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Lee Hedgepeth

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VIDEO: Death Penalty “Fair Justice” In-Depth

By Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter As promised, the Alabama Political Reporter was present for the public hearing on the proposed changes to the death penalty appeals process yesterday at noon in the State House in Montgomery. We were able to get lots of good footage, and reaction from both proponents and opponents of the … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 22, 2014

This Week in Montgomery: A Goat Hill Update

By Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter Week Two of the 2014 legislative session begins today, and there is much to watch in Alabama politics. With both the House and Senate prepared to consider and vote on more bills this week, this session is already beginning to have an impact. Week One Review Last week, Speaker … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 21, 2014

Public Hearing Today In State House On Death Penalty Proposals

By Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter There will be a public hearing today at noon at the State House in Montgomery on proposed legislation, labeled the “Fair Justice Act,” that would speed up death penalty convictions in the state. The hearing will be before a joint session of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. The … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 21, 2014

PSC to Vote on Inmate Phone Price Regulations

By Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter Alabama’s Public Service Commission, which regulates the State’s utilities, met on January 14th for their monthly business meeting. The Commission, which consists of President Twinkle Cavanaugh, Place One Commissioner Jeremy Oden, and Place Two Commissioner Terry Dunn, went over routine business, including approving routine business items such as approving … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 20, 2014

AL Earned over $4,000 Last Year From Marijuana Tax, Though Practice May Soon End

By Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter Since the late 1980s, when states across the US began cracking down on drug use by any means necessary, Alabama has had the legal power to assess a very unusual tax. Namely, a tax on marijuana and other controlled substances that – yes – are illegal. The law, which … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 20, 2014

Hubbard’s House “Tax Relief” Day Bill May Increase Taxes, Costs

By Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter Yesterday on Twitter, Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Mike Hubbard declared it “Tax Relief” Day in the body. Brought up and passed were four tax-related bills: HB97, HB105, HB108, and HB151. House Bill 108, one of these bills, is sponsored by Representative Greg Wren, who recently announced … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 17, 2014

Dept of Education Releases New “Failing” Schools List

By Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter As has been anticipated, the Alabama Department of Education this week released a list of “failing” schools as provided for in the Alabama Accountability Act passed in 2013. The law allows students enrolled in such schools to either transfer to another public school or private school, with the use … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 17, 2014

Governor Announces Proposed Changes to Open Meeting Act, Democrats React

By Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter Early Thursday morning in the Capitol auditorium, Governor Bentley announced that he will support new legislation that he says, if passed, would strengthen Alabama’s Open Meetings Act. The law, which requires elected bodies to meet in public, was effectively gutted over the last two years by a series of … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 17, 2014

Sunset Changes Would “Silence” Minority, Members of Both Parties Skeptical

By Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter Yesterday in the Alabama State House, members of the Senate’s Governmental Affairs Committee held their first meeting of the 2014 legislative session, and it did not take long for the debate to get heated. One bill before the committee, SB16, would make changes to certain sunset procedures. The proposal … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 16, 2014

Del Marsh and Common Core Opponents Spar in State House

By: Lee Hedgepeth Alabama Political Reporter Ever since the federal government announced the introduction of the Common Core educational standards as one of the factors considered in awarding federal education grants through the Obama Administration’s Race to the Top program, the issue has caused deep divides in the State. While Alabama’s GOP majority is usually … Continued

Lee Hedgepeth

January 15, 2014