Latest news with #AprilWeaver
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What passed in the Alabama Legislature: May 14, 2025
Rep. Phillip Rigsby, R-Huntsville, sits alone in the Alabama House chamber during a lengthy recess on May 14, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House went into an extended recess on Wednesday, the final day of the 2025 regular session, as the Alabama Senate saw a filibuster from Democrats over local bills. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) Here are the bills that passed the Alabama Legislature on Wednesday, the final day of the 2025 regular session. House HB 199, sponsored by Rep. Travis Hendrix, D-Birmingham, allows the Board of Pardons and parole to electronically monitor a juvenile delinquent before their court hearing. The House concurred with Senate changes 101-0. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill on Thursday. HB 202, sponsored by Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, changes the standard by which law enforcement can claim immunity as they perform their jobs and gives them additional procedural protections during litigation. The House concurred with Senate changes 73-28; the Senate earlier on Thursday passed the bill 25-6. Gov. Kay Ivey signed it on Thursday. HB 581, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, revises the distribution of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in-lieu-of-tax payments in Morgan County by reallocating funds to support a legislative delegation office, the Morgan County Rescue Squad and local education. The House concurred with Senate changes 76-0. It goes to Ivey. Senate SB 171, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, prohibits the use of a motorized vehicle on land that is submerged below navigable waters. Violators would face a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 88, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, allows a judge to set a hearing on a petition for a criminal expungement even if a prosecutor or a victim files no objection. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 76, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, exempts nursing mothers from jury service. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 108, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, criminalizes mail theft, establishing penalties based on the number of addresses affected and the intent to commit identity fraud. Offenses range from a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, to a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. It passed 103-0 with a House substitute. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SB 42, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, allows landowners adjacent to abandoned state roads to petition state, county, or municipal governing bodies to deed them back to the original landowners when the road is no longer usable for its intended purpose. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 101, sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscambia, raises the medical age of consent from 14 to 16 with some exceptions. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 206, sponsored by Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Ino, establishes regulations for businesses advising or assisting individuals with veterans' benefits claims. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 142, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, removes the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) as an approved source for identifying voters whose addresses may have changed, requiring the use of the United States Postal Service's National Change of Address database and at least one other voter registration database. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 53, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, creates the crime of human smuggling as a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, if someone transports a person without legal status into the state of Alabama. It also allows local law enforcement to hold those suspected of living in the U.S. without authorization for up to 48 hours while their status is determined. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 511, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Brinyark, R-Windham Springs, consolidates Fayette County's tax assessor and tax collector offices into a single Revenue Commissioner position. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 512, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Brinyark, R-Windham Springs, increases the base salary of the Fayette County sheriff to $80,000 starting in 2027. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 496, sponsored by Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, grants Elmore County the authority to levy a 4.5% excise tax on wholesale vapor products in the county. The measure, a constitutional amendment, passed 22-0 and will be decided by voters on November 4. HB 463, sponsored by Rep. Van Smith, R-Clanton, authorizes the Board of Commissioners of Chilton County 911 to establish procedures for the director to make purchases using a credit or debit card. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 598, sponsored by Rep. Van Smith, R-Clanton, extends the corporate boundaries of the Town of Pine Level in Autauga County. The bill passed 27-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 78, sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, gives the presiding judge of the 28th Judicial Circuit the power to issue a standing order authorizing civil or criminal jury proceedings in any courthouse within the circuit, and provides procedures. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 544, sponsored by Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, authorizes Escambia County to appoint a medical examiner. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 586, sponsored by Rep. Tim Wadsworth, R-Arley, extends the corporate limits of the City of Cullman in Cullman County. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 395, sponsored by Rep. Ritchie Whorton, R-Owens Cross Roads, removes a specified area from the corporate limits of the City of New Hope in Madison County. The bill passed 25-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 495, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, restructures the board of directors of the Marion County Public Water Authority. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to the Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 343, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns, R-Birmingham, makes membership of the General Retirement System for Employees of Jefferson County mandatory for eligible full-time employees. The bill passed 26-3. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
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
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmakers weigh ban on poppers, whippets, other recreational inhalants in Alabama
Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, watches a vote in the Alabama Senate on Feb. 13, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Weaver said the proposed ban on recreational sale and possession of inhalants like laughing gas and poppers is aimed at curbing youth use. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) An Alabama House committee passed a bill that would outlaw the sale and possession of inhalants for recreational use, such as laughing gas and poppers. SB 78, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, passed the House Health Committee on a voice vote. The bill would prohibit the sale and possession of nitrous oxide, commonly known as 'laughing gas,' except under specific circumstances, citing concerns over youth addiction and misuse. It would also ban amyl nitrite, also referred to as 'poppers,' and mixtures of butyl nitrate, or 'whippets.' 'Right now, your children can buy this with no age restrictions in gas stations in any flavor that they want: mango, blueberry, raspberry, whatever,' Weaver said as she passed canisters of whippets for committee members to see. 'This was brought to me from a parent. Her child purchased this online for 70-something dollars, and it was delivered to their house.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The measure would impose age restrictions, ban flavored variants, and set penalties for unlawful possession and sale. The bill previously only prohibited the use and possession of these inhalants, but it was amended in committee to ban their sale outright. Possessing could result in a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $6,000 fine. Selling these inhalants could lead to a Class D felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $7,500. Only licensed medical professionals, manufacturers, food service providers and automotive professionals over the age of 21 would be allowed to handle nitrous oxide. During the committee meeting, Weaver said committee members could type 'Galaxy gas,' a common brand of whippets, on Instagram and TikTok and see videos of children inhaling from canisters. The search on Instagram does bring up videos of children using the substance, resulting in slurred speech or loss of balance, but the search is blocked on TikTok. Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, said in the meeting that she was given laughing gas before a dental procedure and that she agreed these inhalants need to be taken off the market and used in professional settings. 'I didn't really know what it did to me, because whatever it did, I didn't feel the dental work,' Warren said. She added that since it didn't harm her then, as long as it can still be used for medical reasons, she agrees these should not be widely available. 'I can't believe that they're being sold in stores,' Warren said. The bill, which cleared the Senate in early February, now moves to the House floor. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama Senate passes bill exempting nursing mothers from jury duty
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — The Alabama Senate passed SB76, also known as Parker's Law, on Tuesday. The bill allows nursing mother to be exempt from jury duty. It was put forth by state Sen. April Weaver (R-Brierfield). It is named after Jeferson County mother Kandace Brown and her daughter, Parker. 'Safe Alabama Package' bills pass House Brown said she had issues at a courthouse in Jefferson County when she was called in for jury duty while nursing her child in January. The legislation will need to pass the House before heading to the governor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
That anti-transgender law is even worse than you think
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (center) poses with Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover (left) and Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabster, after signing SB 79, known as the "What Is A Woman Act," which declares there are only two sexes and puts sex-based definitions in state law. Transgender advocacy groups condemned the bill as discriminatory and likely to cause chaos. (Office of the Governor of Alabama) The Alabama Legislature rushed a bill to Gov. Kay Ivey last week. It was so important that House Republicans limited debate on the measure to 10 minutes on Wednesday. It was so urgent that Ivey signed it on Thursday. You would hope legislation passed so swiftly would address a major problem in the state. Like gun violence. The rural health crisis. Or the ongoing inequities in Alabama's public schools. And of course, your hope would turn to dust. The legislation allows public entities to segregate men and women. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX That's not the explicit purpose of the 'What Is A Woman' act sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster. But that's its functional effect. The bill takes its name from a far-right propaganda movie, because our far-right lawmakers see their chief duty as marketing the work of conservative film producers. At first glance, the legislation is another attempt to drive transgender Alabamians out of public life. The bill requires the state to define man or woman based on whether you can produce sperm or ova; or whether you once could; or whether you might, or whether you hypothetically could. In one respect, it's a bathroom bill. A transgender man assigned female at birth — someone with a beard who does not look anything like a woman — would be in legal trouble if he uses the men's room, as Allison Montgomery of the Alabama Transgender Rights Action Coalition (ALTRAC) told Alander Rocha. You might see this outcome as absurd. But you lack the chromosomal insights of the Alabama Legislature. And with any luck, you also lack their capacity for cruelty. After cutting off gender-affirming health care and banning transgender youth from participating in the sports of the gender with which they identify, it's hard to escape the conclusion than our state lawmakers love watching transgender people suffer. Weaver called the bill 'common sense.' 'Common sense,' in this case, means forcing a person to live with the torture of gender dysphoria and all the tragedy that can result. Alabama lawmakers keep trying to shove a world of fractal-like complexity into a binary mold. And they don't mind that innocent people get crushed. But keep reading the state's latest example of gonad-based lawmaking, and you'll come upon Section 4 of the law. 'Neither the state nor any political subdivision of the state shall be prohibited from establishing separate single-sex spaces or environments for males and females when biology, privacy, safety, or fairness are implicated,' it says. Read that paragraph again. Then read the bill in its entirety. And find me the sentence that limits this command to bathrooms. It's not there. What is there is 'privacy, safety, or fairness.' Terms the bill neither defines nor qualifies. In attacking transgender Alabamians, Ivey and the Alabama Legislature have opened the door to sex segregation. You may have one view of what safety means. A city official or school administrator who liked what that Dominionist preacher said about the lust young women inspire in innocent young men might have another take on it. Possibly you have a vision of fairness grounded in equal opportunity regardless of background. The crank on your local school board huffing X/Twitter/whatever might think it means fortifying the world's most mediocre men from any competition. It sure looks like Gov. Ivey and the Legislature have given these men the legal tools they need to create separate paths for our children. And punish women for the high crime of occupying spaces less talented men want. Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, who carried the bill in the House and sponsored similar versions in the past, insisted on Wednesday that this language was meant to allow women-only dormitories, rape crisis centers and prisons. But there's nothing in state or federal law preventing the state from building women's prisons; or colleges from building single-sex dormitories; or anyone from creating spaces to support female victims of sexual assault. In this vicious desire to harm a small group of people, we're allowing governments to separate men and women on the slightest pretext. Transgender Americans have warned us about this for years. They told us these attacks were a prelude to a larger offensive against the LGBTQ community and women. And here we are. Alabama officials needed three years to deprive a class of Alabamians of their civil rights and access to health care. Cowardly federal judges ripped up precedent and the Constitution to give them a legal footing. That gave the far right an example of how to discriminate and still prevail in court. And might have encouraged them to be bolder. Now we have a law the Republican-controlled Legislature rushed through and Ivey signed with lightning speed that will give public officials and entities an unchecked ability to decide the nature of 'fairness' and 'security' for men and women. If that means pushing women into segregated spaces, they can do so. Because they're defending them, you see. What is a woman? Apparently it's the next group of Alabamians our lawmakers want to erase from view. 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