Alabama Forestry Association endorses five state House incumbents
The association has endorsed House members Phillip Pettus, Ben Robbins, Prince Chestnut, Kenneth Paschal and Chris Blackshear.
Phillip Pettus
Governor signs legislation to allow police to remove obnoxious RV park guests
The legislation would authorize law enforcement to remove guests from an RV park at the request of the park operator.
Committee advances bill to make speeding alone not a jailable offense
The bill would make the charge of speeding alone a charge where the offender could not be sentenced to jail or prison.
Alabama Legislature returns for day 10 of the 2021 Legislative Session
The House has an ambitious proposed special order calendar.
House committee approves bill allowing law enforcement to tow a vehicle if driver has no license
Wednesday, the Alabama House Public Safety Committee gave a favorable report to a bill that gives officers the power to have a vehicle towed if the driver does not have a valid driver’s license. House Bill 34 is sponsored by State Representative Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle. Stadthagen said that under current Alabama law the law enforcement … Continued
Bill to abolish elected county superintendents stalled in Alabama House
The Alabama House of Representatives rejected a proposal Friday to force all Alabama counties to adopt a system where the county board of education hires a school superintendent. In many Alabama counties, the county school superintendent is an elected official over the schools analogous to the Sheriff with law enforcement. City systems already have appointed … Continued
Senate passes bill to allow retired law enforcement officers to work as school security
The Alabama Senate approved a bill Thursday by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, that would allow local school boards of education to hire retired law enforcement officers to serve as armed school security staff, provided they possess 25 years of experience. The officers must complete active shooter prevention training approved by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency … Continued
Speaker: Don’t expect House action on comprehensive ethics reform
On Thursday, Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, addressed reporters about the week’s legislative accomplishments. On Wednesday, a controversial rewrite of state ethics laws appeared to stall in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Reporters asked McCutcheon if the House of Representatives would introduce their own comprehensive ethics reform bill. “No, I don’t see any comprehensive … Continued
Committee approves bill to allow retired law enforcement to work as school resource officers
The Alabama House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee approved a bill Wednesday to allow retired law enforcement officers to be hired as school security guards and school resources officers. House Bill 209 is sponsored by state Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Killen. Pettus is a retired state trooper. Pettus said the bill would allow a sheriff … Continued
New Alabama House Republican Caucus meets to select leadership
The 77 members of the House Republican Caucus were sworn in by Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) during the group’s organizational meeting in Montgomery on Tuesday. This is the largest Republican supermajority in Alabama history. Following the swearing-in ceremony, the Caucus selected McCutcheon as its candidate for House Speaker for the next four … Continued