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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What to know about Alabama laws taking effect
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — With her signature, Gov. Kay Ivey changed the way schools are funded in Alabama and created some new regulations. Several of those laws have gone into effect this week. Lawmakers said there's a few things to know about these acts. One law drops the grocery tax from 3% to 2%, which will start in September. State Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said it would be an extra dollar off of a $100 grocery tab. Including 2023's tax cut, that's a 50% slash on what used to be a 4% tax on groceries overall. 'Obviously, everyone has to eat, and they eat groceries, consume groceries,' Orr said. 'Therefore, the grocery tax seemed like the most logical place to continue letting Alabamians keep more of their hard-earned dollars.' Grocery shoppers aren't the only ones who will get more bang for their buck. The RAISE Act will now fund schools based on the kinds of needs students have. No active shooter incidents reported in Alabama in 2024: FBI Before, schools were just funded based on headcount. The needs now considered for school funding include English-language learners, gifted students, those with special needs and low-income students. 'Those schools are going to get more money just for your child to try to make a difference in their education, and that's the exciting part' said state Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur. State Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, agrees. She said students need this change. 'That's our future,' Drummond said. 'It's time that we invest. We know where the problems are, and the RAISE Act is going to help us address those issues.' Drummond's effort to crack down on nicotine products also went into effect this week. The law requires tobacco retailers to purchase a license to sell products. Drummond said it also requires students to learn about the harms of vaping. 'I want us to save lives and to prevent young people from hurting their bodies in the future,' Drummond said. 'So this is all about welfare of our young people in the state of Alabama.' Another law that's gone into effect allows the Alabama Farmers Federation to offer health care plans to its members. The original sponsor of the bill, state Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, said it will lower health care costs for farmers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alabama lawmakers pass tighter regulations on vaping sales
Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, speaks to a colleague on the Alabama Senate floor on May 6, 2025 in Montgomery, Alabama, while senators debate a bill she sponsored to regulate electronic vapor products. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama Senate Tuesday approved a bill imposing stricter regulations on the sale of tobacco and vaping products. HB 8, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, would ban the distribution of tobacco, tobacco products, electronic nicotine delivery systems, e-liquids, and alternative nicotine products through vending machines. It would also create a licensing and fee requirement for retailers intending to sell these products. 'These products are harming our young people. We're not dealing with something that is a healthy product. This product is not a product that we should be inhaling into our lungs. So, we are just trying to protect our children,' said Sen. David Sessions, R-Grand Bay, who presented the bill to the body. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 28-5. The House concurred with Senate changes to the bill later in the day, sending the bill to Gov. Kay Ivey. Similar bills meant to address concerns about youth access to vaping devices have been introduced over several years by Drummond. Drummond, who was present on the Senate floor during its passage, received a standing ovation from the chamber. 'Today, your hard work is paid off,' said Senate President Pro Tempore Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, who has sponsored similar legislation in the past.. 'The state of Alabama appreciates you. We all say thank you for taking care of our kids, the superintendents, all the school children throughout, and all the ones that are doing some bad stuff. They don't even know they're doing bad stuff because that study's not out there, and there's not any money to enforce this. This allows that to happen.' Rates of smoking tend to be higher in Alabama, with just over 14% of Alabama adults being current smokers in 2023, with 9.5% smoking every day and 4.8% smoking some days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 12% of adults smoke every day or some days nationally. Rates of high school students using electronic vapes in Alabama are also higher than nationally and have increased since 2015, when about 2% of high school students used an electronic vaping device daily, according to CDC's High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. By 2021, that increased to 8% of Alabama high school students reporting using vapes every day, compared to 5% nationally. A University of Southern California 2025 study suggests that e-cigarette use in the past year declined in U.S. youths, but there was a significant increase in nicotine pouch usage from 2023 to 2024. The bill would also establish the Tobacco Licensing and Compliance Fund; provide for an advisory board to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, and require tobacco retailers to post signage warning of the dangers of tobacco product use. The legislation also includes measures aimed at schools, directing the Alabama State Board of Education to develop a model policy for vape awareness, education and prevention programs in public K-12 schools. Local boards of education will be required to adopt policies based on this model. During the Senate floor discussions, Sessions said he was concerned with the increasing use of vaping products among young people and the health consequences associated with them. 'We have an epidemic going on in this state with our young people. They are getting sick,' he said, claiming young individuals have required hospitalization due to the use of counterfeit products. The Senate also addressed concerns about the bill's potential impact on businesses that legally sell tobacco and vape products. An amendment proposed by Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro and approved by the chamber allows the sale of FDA-approved products in convenience stores if these stores obtain the necessary permits and comply with verification requirements. 'This amendment would definitely fall still under the laws of this particular bill,' Singleton said, saying that the amendment does not weaken the bill's intended regulation. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What passed in the Alabama Legislature: May 6-7, 2025
Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, receives a standing ovation from senators on May 6, 2025, in Montgomery, Alabama, after the chamber passed a bill she sponsored to regulate electronic vapor products. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector) Here are the bills that passed the Alabama Legislature this week. House SB 211, sponsored by Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, requires local school superintendents or their designees to serve as the primary liaison with law enforcement for school bus safety incidents. The bill passed 94-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 280, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, requires the Alabama State Department of Education to develop a unified digital platform and data-sharing system to consolidate and streamline documentation requirements for the Alabama Literacy Act and Alabama Numeracy Act. The bill passed 101-0 with a House substitute and floor amendment. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. SB 241, sponsored by Sen. Lance Bell, R-Riverside, establishes the Alabama Criminal Enterprise Database, managed by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), to track and report on organized criminal activity statewide. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 196, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, creates the Move on When Ready program for high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit before they graduate high school. The bill passed 100-2 with a House substitute. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. SB 253, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, places the Alabama Massage Therapy Licensing Board under the jurisdiction of the Board of Nursing until Oct. 1, 2026. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to Ivey. SB 233, sponsored by Sen. David Sessions, R-Grand Bay, revises the composition of the Alabama Ad Valorem Advisory Committee by expanding its membership to include additional local officials and taxpayers. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 289, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, requires public schools to teach a 'success sequence' twice before graduation in order to prevent poverty after high school. The bill passed 92-0. It goes to Ivey SB 177, sponsored by Sen. Lance Bell, R-Pell City, renames the Alabama Film Office the Alabama Entertainment Office; expands the Entertainment Industry Incentive Act to include music albums as qualified productions, increases the annual cap on incentive and allows unspent incentives to be carried forward to the next fiscal year. The bill passed 101-0 with a House substitute. The Senate later concurred 34-0 to House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 317, sponsored by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, restructures the Alabama Innovation Corporation's board by instituting staggered two-year terms for at-large directors appointed by the governor. The bill passed 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 321, sponsored by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, amends the Alabama Drycleaning Environmental Response Trust Fund by reducing its required minimum balance from $1 million to $250,000 and removing the mandate for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 5, sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliot, R-Josephine, restructures the board of trustees for the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The bill passed 74-29 with a House amendment. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. SB 123, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, requires the Alabama Justice Information Commission to annually report detailed data on civil asset seizures and forfeiture. The bill passed 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 271, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Cottondale, prohibits municipalities from increasing franchise fees, charges, or taxes on natural or manufactured gas utilities after Dec. 31. The bill passed 84-1. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 316, sponsored by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, establishes an 'Educational Tourism Distillery' license under the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, permitting qualifying distilleries to produce and sell liquor, wine, and beer on-site for both on-premises and off-premises consumption. The bill passed 84-1. It 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. The bill passed 80-18 with a House substitute. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. SB 63, sponsored by Sen. Lance Bell, R-Pell City, allows state law enforcement to collect DNA from those suspected of being in the country without legal status to be processed at the state level. The bill passed 76-7. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 320, sponsored by Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, requires public works contracting awarding authorities to publish advertisements for sealed bids in local newspapers and on a centralized state website. The House concurred with Senate changes 101-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 310, sponsored by Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, reforms the process for filling vacancies on the Jefferson County Commission. The House concurred with an executive amendment 96-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 445, sponsored by Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for consumable hemp products. The House concurred with Senate changes 60-27. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. Senate SB 216, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, allows fire medics who retired to return to duty without having their retirement allowances suspended and caps their salaries at $52,000 per year. The Senate concurred 28-0 with House changes. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 280, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, requires the Alabama Department of Education develop a digital platform and a system to share data that consolidates documents required for the Alabama Literacy Act, Alabama Numeracy Act and individualized education programs. The Senate concurred 27-0 with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 304, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would create the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Bank, as a division of the State Industrial Development Authority, to select and assist in the financing of energy infrastructure projects. The Senate concurred 28-0 with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 313, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, authorizes the transfer of funds from the Alabama 21st Century Fund for various economic development initiatives, like the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Bank. The Senate concurred 28-0 with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 307, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, authorizes the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court to appoint visiting judges for specific violent criminal cases. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to Gov Kay ivey. HB 84, sponsored by Rep. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, updates procedures for licensing and renewing licensing for chiropractors. The bill passed 33-0. The House later concurred with Senate changes 101-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 25, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, allows local 911 districts to collaborate to carry out their powers and services. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 407, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Matthews, authorizes local redevelopment authorities to accept transient occupancy taxes as payments in lieu of taxes. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.. HB 152, sponsored by Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, exempts baby formula, maternity clothing and menstrual hygiene products from the state sales tax. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay IVey. HB 333, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, allows law enforcement to build indoor firing ranges for training. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 94, sponsored by Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, expands the definition of a Class B felony in second-degree human trafficking to include online or print advertising of sexual labor. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 95, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, requires that when a residential property with an HVAC system is sold, the manufacturer's warranty on the system automatically transfers to the new owner, without any transfer fee, as long as the warranty is still valid. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 281, sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, revises the appeals process for municipal zoning board decisions by setting deadlines for filing appeals, requiring boards to submit records to the court and establishing criteria for staying decisions during appeals. The bill passed 34-0. The House later concurred with Senate changes 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 134, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, would allow fees and fines collected from vehicles parked without a license plate to go to the employing agency of the officer issuing the ticket. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov, Kay Ivey. HB 158, sponsored by Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, established a procedure for cost of living adjustments for retired teachers and state employees through the Education Trust Fund and General Fund appropriations. The bill passed 34-0. It goes back to the House for concurrence with Senate changes or a conference committee. HB 225, sponsored by Rep. Rolanda Hollis, D-Birmingham, updates terminology and requirements related to the training, qualifications, and licensure of real estate companies, brokers, and salespersons. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 382, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, updates real estate regulations, including clarifying requirements for brokerage agreements, consumer disclosures, licensee duties and the operation of real estate teams. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 52, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, allows contributions to the Alabama Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) savings account to remain tax deductible through December 31, 2030. The bill passed 34-0. It goes back to the House for concurrence with Senate changes or a conference committee. HB 335, sponsored by Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, would allow a county or municipality to charge a residential building permit fee. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 338 , sponsored by Rep. Parker Moore, R-Hartselle, expands the exceptions for key duplication services that do not fall under the definition of a locksmith. The bill passed 34-0. The House concurred with Senate changes 100-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 266, sponsored by Rep. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, creates a non-traditional high school diploma program for dropouts. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 263, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, revises the distribution of 911 service revenues by allocating funds to support a statewide 911 voice and data system; providing training for public safety telecommunicators; offering advisory services and granting financial assistance to districts. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 38, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, gives prosecuting attorneys immunity when they give legal advice to police. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 163, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, allows research companies to deduct research expenses in the year they spend it, instead of waiting five years. The bill passed 34-0. It goes back to the House for concurrence with Senate changes or a conference committee. HB 366, sponsored by Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Dothan, authorizes emergency medical services personnel to provide care and transport injured police dogs to veterinary facilities, granting them immunity from civil or criminal liability for care provided in good faith. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 379, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, introduces a tax exemption for nonresidents who work in Alabama for 30 days or fewer within a calendar year. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 86, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, establishes the Rural Hospital Investment Program, offering tax credits to individuals and entities that donate to qualifying rural hospitals. The bill passed 34-0. The House concurred with Senate changes 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 196, sponsored by Rep. Margie Wilcox, R-Mobile, allows a county commission to assume control of a county juvenile detention center after an order from a juvenile judge of the county. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 43, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, requires offenders sentenced to 20 to 30 years in prison for a Class A, B or C felony to serve a minimum of 10 years in prison, 'jail-type institution or treatment institution' and the rest of their sentence through probation. The bill passed 33-1. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 441, sponsored by Rep. David Standridge, R-Hayden, establishes minimum educational and clinical requirements for speech-language pathology assistants. The bill passed 34-0. The House concurred with Senate changes 101-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 386, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, reduces the state's sales tax on groceries from 3% to 2%. The bill passed 34-0. The House concurred with Senate changes 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 353, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, adjusts the salary structure for judges and district attorneys to reflect cost-of-living adjustments, modifies salary increases for district attorneys and removes restrictions on salary changes for district attorneys in certain circumstances. The bill passed 34-0. The House later concurred with Senate changes 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 354, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, is a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters, would outlaw salary cuts for district attorneys during their terms of office. The bill passed 29-1 and will be considered by voters in the May 2026 statewide primary election. HB 542, sponsored by Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, expands retirement benefits for full-time district attorneys, prosecutors, and attorneys employed by the Office of Prosecution Services. The bill passed 31-1. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 288, sponsored by Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-Indian Springs, establishes a loan assistance program under the Alabama Commission on Higher Education for licensed athletic trainers, offering financial support to those working at qualifying institutions in exchange for providing athletic training services, with eligibility based on federal student loan debt and employment criteria. The bill passed 33-0. The House concurred with Senate changes 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 529, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, authorizes the state to impose a $0.10 tax on vapor products, and sets a $150 price for retailers to purchase an initial permit to sell such products. The bill passed 33-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 600, sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Almond, would exempt the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences Foundation from paying all state, county, and municipal sales and use taxes. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 157, sponsored by Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, sets the base pay for elected and appointed local officials at the same level as their predecessors' base pay. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 194 , sponsored by Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, requires the Joint Committee of the State Board of Medical Examiners and the Board of Nursing for Advanced Practice Nurses to have two members that are nurse practitioners and one member who is a certified midwife. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 346, sponsored by Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, removes 100-hour practice requirement for certification of retired physicians who volunteer in hospitals. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 147, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Greenhill, places bids and purchases by volunteer fire stations under local competitive bid law requirements. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 196, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would establish a program allowing eligible 11th and 12th-grade students to enroll full-time at an eligible public institution of higher education and receive high school credit for the coursework. The Senate concurred 34-0 with House changes. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 8, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, enhances regulation of tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems. The bill passed 28-5. The House later concurred with Senate changes 52-43. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 310, sponsored by Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, authorizes the Jefferson County Commission to set the dates for an election whenever a vacancy occurs. The House and Senate concurred to an executive amendment from Gov. Kay Ivey, who signed the bill on Wednesday. HB 445, sponsored by Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, authorizes the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to regulate the consumable hemp market. The bill passed 19-13, and the House concurred 60-27 to Senate changes. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. House SB 287, sponsored by Sen. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton, establishes new qualifications and training requirements for the sheriff of Barbour County. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 308, sponsored by Sen. Randy Price, R-Opelika, enhances the responsibilities of the Lee County engineer by granting authority over the construction, maintenance, and repair of county roads, highways and bridges. The bill passed 13-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 338, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, redefines the corporate boundaries of the city of New Hope in Madison County. The bill passed 14-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 339, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, establishes a structured salary framework for the Madison County Sheriff, setting an initial salary of $170,000 per year for newly elected sheriffs, with a 7.5% salary increase after each successive four-year term. The bill passed 13-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 345, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, eliminates the statutory provision that sets the compensation for the Geneva County Superintendent. The bill passed 13-0. It 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 bill passed 103-0 with a House substitute. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. SB 43, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, prohibits health insurers and other contracting entities from restricting or penalizing health care providers and pharmacists for disclosing information to patients about the cost, availability, or alternatives of treatments or medications. The bill passed 103-0 with a House substitute. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. SB 42, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, allows adjacent landowners to petition state, county, or municipal governing bodies to deed back abandoned state roads to the original landowners when the road is no longer usable for its intended purpose. The bill passed 94-3 with a House substitute and floor amendment. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or a conference committee. SB 244, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, establishes the crime of 'aggravated theft of employee retirement benefits,' making it a Class C felony to embezzle or unlawfully convert funds intended for employee retirement plans, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The bill passed 103-0. It 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, with offenses ranging 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. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or a conference committee. SB 171, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, prohibits individuals from operating motor vehicles on land submerged below navigable waters, classifying violations as Class C misdemeanors, punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The bill passed 103-0 with a House substitute. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or a conference committee. SB 57, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, permits officers of limited liability companies (LLCs) who hold no more than 1% of the company's stock to take acknowledgments and proof of conveyances for that LLC. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 76, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, allows nursing mothers to be exempt from jury duty. The bill passed 101-0 with a House substitute. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or a conference committee. 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 bill passed 86-10 with a House substitute. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or a conference committee. SB 236, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, reforms the governance of regional mental health authority boards. The bill passed 99-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 88, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, refines the expungement process by requiring a hearing if the prosecuting authority or victim objects, setting a 14-day minimum notice for hearings, applying the Alabama Rules of Evidence, and permitting appeals only upon showing an abuse of discretion. The bill passed 102-1 with a House substitute. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. SB 158, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, prohibits the use of foreign national IDs in Alabama elections. The bill passed 82-13. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 62, sponsored by Sen. Lance Bell, R-Pell City, adjusts the validity of hunting and fishing licenses, specifies them as non-government-issued IDs. The bill passed 98-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 101, sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscambia, raised the medical age of consent from 14 to 16 with some exceptions. The bill passed 85-0 with a House substitute and floor amendment. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. Senate SB 5, sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliot, R-Josephine, would remove the Alabama Department of Archives & History Board of Trustees' authority to self-appoint and give the governor appointing authority for most seats, including members from each congressional district. The Senate voted to non-concur with House changes, and the bill went to conference committee. HB 365, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, establishes the Alabama Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Council within the Department of Workforce to advise on improving STEM education, career awareness and workforce development. The bill passed 34-0. The House concurred with Senate changes 99-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 543, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollingers Island, increases the market value threshold for tangible personal property exempt from state ad valorem taxation from $40,000 to $100,000. The bill passed 34-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 357, sponsored by Rep. Rolanda Hollis, D-Birmingham, defines the terms 'cigarette' and 'heated tobacco product,' and authorizes the state to impose a 33.75 mill tax on each cigarette and $0.017 tax on each heated tobacco product. The bill passed 24-6. The House later concurred with Senate changes 88-8. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 164, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, would raise the threshold for small estates for surviving spouses from $25,000 to $47,000. The bill passed House later concurred with Senate changes 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 166, sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, requires local school boards to adopt a policy banning cell phones from bell-to-bell. The bill passed 30-2. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 165, sponsored by Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Matthews, adds Juneteenth as a state holiday. The bill passed 13-5. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill on Thursday. HB 506, sponsored by Rep. Joe Lovvorn, R-Auburn, allows law enforcement and emergency agencies to designate publicly owned off-road vehicles as authorized emergency vehicles. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 505, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, extends the deadline for taxpayers to appeal final tax assessments to the Alabama Tax Tribunal or circuit court from 30 to 60 days. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 528, sponsored by Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley, extends the prohibition of unconscionable pricing during a declared state of emergency to include the provision of services, in addition to the sale or rental of commodities and facilities. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 90, sponsored by Rep. Adline Clarke, D-Mobile, creates municipal housing authorities and authorizes them to manage housing projects and community facilities, enter business contracts and make loans, as well as the power to review and award contracts. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 91, sponsored by Rep. Adline Clarke, D-Mobile, expands the scope of housing authorities to manage housing projects and community facilities, to enter into business contracts, make loans, as well as the power to review and award contracts. The bill passed 28-0. The House later concurred with Senate changes 93-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 493, sponsored by Rep. Corley Ellis, R-Columbiana, allows a child advocacy center to be certified as a full member of the Alabama Network of Children's Advocacy Centers if the center meets the standards in state statute. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 384, sponsored by Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, defines corn masa and requires corn masa products sold in Alabama to be enriched with folic acid. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 509, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Sorrells, R-Hartford, prohibits Alabama state agencies from killing, testing or restricting the transfer of game breeder-owned cervids, like deer, due to disease except in specific cases. The bill passed 30-0. The House concurred with Senate changes 102-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 137, sponsored by Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, would allow the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to have a language interpreter to monitor wiretapping. The bill passed 30-0. The House later concurred with Senate changes 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 207, sponsored by Rep. Mike Shaw, R-Hoover, expands the role of the Office of Information Technology in Alabama by adding cybersecurity and other tasks related to data management and telecommunications. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 148, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Greenhill, ensures that vehicles registered in other states comply with the insurance requirements of their home state. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 1, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollingers Island, amends Alabama's seafood dealer licensure requirements; increases fees, sets penalties for violations and designates a portion of proceeds to promote Alabama's seafood products. The bill passed 30-0. The House later concurred with Senate changes 102-1. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 352, sponsored by Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, increases the assessment levy on the sale of cotton bales from $1 to $1.30 per bale. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 45, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, requires the Alabama Medicaid Agency to cover any noninvasive colorectal cancer screening test assigned a grade A or B under the recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force. The bill passed 31-0. The House later concurred with Senate changes 103-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 416, sponsored by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, requires all schools to place automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at all athletic venues and events on school property. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 372, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Matthews, authorizes Elmore County officials to levy a rental tax, effective Sept. 1. The bill passed 21-0. The House concurred with Senate changes 90-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 433, sponsored by Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, revises the distribution of Talladega County's special sales and use tax revenues, allocating funds to various sectors. The bill passed 22-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 464, sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Dadeville, adjusts the compensation of the St. Clair County coroner including a base salary increase and additional expense allowances. The bill passed 22-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 468, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, establishes the Marion County Service of Process Fund and requires the collection of a $50 service fee per case for personal service of process by the sheriff in both criminal and civil divisions. The bill passed 22-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 500, sponsored by Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, revises the compensation structure for the Lawrence County Sheriff by adding an annual expense allowance of $95,000 effective Oct. 1 and setting a $95,000 salary for the sheriff effective in January. The bill passed 22-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic filibuster likely kills Alabama abstinence, ‘sexual risk avoidance' bill
Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, listens to a filibuster over a bill to overhaul sex education and make public schools teach 'sexual risk avoidance' and abstinence on April 29, 2025 in Montgomery, Alabama. (Alander Rocha/ Alabama Reflector) A bill seeking to make Alabama's public schools teach 'sexual risk avoidance' and abstinence likely won't become law this year. A Democratic filibuster over the General Fund budget Tuesday pushed debate over SB 277, sponsored by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, to the last couple of minutes before midnight, when the legislative day ends. The late debate meant senators could not vote on the measure. Shelnutt made his unhappiness at the prospect clear. 'We've only got 10 more minutes. Y'all wasted the whole day. So, let's just waste the last 10 minutes. I know you want to waste the last 10 minutes,' Shelnutt said at around 11:50 p.m. when Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, asked if he would be willing to delay the bill until next year to allow them to work on something together. There are four days left in the 2025 session of the Alabama Legislature. Starting on Thursday, bills originating in the Senate that have not yet passed that chamber need unanimous consent to be sent to the House. A single senator's objection can kill a bill. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Figures asked about the specifics of the curriculum and its implementation during the debate on the bill after Shelnutt initially ignored her on the floor. 'Senator?' Figures asked after a few seconds, following a question about whether he had been in contact with the Department of Education to learn about the current sex education curriculum. 'You've read the bill. You know what the bill does. There's no sense wasting my time answering your questions. Y'all want to stop it, so just you got the mic. Go,' Shelnutt responded defensively. 'Senator, I am sincerely asking you questions about this bill,' Figures responded. Shelnutt remained defensive during the debate, maintaining that 'this is a good bill' and that he didn't want 'teachers, left-wing, crazy people, teaching my kids about stuff that I don't ever want them to hear about.' 'If you got a problem with it, you got a problem with it,' Shelnutt said to Democratic senators. The bill would change sex education programs to include information about the 'financial cost of pregnancy and child care, abortion, and adoption,' as well as 'instruction about parenting responsibilities.' It explicitly prohibited 'providing a referral to or information about how to acquire an abortion,' 'misrepresenting the efficacy of or demonstrating the use of contraceptives,' and 'using images that are sexually explicit.' 'I don't want my kids taught that crap. I mean, it's crap,' Shelnutt said on the floor. The bill also tried to prevent local boards of education from using services from any individual or organization 'that does not endorse sexual risk avoidance or that advocates for or performs abortions.' It also mandated that parents or guardians be given a 14-day notice before any sex education instruction and granted them the right to opt their children out of such programs. Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, spoke briefly after Figures and pushed back on the claim that Tuesday was a 'wasted day.' Instead, he said, it was an opportunity to compromise. 'It's only a waste when you don't care about things that we're trying to address for the people that we represent. So, if I'm categorized as trying to represent the people that I represent, and someone wants to call it a waste, then so be it,' Smitherman said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proposed Alabama vaping regulation, fees pass Senate committee
Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, speaks during a debate in the Alabama House of Representatives on Feb. 12, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) An Alabama Senate committee advanced a vaping regulation bill Wednesday after hearing arguments from the sponsor and an opponent representing the vaping industry. HB 8, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, would amend state law regarding the sale and regulation of tobacco, alternative nicotine products, and electronic nicotine delivery systems, often called vapes. It would restrict sales via vending machines, increase penalties for violations, establish new licensing fees to create a dedicated enforcement fund and require K-12 schools to adopt policies for vaping awareness and prevention. Drummond described it as a necessary regulation and said that it would bring in about $2.5 million in revenue to the state coffers. There are currently no licensing or permit fees for vaping products. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'I just left the Prevention Day across the street at the Capitol, where there are teachers who brought students up, and the number one issue was vaping, and they were talking about how they don't know what to do,' Drummond said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Drummond also said the bill addresses underage violations, saying that when minors are found in violation in public schools or private schools, they will go to juvenile courts instead of adult courts. Meghan Hardesty, president of the Alabama Vape and Hemp Association, called the bill 'dangerous, ineffective and economically devastating' for regulating age-restricted vape shops. 'The vast majority of underage use begins in convenience stores and gas stations, not age-restricted vape shops that already require customers to be 21 and older and verify IDs,' she said. Hardesty added that the bill harms responsible businesses while benefiting large tobacco companies. She proposed moving vaping to licensed specialty retailers that only allow customers 21 and older, similar to alcohol, if the goal is to curb youth use. 'We are not against smart regulation,' she added. 'We want it, but HB 8 is not smart. It is harmful'. The bill moves to the full Senate for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
