The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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May 6, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - The Alabama Big 10 Mayors released a statement applauding the Alabama Legislature for passing and Governor Kay Ivey (R) for signing into law two bills that they claim will improve public safety across Alabama. Senate Bills 118 and 119, both sponsored by Senator Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road) and carried by Representative Cynthia Almond (R-Tuscaloosa) in the House, received broad bipartisan support. Sponsors claim that the bills mark a critical advancement in our...
Advancements, Applications, and Ethical Considerations Facial recognition technology has rapidly evolved in recent years, transforming the ways in which law enforcement agencies across the globe operate. In Alabama, this technology is increasingly being adopted to enhance public safety, improve investigative processes, and streamline law enforcement operations. This article explores the role of facial recognition AI in Alabama law enforcement, its applications, benefits, and the ethical...
May 6, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ahead of Mother's Day this Sunday, U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.Dak.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) are leading colleagues in the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act. This legislation would provide critical support to women during typically challenging phases of motherhood – prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood development – and bolster access to resources and assistance to help mothers and their children thrive. This com...
May 6, 2025 - WASHINGTON, AL – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (SVAC) hearing with President Trump's Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), Doug Collins. Sen. Tuberville and Secretary Collins discussed the importance of the VA improving its processes to ensure veterans get the best possible care. TUBERVILLE: "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Secretary Collins, for being here. And thanks to the veterans that are here today, and I want to pas...
May 6, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL – The Alabama Senate passed the Speedy Trial Act - House Bill 307 (HB307). The legislation is designed to bring criminal cases to trial faster ensuring that justice is done. HB307 was sponsored in the Alabama House of Representatives by state Representative Jim Hill (R-Odenville) and Rep. Jim Carns (R-Vestavia Hills). It was carried in the Alabama Senate by Senator Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road). HB307 was a priority for Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R). The...
May 6, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL – Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) officially put her signature on House Bill 437 (HB437), Lulu's Law, which establishes a shark alert system to be administered by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for beaches and shorelines in Baldwin and Mobile counties. The bill was inspired by 16-year-old Mountain Brook high school student Lulu Gribbin who lost a hand and a leg to a shark attack while diving for sand dollars in Gulf Shores. HB437 ena...
May 6, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL – The Alabama Legislature passed landmark regulation that will limit who can purchase hemp derived cannabinoids and where they can be purchased. House Bill 455 (HB455) is sponsored by State Representative Andy Whitt (R-Harvest) and was carried in the Senate by Senator Tim Melson (R-Florence). The House had passed HB455 earlier. On Tuesday the Alabama Senate took up controversial legislation. Sen. Melson introduced a substitute on the floor. The substitute bill inc...
May 6, 2025 – The Alabama Legislature passed legislation to tax and regulate vape products in the state of Alabama. House Bill 8 (HB8) is sponsored by State Representative Barbara Drummond (D-Mobile) and carried in the Senate by State Senator David Sessions (R-Grand Bay). This legislation was carried in the Senate last year by Senate President Pro Tempore Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman). "We have been going back and forth on this bill for four years," said Gudger. Sessions said to Gudger, "I want t...
April 6, 2025 = WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) spoke with Mr. Anthony Tata, President Trump's nominee to be Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and Ms. Katherine Sutton, President Trump's nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy during their Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) nomination hearing. During their conversation, Sen. Tuberville asked about the funding levels for cyber operations and how the Department of D...
April 7, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL. – Yesterday, Representative Barbara Drummond's (HD103-Mobile) bill, HB8, to regulate the retail sale of vaping products through the state ABC Board passed both chambers and now awaits the Governor's signature for enactment. The bill was amended in the Senate to prohibit the sale of vaping products in convenience stores unless the specific products have been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. The amended version provided that vaping products t...
May 6, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL – The Alabama Senate passed legislation that would authorize EMS to transport a police canine officer who is wounded or injured in the line of duty. House Bill 366 (HB366) was sponsored by State Representative Pete Riehm (R-Dothan). It was carried in the Senate by Senator Andrew Jones (R-Centre). "This bill allows an injured police dog to be transported by EMS," explained Jones. According to the synopsis, "Relating to police dogs; to authorize emergency medical ser...
May 7, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL – The Alabama Senate passed legislation that would extend existing wiretapping powers and allow for interpreters. House Bill 137 (HB137) is sponsored by State Representative Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville). It was carried in the Senate by State Senator Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville). "This bill extends the wiretapping and allows interpreters," explained Chambliss. According to the synopsis, "Under existing law, the Attorney General may submit an application to a cir...
May 6, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL – The Alabama Senate passed legislation that would reduce the state grocery tax in Alabama from three percent to just two percent. House Bill 386 (HB386) is sponsored by state Representative Danny Garrett (R-Trussville). It was carried in the Senate by Senator Arthur Orr (R-Decatur). Alabama is one of the few states in the country to tax food. The Legislature addressed this issue a couple of years ago when they lowered the sales tax on food 25 percent from four per...
May 7, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL – The Alabama Legislature sent a powerful message to Alabama's public-school parents when they passed landmark legislation banning students bringing their cell phones to school. House Bill 166 (HB166) is sponsored by State Representative Leigh Hulsey (R-Pelham). It was carried in the Senate by State Senator Donnie Chesteen (R-Dothan). Students wasting time playing games, cruising social media sites, and texting their friends has become an enormous distraction for...
May 8. 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - Wes Allen, Alabama's Secretary of State, applauds the final passage of Senator Will Barfoot's SB158, legislation that prohibits the use of a foreign national driver license for voting purposes. "Ensuring that only American citizens are voting in our elections has been a top priority of mine since day one. This legislation helps defeat noncitizen attempts to dilute the vote of legal American citizens and strengthens Alabama's safeguards against noncitizen voting. It...
May 8, 2025 - WASHINGTON, AL – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn and several of their colleagues to introduce the Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act, which would codify President Trump's Executive Order subjecting illegal immigrants who kill American citizens to the death penalty. Earlier today, Sen. Tuberville joined Sen. Cornyn, Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) for a press conference about the bill. "Over the past f...
May 9, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joined a 26-state coalition today asking the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to intervene and halt Hawaii's unconstitutional gun ban which prohibits the carry or possession of firearms in designated "sensitive" places, including bars and restaurants serving alcohol, parks and beaches, banks and financial institutions, and other areas. The amicus brief was filed in the case of Wolford v. Lopez, in support of t...
May 1, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, yesterday led subcommittee members in questioning U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on the Trump Administration's Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Senator Britt's opening statement highlighted President Trump's immediate, successful actions to secure our southern border, as well as her c...
May 9, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL – Gov. Kay Ivey signed an Alabama League of Municipalities' (ALM) sponsored proclamation declaring May 11-17, 2025 as Municipal Government Week in the state of Alabama during a ceremony at the state capitol yesterday afternoon. The goal of this week is to remind Alabamians of the important role local government plays in providing essential quality of life services. Gov. Ivey said, "I encourage all Alabamians to be involved in their local municipal government while a...
May 9, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL – Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R), on the Friday ahead of Mother's Day weekend, signed House Bill 152 to provide sales tax exemptions on certain purchases of diapers, baby supplies, baby formula, maternity clothing and feminine products. House Bill 152 was sponsored by Rep. Neil Rafferty (D-Birmingham). "Alabama is proudly the most pro-life state in America, and we remain committed to doing all we can to support our moms," said Governor Kay Ivey in a statement. "As...
May 9, 2025 – Advocates for psychoactive cannabinoids derived from hemp are disappointed with legislation passed by the governor that will tax and regulate psychoactive cannabinoids derived chemically from non-psychoactive hemp. While Alabama did pass medical marijuana legislation in 2021, the Alabama Legislature made it abundantly clear that recreational marijuana would not be allowed in the state. That position was made null and void by the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp. Hemp advocates a...
May 12, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL - The Office of Information Technology is currently responding to a cybersecurity event that is affecting certain state systems. In alignment with best practices, immediate steps have been taken to contain the situation while working with a leading third-party cybersecurity firm to investigate, secure and restore impacted services. The governor's officer reports that he security and reliability of state systems is a top priority. Temporary disruptions such as...
May 6, 2025 – the Alabama Legislature passed the Teachers Paperwork Streamlining Act. Senate Bill 280 (SB280) is sponsored by Senator Arthur Orr (R-Decatur). It is carried in the House by State Representative Terri Collins (R-Decatur). The House adopted a substitute version of SB280 that they prepared in Collins' Education Policy Committee. "What we are talking about is reducing the load on individual teachers," said Collins. "What this is doing, for the individual teacher - we want to keep them...
May 12, 2025 - MONTGOMERY. AL – Governor Kay Ivey on Monday signed Senate Bill 158, designed to strengthen Alabama law against illegal immigrants and other noncitizen voting, and Senate Bill 63, requiring law enforcement to collect and submit fingerprints and DNA samples from illegal immigrants already in custody. "Alabama is taking steps to protect our communities from impacts on public safety and the integrity of our elections," said Governor Ivey. "These bills will do just that by closing a...
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a treatable but potentially life-threatening condition. Yet millions of people still lack access to the most effective treatment options. According to recently released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medications for OUD, especially buprenorphine and methadone, can significantly reduce the risk of overdose and improve long-term health outcomes. Despite this, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) remains widely underused. In 2022, an...
