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Sen. Gerald Dial named Legislator of the Year by Alabama State Employees Association

State Sen. Gerald Dial, R-Lineville, who sponsored bills in the Senate that will give a one-time bonus to retired state employees and teachers this year, has been named the 2018 Legislator of the Year by the Alabama State Employees Association, the group announced Tuesday. Dial, one of the senior most lawmakers in Montgomery who has … Continued
April 18, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: Races to watch

Our antiquated 1901 Constitution was designed to give inordinate power to the Legislature. During the Wallace years, the King of Alabama politics, George Wallace, usurped this power and controlled the Legislature from the Executive Branch of Government. Over the last couple of decades the Legislature has wrestled this power back and pretty much excluded the Governor from … Continued
April 18, 2018

Auditor’s Office is being evicted from Alabama State House

Friday, Alabama state Auditor Jim Zeigler received legal notice that the state auditors are losing their office space in the Alabama State House. The working offices of the auditors have been in the State House since July 2007, but Zeigler has received notice that they will have to be out by September 30, 2018, the … Continued
April 17, 2018

The push for a balanced budget

When the 115th Congress kicked off last January, I immediately introduced a bill that I believe is fundamental to the future of our country: a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The premise of a Balanced Budget Amendment is pretty straightforward. The federal government should not be allowed to spend more than we take … Continued
April 16, 2018

Doug Jones questions CFPB acting director on pay day lending

Thursday, U.S. Senator Doug Jones questioned the Acting Director of the controversial Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Mick Mulvaney. Mulvaney is also the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Jones questioned Director Mulvaney about what he considered to be Mulvaney’s efforts to roll back consumer protections against payday lenders as well as … Continued
April 13, 2018

Balanced Budget Amendment defeated in U.S. House of Representatives

The Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday brought a constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget to the floor for a vote. The measure failed on a 233-184 vote, short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass a constitutional amendment. Republicans voted for the measure 226-6. Democrats opposed the amendment 7-178. … Continued
April 13, 2018

Inside the Statehouse: A look at our current congressional delegates

There are dramatic differences between our congressional delegation of the 1940’s-1960’s and our group on the Potomac today.  Obviously, their partisan badges have changed, as have Alabamians. There is also a tremendous difference in power and seniority of that era versus today’s group. That bygone era of Alabama congressmen were very progressive New Deal Democrats; whereas, our … Continued
April 11, 2018

Kay Ivey: One year in, serving Alabama

April 10, 2018, marks one year since I unexpectedly became governor. With only three hours’ notice I was called on to lead.  The tasks at hand were plentiful.  We had to restore integrity to state government. Relationships with legislators and community leaders across the state had to be repaired. Priorities needed to be reexamined and … Continued
April 11, 2018

Week Twelve Legislative Report: Sine Die

The Alabama Legislature adjourned the annual Regular Session Sine Die on Thursday, March 29 on the 26th Day of the Session. Unless there is a Special Session called by the Governor, the Legislature will convene for its annual 2019 Regular Session on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. As the next quadrennium begins after the General Elections … Continued
April 4, 2018

State Rep, prominent Alabama lobbyist arrested on federal bribery charges

Another prominent Alabama Republican lawmaker has been arrested on public corruption charges. According to a release from U.S. Attorney Louis Franklin, Birmingham Rep. Jack Williams was arrested on federal bribery and wire fraud charges for his part in a scheme to push through legislation in the Alabama Legislature that benefitted a California diabetes care company, … Continued
April 2, 2018