$800 million for prisons

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY — A House prison construction plan in the works is expected to include the provisions that would allow for the construction of a new women’s prison and three regional men’s facilities at a cost of up to $845 million. The revamped House plan will come as lawmakers stare down the … Continued

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY — The House Judiciary Committee is expected to take up legislation authorizing the Alabama Prison Transformation Initiative in a meeting Tuesday morning. The committee will consider SB302, passed by the Senate last month, which would authorize the construction of up to three new men’s prisons. The bill was a … Continued

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY — Gov. Robert Bentley’s priority legislation for the 2017 legislative session has made it through the Alabama Senate, but only an outline of the original plan remains in place. The Senate on Thursday passed a toned-down version of Bentley’s Prison Transformation Initiative — an ambitious, albeit controversial plan … Continued

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY — Gov. Robert Bentley wasted no time during his annual address Tuesday night in placing his prison construction plan at the forefront of this year’s legislative agenda. Bentley told lawmakers, officials and judges gathered for the State of the State Address that Alabama’s prisoners are forced to live in … Continued

By Josh Moon Alabama Political Reporter It is sometimes hard to find material for a top-stories-of-the-year piece. That is not the case for 2016. If anything, trimming this one down to just 10 – by way of carefully including a number of stories inside broad categories – was the trouble. It was no easy task, … Continued