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State will not need to prorate the 2020 budgets

Two Senate committees met Monday on the 2020 budgets and moved the 2021 budgets. Despite the massive economic shutdown that has crippled the state economy and thousands of businesses, reporters were assured that there will not be any need to prorate either the general fund or the education trust fund budgets in 2020. Senate President … Continued
April 29, 2020
Red heart shape and medical stethoscope on blue background top view. Health care, medicare and cardiology concept.

American Diabetes Association urges governor to address the needs of diabetics

The CEO of the American Diabetes Association today sent a letter to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) on behalf of the approximately 2 million state residents living with diabetes and pre-diabetes. The letter calls for Governor Ivey to immediately address the vulnerable situation that people living with diabetes may find themselves in as unemployment skyrockets … Continued
March 27, 2020

Coronavirus will stretch Alabama hospitals and healthcare facilities to the breaking point

With cases of the coronavirus now being reported in Alabama, healthcare – especially in rural parts of our state – has become more important than ever. Several years ago, our state had the opportunity to expand Medicaid at almost no new cost to Alabama taxpayers. The federal government would have funded over 90 percent of … Continued
March 17, 2020

Sewell votes for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Congresswoman Terri Sewell, D-Selma, on Saturday commended the House passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The package includes many provisions to protect workers and stimulate the economy during the COVID-19 Coronavirus public health crisis. “In the face of this ongoing pandemic, it is critical that the federal government is providing Alabama families with … Continued
March 16, 2020

Yellowhammer Fund praises latest effort to expand Medicaid to more Alabamians

Yellowhammer Fund, an abortion fund and reproductive justice organization headquartered in Alabama, is praising the latest legislative effort to ensure that those without medical insurance can access coverage by finally expanding Medicaid in the state. “While we are frustrated to see that it took a global pandemic for some Alabama lawmakers to recognize that we … Continued
March 16, 2020

Democrats drop four pieces of legislation to expand Medicaid in response to rural health care crisis, COVID-19 pandemic

Today, Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, introduced a bill, HB448, to extend Medicaid coverage for new and expectant mothers for up to a year postpartum, while Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, introduced a bill, HB447, to fully expand Medicaid coverage. Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, introduced two resolutions, supporting his colleagues bills and urging the Governor to expand … Continued
March 13, 2020

Another rural hospital is closing. What will it take for Alabama to finally expand Medicaid?

Today, when the Pickens County Medical Center closes its doors, it will become yet another sad statistic among the now 14 hospitals in Alabama that have shuttered their doors since 2011. Eight of those have been in rural communities. There are other shocking statistics, too, about the fragile state of our health care system in … Continued
March 9, 2020

The Alabama 2020 Legislative Session begins today

The Alabama Legislature returns to Montgomery today for the 2020 legislative session. Both Houses of the Legislature will meet this afternoon for organizational sessions at the Statehouse. Tonight, Governor Kay Ivey (R) will deliver the annual State of the State Address to a Joint Session of the Alabama Legislature at 6:30 p.m. in the Old … Continued
February 4, 2020

An optimist, or just naïve?

Give U.S. Sen. Doug Jones credit. He isn’t pandering for Alabama votes, and that’s just another reason to respect this public servant. I was stunned, but then not stunned, to see that Jones, a Democrat from Birmingham, is only polling at 41 percent approval. Alabama is, after all, solidly for Donald Trump, a now-impeached president. … Continued
January 23, 2020

Fighting the swamp spending culture

The national debt of our country now stands at a staggering $23 trillion.  By failing to act, we are placing an unearned and undeserved burden on our children and grandchildren.  That is why I voted no when Speaker Pelosi rammed the $1.4 trillion 2020 spending bills through Congress in December.  We are spending too much … Continued
January 7, 2020