Alabama Senate passes bill to ease job licensing for some with felony convictions
Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham (left) speaks with Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, on the floor of the Alabama Senate on March 4, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)
The Alabama Senate Thursday passed legislation aimed at removing barriers to employment for some people with felony convictions.
SB 138, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, would prohibit certain occupational licensing boards from automatically denying licenses based solely on a criminal conviction, unless the crime is directly related to the duties of the profession.
A 'certificate of employability' would be issued to certain parolees who meet eligibility requirements, such as job skills training while incarcerated and serve as evidence of rehabilitation.
The bill was amended during the debate to exempt some health care professionals, such as doctors, dentists and pharmacists, as well as professionals in the banking and insurance industries.
The bill passed 29-0 and heads to the House for consideration.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Cory Booker Says He Won't Take Money From Elon Musk
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, said during an appearance on NBC News on Sunday that he would not accept campaign donations from billionaire Elon Musk, but added that he would "welcome" the Tesla CEO getting involved in politics "in a more substantive way." Newsweek has reached out to Booker for comment via email on Sunday. Why It Matters Musk led the cost-cutting task force known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) until the end of May. He served as a close adviser and key ally to President Donald Trump, and helped bankroll his 2024 campaign with more than $250 million in donations. On Tuesday, he turned against the administration, speaking out against the One Big Beautiful Bill spending proposal, calling it a "disgusting abomination." Musk's public rebuke marked a notable and apparent departure from the Trump administration's legislative agenda. The Trump-backed reconciliation package passed the House last month following weeks of negotiations in which House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, wrangled votes from the ultraconservative and more centrist factions of the GOP. While Trump praised the measure in its current form, Senate Republicans have made it clear they plan to make significant changes to it before it passes the upper chamber. What to Know NBC News' Meet the Press host Kristen Welker asked Booker, an opponent of Trump's spending bill, if he would accept money from Musk for a potential reelection campaign. He is up for reelection next year. Booker replied: "I will partner with anyone like I did in the last Congress," arguing that the bill is "an American issue. And I welcome Elon Musk, not to my campaign, I welcome him right now, not to sit back and just fire off tweets, to get involved right now in a more substantive way and putting pressure on Congress people and senators to not do this." Welker asked again if Booker would ever accept campaign funding from Musk, Booker said, "I would not accept money from Elon Musk for my campaign, but I would be supportive of anybody, including Elon Musk, putting resources forward right now to let more Americans know" about the bill. Following Musk posts on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, calling the bill a "massive, outrageous, pork-filled" piece of legislation that is a "disgusting abomination," Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, told Politico that the party should try to welcome Musk. "We should ultimately be trying to convince him that the Democratic Party has more of the values that he agrees with," the congressman said. On Saturday, Trump told NBC News that Musk will face "very serious consequences" if he starts to fund Democrats. He did not specify what actions he could take against Musk. When asked if he has any desire to repair the relationship between the pair, Trump simply said "No," adding that he "would assume" their relationship is over after the very public dispute. Musk posted a series of messages criticizing the bill, Trump and the Republican Party and some of its leaders. At one point, he posted a poll asking followers whether they support the creation of a new political party, dubbed "The America Party." Of the more than 5.6 million users who responded, 80 percent said yes. Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, is seen on May 14 in Washington, D.C. Inset: Elon Musk attends a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30 in Washington,... Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, is seen on May 14 in Washington, D.C. Inset: Elon Musk attends a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30 in Washington, D.C. More AP Photo/Evan Vuccifor Student Borrower Protection Center What People Are Saying Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, wrote on Wednesday on X: "The Big Beautiful Bill is a debt bomb ticking. It's also the biggest missed opportunity conservatives have ever had to put our country back on a track of fiscal sanity. If we defeat this bill, a better one can be offered that won't bankrupt our country." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Newsweek on Thursday: "This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted. The president is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again." Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, told reporters on Tuesday: "I have to agree with [Musk] on one hand. I always love it when Americans are angry at the federal government and express it. I think that should've been happening for years now. I mean, we're $36 trillion in debt for a reason." President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social on Thursday: "I don't mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress. It's a Record Cut in Expenses, $1.6 Trillion Dollars, and the Biggest Tax Cut ever given. If this Bill doesn't pass, there will be a 68% Tax Increase, and things far worse than that. I didn't create this mess, I'm just here to FIX IT. This puts our Country on a Path of Greatness. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, wrote in a X post on June 3: "Musk is right: this bill IS a 'disgusting abomination.' We shouldn't give $664 billion in tax breaks to the 1%. We shouldn't throw 13.7 million people off of Medicaid. We shouldn't cut $290 billion from programs to feed the hungry. Let's defeat this disgusting abomination." Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, told reporters on Tuesday: "We obviously respect everything that Elon did with DOGE. On this particular issue, we have a difference of entitled to that opinion. We're going to proceed full speed ahead." What Happens Next Trump gave Senate Republicans a July 4 deadline to pass the bill and get it to his desk.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Bernie Sanders: Trump moving US 'into authoritarianism' after troops sent to LA
Bernie Sanders: Trump moving US 'into authoritarianism' after troops sent to LA Show Caption Hide Caption Trump orders troops to LA as agents, protesters clash over immigration President Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to combat violent protesters opposed to immigration enforcement. WASHINGTON − Progressive firebrand Sen. Bernie Sanders said he believes President Donald Trump is 'moving this country rapidly into authoritarianism" after Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to help quell immigration protests in Los Angeles. 'This guy wants all of the power. He does not believe in the Constitution. He does not believe in the rule of law. My understanding is that the governor of California, the mayor of the city of Los Angeles did not request the National Guard, but he thinks he has a right to do anything he wants,' Sanders, a Vermont independent, told CNN's Dana Bash on 'State of the Union.' The protests come as the Trump administration has taken stronger actions to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants. Demonstrators allege the administration's immigration enforcement has violated civil and human rights. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement on June 7 that Trump signed a memo deploying the guardsmen 'to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.' Both California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, however, have criticized the move, saying it would only escalate tensions in the area. 'I would say that to a large degree, the future of this country rests with a small number of Republicans in the House and Senate who know better, who do know what the Constitution is about, and it's high time they stood up for our Constitution and the rule of law,' Sanders said. Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin, meanwhile, defended the president's move to Bash, arguing that the situation is not under control. The Department of Homeland Security said that some protesters have hurled large chunks of broken concrete at officers, slashed tires and defaced buildings. Video footage of some of the protests showed dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks, lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds. 'The president has made it very clear. If the governor or the mayor of the city isn't willing to protect the citizens of his state or the city, then the president will. The American people elected him to restore the law and order back to our streets," Mullin said. Contributing: Reuters
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Texas GOP Urges Veto Of Counselor Loan Program
(Texas Scorecard) – A coalition of 34 Republican lawmakers is urging Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a Democrat-authored bill that would expand state-funded student loan repayment programs—this time, specifically for school counselors and mental health professionals. Senate Bill 646, authored by Democrat State Sen. Royce West, would broaden eligibility for Texas' loan repayment assistance program to include school counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other behavioral health professionals. The bill drew fierce opposition from conservatives when it reached the House floor, especially in light of social transitioning in public schools—a practice whereby school counselors and staff assist children in adopting a new gender identity without parental knowledge or consent. 'This expands a Biden-style student loan repayment program,' reads a letter sent to Abbott signed by 34 Republican House members. 'There are many laudable things that the legislature funds and expands during the session, but few that receive such significant opposition as SB 646.' The effort is being led by State Rep. Brent Money (R–Greenville), who criticized the growing reliance on taxpayer-funded programs to forgive personal debt—especially for public sector jobs. Supporters argue the bill is meant to address Texas' ongoing shortage of school-based mental health professionals, but opponents say it sets a dangerous precedent. 'Loan repayment programs' should not be a routine feature of state policy, the letter states. 'We humbly ask that you veto this legislation and in so doing encourage the legislature to make 'loan repayment programs' and their expansion something we avoid in future sessions,' the letter concludes. 58 Republicans voted against the bill in the House. Unless Gov. Abbott issues a veto, the legislation is set to take effect September 1, 2025. The deadline for gubernatorial action is June 22.
