Jessa Reid Bolling

The Alabama State Senate gave final passage to Senate Bill 163, a measure that removes many of the work restrictions that currently face people who have served the entirety of their prison sentence and paid full restitution. The bill, sponsored by Senator Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, received bipartisan support, passing unanimously in the House and the … Continued

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Alabama and Planned Parenthood Federation of America filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging Alabama’s recent legislation that bans abortion in nearly all cases and punishes doctors who perform abortions. The lawsuit is challenging House Bill 314 or the “Human Life Protection Act,” which bans all abortions in the … Continued

Last week, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a near-total ban on abortion. But polls from just last year show the majority of Americans support access to abortion in some cases, rather than an outright ban on the practice. Polls from last year show that 48 percent of Americans identify as pro-choice, while 48 percent as … Continued

The State House unanimously passed three bills on Wednesday and Thursday aimed at combating human trafficking.  Rep. Merika Coleman, D-Birmingham, Assistant Minority Leader, and Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, Education Policy Chair, co-sponsored the bills. “This is a great step in continuing the fight against human trafficking,” Coleman said. “The unanimous, bi-partisan passage of all three … Continued

The Senate approved a compromise bill to provide disaster relief for Americans impacted by eligible natural disasters between 2017 and 2019. The bill passed this week after months of negotiations, which were primarily delayed over disagreements about funding for Puerto Rico hurricane recovery efforts and the southern border. The legislation will now go to the … Continued

U.S. Senator Doug Jones, D-Alabama, introduced new legislation to offer financial and technical support to farmers and producers impacted by President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war with China. The Assistance for Farmers Harmed by Tariffs on Exports Act would offer Trade Adjustment Assistance to farmers and producers hurt by tariffs implemented by China. “I agree … Continued

The Alabama Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is changing its name to The Alabama Campaign for Adolescent Sexual Health (Alabama Campaign) in an effort to more accurately reflect its goal of promoting comprehensive sexual education program for all Alabama young people. The organization’s Board of Directors also named a new executive director to lead the … Continued