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Chip Brownlee

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Longtime education advocate Larry Lee to seek Montgomery School Board seat

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter Longtime Alabama education advocate Larry Lee, who writes weekly columns and publishes a blog on education policy, is running for a seat on the Montgomery County School Board. Lee announced Monday that he would be seeking the seat for District 2. Five of the seven elected seats on the … Continued
January 30, 2018

Senate moves to cut back unemployment benefits

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter Those who receive unemployment benefits may soon lose that safety net much sooner under a bill approved by the Alabama State Senate Thursday. The Senate approved a bill that would reduce the number of weeks someone can draw unemployment compensation by nearly half under current economic situations. Under existing … Continued
January 26, 2018

Small income tax break gets Senate approval

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter The Alabama Senate approved a small income tax break Thursday. Part of the Republican agenda, the break would increase the adjusted gross income range for the largest standard income tax deduction, meaning some families will have a smaller tax burden next year. “We finally have some dollars to deal … Continued
January 26, 2018

ADMH reaches agreement to improve care for defendants awaiting mental health evaluations

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter The Alabama Department of Mental Health has entered into a legal agreement to provide more timely mental health services to people with mental illnesses and intellectual disabilities who are waiting to stand trial. A federal court Thursday entered a consent decree directing the ADMH and Commissioner Lynn Beshear to … Continued
January 26, 2018

Senators approve bipartisan bill that would take Uber, Lyft statewide

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter Senators approved a bill unanimously Thursday that would move regulations of ride-hailing companies like Lyft and Uber from the local level to the state level, potentially allowing the companies to operate statewide. The bill, SB143, sponsored by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, and President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, still … Continued
January 26, 2018

House Democrats push for better education, healthcare and ethics in Legislative agenda

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter Alabama House Democratic Caucus leaders said Wednesday that they will be introducing a series of bills in the coming weeks to back up a broad agenda that focuses on a wide range of issues. From education, workforce development, healthcare and prison reform, to fighting the opioid epidemic, increasing funding … Continued
January 25, 2018

Alabama “corrupt?” Well, it does add up

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter Hello, from one of the most corrupt states in the nation. That’s according to a variety of studies – Harvard University among them — on both illegal corruption and legal corruption. Like the University of Alabama in college football, the state Alabama is a national Top 10 in corruption; … Continued
January 25, 2018

Government funding bill provides long-term relief to Alabama CHIP program

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter Alabama’s version of the Children’s Health Insurance Program finally has some relief after months of uncertainty. The government funding bill approved Monday afternoon by Congress and the president not only ends a short government shutdown but provides CHIP six year’s of consistent funding, putting to end months of questions … Continued
January 23, 2018

Longtime Pickens County prosecutor Chris McCool qualifies for Criminal Appeals race

By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter Longtime Pickens County prosecutor Chris McCool, district attorney for the 24th Judicial Circuit, recently qualified to run for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. McCool, who serves as the lead prosecutor for Fayette, Lamar and Pickens County, will seek the Republican nomination for Place 2 on the June 5 … Continued
January 23, 2018