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Federal ruling allows Alabama Census lawsuit to proceed

A lawsuit filed by the state of Alabama against several federal departments has been allowed to proceed after a federal district court denied a federal government motion to drop the case. Attorney General Marshall and U.S. Rep. Brook filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Census Bureau in May 2018, arguing … Continued
June 7, 2019

Equal pay is a huge step in the right direction

One of the positive things to come out of the 2019 Legislative Session is a piece of legislation that has finally brought pay equality to Alabama. Until last week, Alabama was one of only two states in the country that don’t have any laws requiring equal pay for equal work. The other state, if you … Continued
June 7, 2019

“Progressive” is not a bad word

After I wrote a controversial column a few years ago that received a gaggle of ad hominem attacks from characteristically inarticulate readers, a friend of mine from the Northeast texted me: “Joey, you and Veronica need to move to a blue state. It’ll add 10 years to your life.” In today’s crippled, dying world, I … Continued
June 6, 2019

AARP Alabama seeks nominees for 2019 Andrus Award for Community Service

Alabama is now accepting nominations for its 2019 Alabama Andrus Award for Community Service, which honors Alabamians age 50+ who are sharing their experience, talent, and skills to enrich the lives of their community members.  “AARP Alabama is excited to shine a light on Alabamians 50+ who are using what they’ve learned in life to … Continued
June 5, 2019

Making correctional education work for Alabama

The job market in Alabama is growing, and the unemployment rate has reached low levels not seen in many years. Businesses across the state are working harder than ever to find and hire qualified workers. According to Governor Ivey’s Success Plus initiative, our state will need an extra 500,000 credentialed, highly-skilled or degreed individuals by … Continued
May 31, 2019

House Democrats discuss new education budget, successes, shortcomings

On Wednesday, State Reps. Pebblin Warren, D-Birmingham, and Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, led a discussion about the Education Trust Fund budget that was passed on Tuesday. “Our future is only as strong as our education system is today,” Warren said at the Democrats’ weekly press conference. The education budget, Senate Bill 199, is marked at $7.1 … Continued
May 30, 2019

Examining the “sanctity of life” in Alabama

We cannot give Alabama lawmakers (mostly men) and Gov. Kay Ivey a pass on their flippant claim they revere life, as they say they demonstrated in passing the nation’s most strict and unconstitutional anti-abortion law. Claiming they care a whit about the “sanctity of life” demonstrates total cynicism and disrespect to their constituents. Much of … Continued
May 30, 2019
Nameplate reads J. Pepper Bryars

Time to stop daydreaming about a lottery

Lottery supporters were left saying “so close …” last week after the latest attempt to establish the game in Alabama collapsed under the weight of competing interests and power plays. It was reminiscent of the failed lotto player, successfully matching his numbers one by one until his hopes are dashed when that final digit proves … Continued
May 30, 2019

Finally, something that might work

Expanding workforce development and rural broadband could very well be the most significant accomplishments of the 2019 Legislative Session. Both actions have the potential to change Alabama’s future by fostering middle-skill jobs and connecting rural communities to the global economy. The education budget passed in the Senate includes a $6 million increase for workforce development … Continued
May 29, 2019