Legislature

Alabama lawmakers advance bill banning transgender athletes in K-12 sports

A House committee voted Wednesday to advance a bill that would ban transgender teenagers from playing on the sports teams of the gender they identify with.  House Bill 35, titled the Gender Is Real Legislative Act, or GIRL Act, would require student athletes in K-12 schools to participate as the gender listed on their birth … Continued

Jessa Reid Bolling

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February 20, 2020

Legislation may harm pets locked in hot cars, not help, vets and advocates say

A bill passed by the Alabama Senate last week lawmakers say will help keep pets trapped in hot cars safe, might actually endanger the animals, according to some animal advocates and veterinarians. That bill was written by a dog breeder who some worry purposefully wrote the bill to make it harder to keep animals safe, … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

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February 20, 2020

Senate Committee approves medical marijuana bill

Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee gave a favorable report to a bill that would allow Alabama residents to obtain medical marijuana on an 8 to 1 vote. Senate Bill 167 was sponsored by State Senator Tim Melson, R-Florence. SB165 would create a tightly regulated network of state-licensed marijuana growers, dispensaries, transporters, and processors. Patients would … Continued

Brandon Moseley

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February 20, 2020

Opinion

Alabama close to allowing hot dogs to be rescued

Most readers know that we’ve had a grumble of pugs for years. We lost four in the grumble last year. All of our dogs are rescues, and most of them have some disability: unable to walk well, blindness, incontinence, a perpetually crooked head. And most of the pugs are elderly, so we expect to lose … Continued

Joey Kennedy

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February 20, 2020

House Judiciary Committee passes bail reform law named for Aniah Blanchard

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday passed a bill to give judges more discretion in denying bail to people accused of committing violent crimes.  The bill is named for Aniah Blanchard, a 19-year-old Alabama college student who was kidnapped and murdered last year. The man charged with her murder, Ibraheed Yazeed, was out on bond … Continued

Jessa Reid Bolling

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February 20, 2020

House votes to outlaw smoking, vaping in automobiles with children present

Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives voted for legislation to be smoking and vaping in motor vehicles if there is a child under 14 years of age. House Bill 46 is sponsored by State Representatives Rolanda Hollis, D-Birmingham. HB46 as introduced by Hollis would have banned smoking with children in automobiles. State Representative John Rogers, … Continued

Brandon Moseley

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February 19, 2020

Legislation would limit death penalty appeals

Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth on Tuesday discussed legislation that would reduce the length of some death penalty appeals.  “Over the last 13 month, seven Alabama law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty by violent criminals, which is a new record and obviously not one the state of Alabama is proud … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

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February 19, 2020

Alabamians for Fair Justice urges lawmakers to repeal habitual offender law

Tuesday in Montgomery, over a hundred advocates for criminal justice reform will urge Alabama lawmakers to adopt reforms to help alleviate Alabama’s prison crisis. Alabamians from across the state will push for major changes that would help make prison sentences proportionate to the crimes committed, prevent people convicted of minor offenses from going to prison, … Continued

February 19, 2020

Montgomery’s new occupation tax likely to be challenged by the legislature

Tuesday night, the Montgomery City Council voted to impose an occupation tax on everyone who works in the city of Montgomery. Tens of thousands of people would be adversely impacted by the move. The Alabama legislature appears to be on the verge of blocking the controversial measure. Earlier that day that Senate Government Affairs committee … Continued

Brandon Moseley

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February 19, 2020