As Alabama lawmakers address the state’s prison problems in a special session, critics argue the problems go much deeper and won’t be remedied with brick, mortar and bars.
Alabama is considering whether to use $400 million in pandemic relief funds to build new prisons.
Governor Kay Ivey has announced the date for the Alabama legislature’s special session to address prisons. In a letter sent to legislators on Friday, Governor Ivey says the special session will begin on Monday, September 27. Lawmakers will have the task of addressing prison infrastructure, as well as examining proposals to build three new prisons. Alabama’s prison issues are well…
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama lawmakers see the possibility of a special session on prison construction this summer as Gov. Kay Ivey’s plan to rent prisons from private companies has been hit by setbacks. House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said lawmakers are working on a Plan B in which lawmakers would consider a bond issue to build new state-owned prisons. The…
Following tonight’s adjournment of the Legislature, Gov. Kay Ivey called a Special Session to tackle Alabama’s ongoing infrastructure issues. This followed her delivery of her annual “State of the State” address. In a statement, the Governor’s Office said the Special Session will be focused on legislation to levy an additional tax on gas and diesel fuel; legislation concerning the Legislature’s Permanent…
With the Senate and House of Representatives in recess until September 6th, many are wondering what’s next in the last three days of the special session. After days of contentious debate, the lottery bill died in the Senate Friday. Senators voted 23-7 to not accept the changes made to the bill by the House of Representatives. Political Analyst Steve Flowers…
Lawmakers failed to pass any lottery measures in time for the November ballot in the special session. In fact, all of the measures died after extensive debate. It’s something that has many voters questioning what’s going on in Montgomery. Alabama News Network wanted to know if voters thought the special session was a waste of their tax money or a step…
Debates of a lottery bill continued Wednesday in the legislature. A lottery bill made it out of a House committee and will be discussed on the House floor Thursday. Governor Robert Bentley calls this a step in the right direction. “I’m asking legislators to let the people vote on this issue,” he said, “this has been a decade’s old problem…
The Alabama Senate has approved Gov. Robert Bentley’s proposal to start a state lottery. Senators on Friday voted 21-12 for the bill, hitting the required number of votes needed for approval. The legislative victory for the governor keeps the bill alive in the special session on Medicaid funding. It now goes to the House of Representatives. Bentley is seeking to…
A lottery bill has quickly stalled in the Alabama Senate amid deep disagreements among lawmakers over gambling. Senators debated a lottery bill for several hours Wednesday before giving up and moving on to other bills. Gov. Robert Bentley brought lawmakers into special session to consider a lottery as a way to fund the state’s Medicaid program. The legislation faltered amid…
