Latest news with #SafeAlabama
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Birmingham teen injured after home shot into for second time
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A teen is recovering after shots were fired into a home overnight. Police confirm a 15-year-old was shot at a home on the 900 block of Redstone Lane around 3:40 a.m. Currently, police believe an unknown person fired shots into the home and drove off. Gov. Kay Ivey ceremonially signs Safe Alabama bill package While police said it is unknown if the home was targeted in the shooting, they noted the home was shot into previously in December 2024. The victim is expected to survive. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Kay Ivey ceremonially signs Safe Alabama bill package
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — Governor Kay Ivey ceremonially signed her 'Safe Alabama' bill package on Thursday. With her signature, Gov. Ivey banned Glock switches and expanded police immunity in the state. While law enforcement and leaders are excited, some people expressed concerns about one of the bills. One bill makes it a crime to possess machine gun conversion devices in the state. Another makes law enforcement immune from lawsuits unless they clearly violate someone's civil rights. Gov. Ivey said Alabama is the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation. 'I'm proud to be a part of it,' she said. 'Public safety is important. We've taken steps to make it easier for police and law enforcement to do their jobs and do it effectively.' Another bill expanded Aniah's Law, allowing judges to deny bail for more kinds of violent offenses. Hal Taylor, secretary of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, said these statutes will increase recruitment. 'If I do my job properly, and somebody doesn't agree with what happened, I could possibly be in jail? And now, they've got something to know, that somebody's there with them to back them if they do have a use-of-force case?' said Taylor. 'It's a gamechanger for us.' But, Rep. Curtis Travis (D-Tuscaloosa) said that protection for use-of-force cases could actually have consequences. Report: Helicopter pilot had 'do not fly' medication in his system at the time of fatal 2023 crash in Alabama 'Just hiring people, just because they say, 'I want to be a police officer,' I think that's the wrong attitude to take. You've got some people whose attitude and position will not follow what you will strive for as a proper law enforcement,' said Travis. 'You know?' House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said the police immunity bill, and the package overall, will help retain more police officers. 'I think that one's positive,' he said. 'Both sides of the aisle had a chance to look at it, so I believe it's going to be positive for law enforcement officers across the state. We've had some issues in metropolitan areas where crime has spiked, at a point where it's hurt recruiting businesses and bringing industry into the state.' The bill expanding police immunity will take effect on October 1. Gov. Ivey said a safe Alabama is a secure future for Alabama. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Families impacted by gun violence react to Safer Alabama bill package
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — Governor Kay Ivey joined Alabama mayors, law enforcement and lawmakers on Wednesday to advocate for a bill package aimed at supporting law enforcement and reducing gun violence in the state. Marvin Billups is one Alabamian impacted by gun violence, losing his son Demarco Billups on New Years Eve to gun violence in Tuscaloosa, AL. Billups said he's now using his tragic loss to speak out against gun violence and advocate for change. Egg prices hit record high of $4.95, will likely keep climbing 'Once a life is ended you can't get that back or bring that back, so my initiative for me? It's personal to get out in the community and do what I can to be a voice,' said Billups. Billups initiative is one Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox spoke about during Gov. Kay Ivey's event for the Safer Alabama Bill package. 'There's nothing you can say to someone who has lost their son to tragic gun violence that can heal that wound,' said Mayor Maddox. According to Gov. Ivey, the 'Safe Alabama' bill package is also an effort to expand Aniah's Law, a state law passed following the abduction and death of 19-year-old college student Aniah Blanchard, which allows a judge to deny bail to violent offenders. 'Turning a tragic situation to help and prevent others from going through the same trauma we have gone through as Aniah's parents, it brings me great joy,' said Aniah Blanchard's father, Elijah Blanchard. Blanchard said the need to end violence in all realms is necessary now more than ever. 'Gun violence is out of control, it's too accessible. They can go anywhere and buy it the same day and that's just not very safe and we hope we can put a governor on that to help this law be more instrumental, and I hope that this law will be more instrumental to help those guidelines be more strictly enforced,' said 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
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.
