American military aviators during World War II. Students in the LIFT program ..read more

The Alabama House of Representatives passed a budget package totaling $11 billion Tuesday that funds raises for teachers, principals and assistant principals and the proposed School of Healthcare Sciences in Demopolis. The starting pay for new teachers gets a significant raise under the budget to $47,600, the highest rate of states in the region. Gov. Kay Ivey made it part of her priority to raise the starting pay to address the state’s teacher shortage. The raise is projected to cost the state $104 million. Teachers would also be getting a 2 percent raise across the board, something Ivey has ..read more