Gov. Kay Ivey discusses public safety bill
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — It's called the 'Safe Alabama' bill package. Lawmakers hope eight bills can crack down on crime in the streets of Alabama.
'We simply want our residents to feel safe on their porches,' said Randall Woodfin, Mayor of Birmingham. 'For their children to play outside, to be able to walk to a store. To be able to ride a bus. Those things are so important to us.'
Woodfin says one of the bills in the package, banning glock switches, will bring down gun violence in his city. But, Sandy Stimpson, Mayor of Mobile, said another bill will help.
'The penalties for felons in possession of a firearm is very important to us,' Stimpson said. 'I think if you're a convicted felon there oughtta be harsher penalties. And, I think that's part of the package. So, we're grateful for that also.'
Governor Kay Ivey (R) said the 'Safe Alabama' package is a bipartisan effort. 'All of our priority areas-,from education, to job creation, all require safe communities,' she said. 'And, working together, we will accomplish that for our citizens.'
Qualifications for rural physician tax credit would change with new Alabama bill
Rep. Phillip Ensler (D-Montgomery) agrees. But, he said Democrats do have concerns. One of those bills would protect police officers from lawsuits unless they violate someone's rights or act recklessly without law enforcement justification.
'The civil immunity bill, which was not discussed today, is one though that we have concerns about and the impact it may have on residents,' he explained. 'But, as far as, again, the glock switch bill, there have been some concerns but we have addressed a lot of those.'
Hal Taylor, secretary of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, said they are excited about these priorities. 'A bullet doesn't know if you're a Democrat, or a Republican,' he remarked. 'So, I think they've come together across the aisles and realized that they need to do something altogether. All the public has said something about it. This has been going on for a while now, and I think everybody wants something done.'
The bills are making their way to the floor in both chambers. Gov. Ivey said a safe Alabama is a secured future for Alabama.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Gavin Newsom Just Absolutely Dragged Trump's Military Parade, And Trump's Really, Really Not Gonna Like It
Donald Trump's $45 million military parade is this weekend in DC. The tanks have arrived. The barricades are up. The soldiers have been rehearsing. Related: "Let Them Eat Teslas": People At The "No Kings" Protests This Weekend Brought Signs That Were So Clever I'm Still Laughing About Them The stage has been set. The show will go on (unless there is lightning, which is a possibility). Related: This Conservative Said He Wears A Fake ICE Uniform For A Really, Really, Really Gross Reason Gavin Newsom gave his thoughts about the parade on Thursday and they're going viral: MSNBC/atrupar/Twitter: @atrupar "It's a vulgar display. It's the kind of thing you see with Kim Jong-un, you see it with Putin, you see with dictators around the world that are weak and just want to demonstrate strength. Weakness masquerading as strength. To fete the dear leader on his birthday? What an embarrassment." he said. "Honestly, that's about as small as it gets." "How weak, how weak do you have to be to commandeer the military to fete you on your birthday in a vulgar display of weakness? That's Donald Trump." As with just about everything Newsom has said this week, people are loving it: "Absolutely 100% correct," this person commented. Another person said, "You have to give the man points for hitting Trump right where it hurts most." Another person wrote, "Gavin Newsom is showing other Democrats how it's done." And this person said, "Newsom has cracked the code." Also in In the News: "Honestly Speechless At How Evil This Is": 26 Brutal, Brutal, Brutal Political Tweets Of The Week Also in In the News: This Dem Lawmaker Is Going Viral For His Extremely Shady Question To Secretary Kristi Noem Also in In the News: Well, Well, Well, For The Second Time In 2 Weeks, People Are Letting JD Vance Know EXACTLY How They Feel About Him In Public
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Military parade barrels through DC as ‘No Kings' protesters across US decry Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — The grand military parade that President Donald Trump had been wanting for years barreled down Constitution Avenue on Saturday with tanks, troops and a 21-gun salute, playing out against a counterpoint of protests around the country by those who decried the U.S. leader as a dictator and would-be king. The Republican president, on his 79th birthday, sat on a special viewing stand south of the White House to watch the display of American military might, which began early and moved swiftly as light rain fell and clouds shrouded the Washington Monument. The procession, with more than 6,000 soldiers and 128 Army tanks, was one Trump tried to make happen in his first term after seeing such an event in Paris in 2017, but the plans never came together until the parade was added to an event recognizing the Army's 250th anniversary. Up above, the Army's Golden Knights parachute team descended from overcast skies toward the reviewing stand. The team had been scheduled to jump at the end of the parade, but appeared in the drizzly skies above the National Mall far earlier than planned. At times, Trump stood and saluted as troops marched past the reviewing stand. But attendance appeared to fall far short of early predictions that as many as 200,000 people would attend the festival and parade. There were large gaps between viewers near the Washington Monument on a day when steamy weather and the threat of thunderstorms could have dampened turnout. Hours before the parade started, demonstrators turned out in streets and parks around the nation to sound off against the Republican president. They criticized Trump for using the military to respond to people protesting his deportation efforts and for the muscular military show in the U.S. capital. Trump had brushed off the possibility of weather or protest disruptions. In a social media post Saturday morning, he said the 'great military parade' would be on 'rain or shine.' The protests, he said earlier, 'will be met with very big force.' The daylong display of America's Army came as Trump has shown his willingness to use the nation's military might in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided. In the last week, he has activated the California National Guard without the governor's permission and dispatched the U.S. Marines to provide security during Los Angeles protests related to immigration raids, prompting a state lawsuit to stop the deployments. As armored vehicles rolled down the street in front of the president, on the other side of the country, the Marines who Trump deployed to Los Angeles appeared at a demonstration for the first time, standing guard outside a federal building. Dozens of Marines stood shoulder to shoulder in full combat gear beside the National Guard, Homeland Security officers and other law enforcement. Hundreds of protesters facing them jeered in English and Spanish, telling the troops to go home. A previously calm demonstration in downtown Los Angeles turned chaotic when police on horseback charged at the crowd, striking some with rods and batons as they cleared the street in front of the federal building and fired tear gas and crowd control projectiles. In Washington, hundreds protesting Trump carried signs that included 'Where's the due process?' and 'No to Trump's fascist military parade' as they marched toward the White House. A larger-than-life puppet of Trump was wheeled through the crowd, a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet. Other protesters waved pride flags and hoisted signs, some with pointed messages such as 'I prefer crushed ICE,' referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Other messages included 'The invasion was HERE Jan. 6th, NOT in L.A.' and 'Flip me off if you're a FASCIST.' 'No Kings' rallies unfolded in hundreds of cities , designed to counter what organizers said were Trump's plans to feed his ego on his 79th birthday and Flag Day. Organizers said they picked the name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. Meanwhile, on the National Mall, a display of armored vehicles, helicopters and military-grade equipment was set up to commemorate the Army's birthday. Vendors outside the Army festival sold gear marking the military milestone. Others hawked Trump-themed merchandise. Larry Stallard, a retired American Airlines pilot, said he traveled to Washington from Kansas City for the weekend 'to see the military and see Trump.' Stallard, who voted for Trump, said it was 'hard to believe' people were upset about the cost of the event when 'they blow that in 10 seconds on things that we don't even need.' Doug Haynes, a Navy veteran who voted for Trump, attended the daylong festival to celebrate the Army's 250th birthday, but said the parade 'was a little over the top.' Pointing at a nearby tank, Haynes said that having them roll down the street is a 'very bold statement to the world, perhaps.' The parade was added just two months ago to the long-planned celebration of the Army's birthday and has drawn criticism for its price tag of up to $45 million and the possibility that the lumbering tanks could tear up city streets. The Army has taken a variety of steps to protect the streets, including laying metal plates along the route. About 6 in 10 Americans said Saturday's parade was 'not a good use' of government money. The vast majority of people, 78%, said they neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research . Kathy Straus traveled from Richmond, Virginia, to attend the parade, carrying a sign criticizing its cost and arguing the money could have been used to feed veterans. 'I thought that it would be more effective to come here than go to a protest with people that think similar to me,' said Straus. The parade wound down Constitution Avenue, lined with security fencing and barriers. A flyover of military aircraft included World War II-era planes, including a B-25 Mitchell bomber, and Army helicopters flew low over the crowd, below the top of the Washington Monument. Mounted soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division made an appearance — horses once played a crucial role in warfare, but today they're mostly used in ceremonial events like today's parade. Trump swore in 250 new recruits and returning soldiers into service, with soldiers repeating an oath after him. 'Welcome to the United States Army! And have a great life,' Trump said to them afterward. The night also was to include a concert featuring 'God Bless the U.S.A.' singer Lee Greenwood and fireworks. ____ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Michelle L. Price, Nathan Ellgren, Lea Skene, Olivia Diaz, Joey Cappelletti, Ashraf Khalil and Tara Copp contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Fetterman: Military parade comprised of ‘the verbest of us'
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said that President Trump's military parade in Washington, D.C., commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, is comprised of the 'best of us' and that it should be celebrated regardless of where one might stand on the political spectrum. 'This parade is comprised of our sons, daughters, mothers and fathers—the very best of us,' Fetterman wrote in a Saturday post on social media platform X. 'Regardless of your politics, it's appropriate to celebrate the 250 years of sacrifice, dedication and service.' Fetterman demonstrated rare Democratic support for the parade that is taking place on Trump's 79th birthday. The parade has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans over the expected cost of the festivities, projected to be between $25 and $45 million. 'We're a lion, and a lion doesn't have to tell you it's a lion,' Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said on Tuesday. 'I would save the money, but if the president wants to have a parade, he's the president, and I'm not.' Most GOP senators said they would skip the parade. Other Republicans in Congress, like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) and Rep. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.), are in attendance at the military parade, the first one to be held in Washington in 34 years. Fetterman has in recent months broken with his caucus on a few other issues, including on immigration and on his stance regarding Israel's war in the Gaza Strip. The Pennsylvania senator was also the only Democrat to introduce the Laken Riley Act and has criticized the Democratic Party over its response to the protest in Los Angeles against federal immigration raids. 'My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement,' Fetterman wrote on Monday. 'I unapologetically stand for free speech, peaceful demonstrations, and immigration—but this is not that.'
