Jim McClendon

Committee considers bill requiring local school funding follow children to public charter schools

The Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee held a public hearing Wednesday on a bill that would require that more local public school funding follow children whose parents choose instead to enroll them in public charter schools instead of the local public school where the state has assigned them. Senate Bill 311 is sponsored by Senate … Continued

April 25, 2019

Lottery bill gets favorable report from Senate Committee

The Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee voted on Tuesday to give a favorable report to a bill that would create a constitutional amendment allowing voters to decide whether or not they wanted to have a state lottery. Senate Bill 220 is sponsored by Republican Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore. SB220 specifies that a lottery would be … Continued

April 24, 2019

Dueling lottery bills: A simple breakdown of what they do

There are currently two lottery bills in the Alabama Legislature: SB220, sponsored by Sen. Greg Albritton, and SB130, sponsored by Sen. Jim McClendon. While these two bills legalize a lottery in Alabama, they are remarkably different in terms of the games that are allowed, revenues generated and jobs created. Whenever the topic of a lottery, … Continued

April 19, 2019

Senate Committee approves bonus for retired state employees

The Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee gave a favorable report Wednesday to Senate Bill 206, which would give a one-time bonus to retired state workers. SB206 is sponsored by state Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster. Ward said that under his bill each retired state employee would receive $24 per year of service in a … Continued

April 11, 2019

A mother fights for hands free legislation

Wednesday, Michelle Lunsford was at the Alabama Statehouse to urge legislators to pass legislation that would make it illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a cell phone in your hands. “On February 22, 2018, my daughter, Camryn Callaway, was driving on I-65,” Mrs. Lunsford told the Alabama Political Reporter. “She was on her phone … Continued

March 21, 2019

McClendon to introduce lottery legislation

State Sen. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, has announced that he will release the details of his lottery bill at a press conference today. The 2019 Alabama regular legislative session resumes today after it was interrupted by Gov. Kay Ivey’s call of a special session to pass her gas tax increase to pay for infrastructure. That passed … Continued

March 19, 2019

2019 legislative session begins Tuesday

The 2019 regular session of the Alabama legislature begins today Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey will give her annual state of the state address to a joint session of the Alabama Legislature tonight at 6:30 p.m. There are several key issues that will be decided by the legislature in these weeks. Fuel tax increase – This … Continued

March 5, 2019

Lawmakers say tax bill will likely be 12 cents a gallon

Monday night, state Sen. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, and state Rep. Craig Lipscomb, R-Gadsden, addressed the St. Clair Farmer’s Federation in Ashville on their annual legislative day. McClendon said that one of the biggest issue facing the legislature will be a proposed gas tax. “I am not involved in it,” McClendon said. “Everything that I know … Continued

February 12, 2019

Marsh, Ledbetter preview legislative session

Senate President Pro Tempore Del Marsh, R-Anniston, and House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, gave a joint presentation Saturday on the upcoming 2019 Regular legislative session at the monthly meeting of the Mid Alabama Republic Club. Former State Representative Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood, is the President of MARC and moderated the discussion. DeMarco asked about infrastructure … Continued

February 11, 2019

Livingston, Ledbetter preview legislative session

Alabama House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, and State Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, addressed the people of Fort Payne about the state of the state. The event was sponsored by the Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce, Senator Livingston said that I want to give you an overview of what happened in 2018 and an overview … Continued

February 6, 2019