Alabama will remove anti-gay language from the state’s sex education law. For decades, the law said students should be taught that homosexuality is both socially unacceptable and illegal. Gov. Kay Ivey has signed a bill sponsored by Rep. Laura Hall (D-Huntsville) and approved by the Alabama Legislature which will remove a section of the 1992 sex education law that said…
Alabama will soon allow people with long-ago convictions for certain low-level crimes to apply to have their records wiped clean. The Alabama Legislature approved an expanded expungement bill that was signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey. The bill is called the Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment and Eliminate Recidivism Act — or the REDEEMER Act. It would…
Alabama legislators in the closing days of the session will face decisions on gambling, medical marijuana and a bill to ban the use of medications to help transgender-youth transition. House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said he expects all three bills, which have already cleared the Alabama Senate, to get votes in the House of Representatives in the final days of the…
Alabama could soon become the next conservative state to prevent transgender girls from playing on female sports teams. The Republican-dominated Alabama Legislature gave final passage Thursday to a bill that would prohibit K-12 schools from letting a “biological male” participate on a female team. The bill now goes to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who has not said whether she would…
File Photo (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – The sweet potato could soon be the official state vegetable of Alabama. The Alabama Legislature on Tuesday gave final approval to a bill to name the sweet potato as the official state vegetable. The House of Representatives voted 94-4 for the bill, sending it on to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey for…
The Alabama Senate has approved a lottery and casino legislation as lawmakers make a third attempt to advance a gambling bill this session. Senators voted 23-9 for the proposed constitutional amendment would establish a state lottery and allow nine casino sites in the state. Casino and sports betting sites would be located in Macon County as well as Jefferson County,…
State senators on Tuesday are expected to debate lottery and casino legislation. Sen. Jim McClendon (R-Springville) said he expects to bring up a bill for debate that would establish a state lottery as well as allow multiple casino sites. McClendon says he believes he has the 21 votes needed to get the measure through the Senate. The debate comes days…
A divided legislative committee has advanced a bill to repeal Alabama’s habitual offender law that mandates longer sentences for repeat offenders. The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved the bill on a 9-5 vote. The bill by Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa), would do away with the sentencing mandates for new cases and allow some prisoners to have their sentences reviewed….
Will state lawmakers take a gamble on a new lottery bill after the Senate rejected a measure this week? Now another senator is offering up a proposal he hopes will pay off. A new lottery bill is being introduced in the senate. Despite Senator Del Marsh’s Bill not being passed on Tuesday, the Alabama legislature is not giving up on…
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama lawmakers have delayed action on an anti-riot bill that would stiffen penalties for people taking part in “tumultuous” protests. The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sent the bill to a subcommittee. Black lawmakers raised concerns about the bill’s vague definition of riot. They also recalled Alabama’s history of using police dogs, fire hoses and arrests…
