Latest news with #AlabamaHouse
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
One Democrat, one Republican qualify for House District 63 special election
One Democrat and one Republican qualified Monday for the Alabama House District 63 special election, effectively cancelling a scheduled September primary. Norman Crow, a Tuscaloosa City Councilman, was the only Republican to qualify for the district that includes the University of Alabama and part of Tuscaloosa County. 'Councilman Crow has demonstrated a strong commitment to his community and to the values we stand for as a Party,' Jeannie Burniston, Alabama GOP communications director, wrote in a statement Monday evening. 'We are confident he will serve the people of Tuscaloosa County with distinction in the Alabama Legislature.' Judith Taylor, a Democrat, qualified for the election on Monday afternoon, according to the Alabama Democrats' website. Her campaign finance records were not available Monday evening. A message seeking comment from the Democratic Party was left Monday evening. The seat was previously held by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, who had served in the seat since 2021. Ivey appointed Almond president of the Alabama Public Service Commission earlier this month. Almond got 66% of the vote in the district in the 2022 election. The deadline for all independent candidates and/or minor parties is Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, at 5 p.m. The general election is on Jan. 13, 2026. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: House District 63 election will have one Democrat, one Republican
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
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Priceville volunteers recognized for hurricane relief efforts
Apr. 30—Priceville residents in two groups of volunteers known collectively as the North Alabama Boys who have made numerous trips to North Carolina to assist in hurricane relief — including some who are there now — received the inaugural Spirit of Priceville Award on Saturday. During Priceville's Celebrate the City event, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the town's founding, Mayor Sam Heflin surprised the 19 Priceville residents with the award. "To know that the community has recognized us and cares about us like that, that meant a lot," said Johnny Maxwell, a leader for one of the volunteer groups. The North Alabama Boys were also honored earlier in the month with an Alabama House resolution sponsored by Rep. Parker Moore, R-Hartselle. Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in September 2024, Maxwell and Rand Hutchison knew they wanted to help the victims. The two began separately organizing efforts to provide workers and residents in North Carolina with supplies, meals and donations of any kind. The two groups have collectively raised about $350,000 in money and goods for the hurricane victims and workers. Hutchison, along with Decatur firefighter Adron Davis, were brainstorming ideas for how to help when Davis said, "What if we just go on our own and cook for people?" Hutchison said they then took the idea a step further: "What if we did something crazy, like ribeyes?" The two originally aimed to provide 600 meals. They figured they would need between $3,000 and $3,500 dollars. After a Facebook post gained unexpected attention, they were able to raise $25,000. They bought supplies from Texas Roadhouse, which sold the food at cost. For three days, they handed out as many meals as they could — breakfast, lunch and dinner. "You could tell that the people of North Carolina were just tired," Hutchison said. "They had been living this day after day, for weeks. ... To see that face turn to a smile just because you handed them a really awesome ribeye sandwich — every day we would go to bed tired, yet so fulfilled." They were able to hand out about 3,500 meals and had money to spare. A second trip was planned. It fell in early December, and they took toys. Maxwell's crew focused more on bringing different supplies. As the weather grew colder, they donated hundreds of heaters and propane tanks. They received donations from all around the country. Maxwell described opening the mailbox and finding thousands of dollars in donations. "It was organic. We felt a call from the Lord to go and help our fellow man," Maxwell said. "We went up to see what we could do. We were thinking small. God was thinking a lot larger." With the funds, the group has been able to supply the Double Island Fire Department in North Carolina with an ultra-terrain vehicle side-by-side. They also provided Rebuilding Hollers, a home reconstruction-focused foundation, with a Lull extended lift. They've also partnered with Blossman Gas to cover the costs of refilling propane tanks. Citizens can take in a voucher for three 20-pound tanks, and Hutchison's party pays the cost weekly. They have made 13 different trips, lasting about three days each. A group left Monday with 300 sheets of plywood for construction efforts. Maxwell said he has encouraged Hutchison in their joint volunteering efforts. He said his group is made up of mostly older residents, but Hutchison's volunteers are younger. "I said, 'Rand, I'm 65. You're 36. You've got 30 to 40 years you can provide service. You take this mantle, and you wear it well,'" Maxwell said. "'We'll support you as long as we can. It's befitting that you guys head all of this up, and we will support you.'" Hutchison has filed paperwork to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Like the work in North Carolina, Hutchison said, "Our main focus is going to be feeding people in disaster recovery zones." He said the organization also wants to partner with local homeless missions to provide meals. Maxwell said when Heflin first asked him and his volunteers to come to the Celebrate the City event, he expected to wave their hands as a brief recognition. He described being "blown away" and "humbled beyond belief" upon receiving the award. He emphasized that none of the volunteers had any expectation of receiving recognition for their service. "The first words out of Rand Hutchison's mouth were, 'Johnny, I think I speak for me and you both, and the groups that we lead,' he said, 'we never did this for anybody to pat us on the back,'" Maxwell said. Maxwell, pastor of Nature's Trail Baptist Church, sees the donations and volunteering as part of the church's ministry. "Every one of them looked at it as a mission trip for God," Heflin said. "They didn't do it bring glory on them. They did it all to bring glory to God." The two volunteer leaders also highlighted the local support they have received. For example, an area veterinarian donated pallets of dog food, cat food and cat litter, which Hutchison's crew transported. Similarly, the propane vouchers that Maxwell's group handed out were printed by Decatur Printing Solutions. "They'll tell you it came from the community. As a mayor it makes you proud," Heflin said. Contact me at or 256-340-2437.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Special election dates announced for Alabama House District 12 seat
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Gov. Kay Ivey set special election dates for the vacant Alabama House District 12 seat Tuesday. The special primary election date for the seat is July 15. If needed, special primary runoffs will be held Aug. 12. The special general election is scheduled for Oct. 28. The seat was previously held by Republican Corey Harbison, who resigned from the position April 15. The district includes parts of Cullman County. Blount County man sentenced for possession of obscene matter 'Representative Corey Harbison has been a pleasure to work with and served the people of District 12 well. I thank him for his continued service to our state,' Ivey said in a statement. 'This special election is an important opportunity to help shape the future of your community – so, if you are in House District 12, make sure to get out and vote.' The deadline for qualifying with major political parties to run for the seat is 5 p.m. May 13. For all other candidates, the deadline is 5 p.m. July 15. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama House passes bill to allow Spirits ready-to-drink cocktails to be sold beside beer, wine
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — The bill passed the Alabama House Tuesday night and is headed to the Senate for consideration. 'Alabama consumers continue to seek out their favorite spirits ready-to-drink cocktails in grocery and convenience stores right alongside beer and wine,' Corey Staniscia, DISCUS vice president of state government relations, said. 'We applaud the House for taking another step in moving forward this consumer- and business-friendly measure that adds additional market access for adult spirits consumers in Alabama. We urge the Senate to take up and pass this measure to increase consumer convenience and keep the government out of picking winners and losers in the marketplace.' Under current law, beer in Alabama can be sold in grocery and convenience stores along with wine and malt-based canned cocktails. Under this current law, spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails are required to be sold at liquor stores. HB 521 also lowers the tax rate for spirits ready-to-drink cocktails to $0.035, 'recognizing that these low-alcohol products should not carry the same tax rate as a full bottle of spirits,' the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said. The bill would also define a new category of ready-to-drink mixed liquor beverages containing no more than seven percent alcohol by volume, called 'mixed spirit beverages.' You can read HB521, first read on April 3, and all it entails below: Alabama-2025-HB521-IntroducedDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
