Skip to content

John Rogers

News / Economy / Legislature / State

House passes general fund budget, 2 percent state employee pay increase

The Alabama House of Representatives passed the state general fund budget, HB152, on Tuesday. HB152 is sponsored by House Ways and Means Chairman Steve Clouse, R-Ozark. HB152 passed 103 to 0. The House also passed HB166, sponsored by the late Rep. Dimitri Polizos, R-Montgomery, to give state employees a 2 percent cost of living allowance. … Continued
April 10, 2019

House passes safe harbor for economic developers bill

Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed HB 289, sponsored by Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton. The bill protects economic developers from having to register as lobbyists. HB289 is similar in some respects to last year’s HB317, which passed last year but has a sunset provision that it expires this month. HB289 has no sunset provision. … Continued
April 5, 2019

House passes controversial new rules

The Alabama House of Representatives voted for a series of rule changes in the inner workings of the house. Passing the rules for the next four years is one of the duties of the legislature during the organizational session; but since Republicans have an overwhelming 77 to 28 supermajority the Republicans essentially got to write … Continued
January 10, 2019

Rep. Ritchie Whorton wins 2018 Shroud Award for car headlight bill

Thursday, the Alabama legislature ended the 2018 legislative session, and on the last day, the Alabama House of Representatives awarded the Shroud award for this session to State Rep. Ritchie Whorton, R-Scottsboro. The Shroud Award goes to the Representative who sponsored the “deadest piece of legislation” introduced in the 2018 legislative session. Whorton received the … Continued
April 2, 2018

Birmingham City Council approves BJCC expansion

Tuesday, the Birmingham City Council voted 6-3 to commit $90 million over 30 years towards a controversial renovation of the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center and construction of the first new football stadium in over a hundred years. The Legislature had already passed their part of the plan to fund the BJCC expansion and football field … Continued
March 28, 2018

House passes bill to increase penalties for Fentanyl trafficking

Thursday, the House passed legislation to increase the penalties for the distribution of Fentanyl. Senate Bill 39 is sponsored by State Senator Cam Ward, R-Alabaster. Weaver said that the biggest problem is the fetanyl is a synthetic opioid being produced in China and Mexico and other countries and then smuggled in to this country. Fentanyl … Continued
March 23, 2018

House OKs earmarked car rental tax for Birmingham stadium, BJCC expansion

Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation that would allow the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center to renovate and expand. It would also allow the facility to build an open-air football stadium adjacent to their existing facility. Senate Bill 311 is sponsored by state Sen. J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner, R-Vestavia. SB311 was carried in the House … Continued
March 21, 2018

Alabama House OKs juvenile justice reform

Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a massive reform package of the troubled Alabama juvenile justice system. HB225 was sponsored by state Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville. Hill chairs the House Judiciary Committee and was the co-chair of the Juvenile Justice Task Force created by Gov. Kay Ivey. Hill is a retired judge in St. … Continued
March 16, 2018

House OKs bill to clarify consulting contracts by state legislators

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill to try to clarify how legislators accept consulting contracts under Alabama’s 2010 ethics law. Some pundits have suggested that House Bill 387 is actually designed to weaken the existing ethics law. Sponsor state Rep. Rich Wingo, R-Tuscaloosa, argues that the … Continued
March 14, 2018

House reconsiders taxing Forever Wild but amendment fails again

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter The Alabama House of Representatives voted down a proposed constitutional amendment charging the Forever Wild program with payments in lieu of property tax payments. On Thursday, the House voted to re-consider the controversial resolution that would cost the state lands programs over $230,000 a year.  For the second time … Continued
March 5, 2018