Choose your location
Alabama Reflector
Alabama House committee delays bill allowing parole applicants to participate in hearings
A bill to allow parole applicants to attend their hearings virtually and address the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles stalled in a House committee Wednesday after one legislator introduced major modifications to the legislation. Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, tried to submit changes to SB 312, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, during […] The post Alabama House committee delays bill allowing parole applicants to participate in hearings appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama Senate committee approves tax breaks for child care, housing
The Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation Education committee Wednesday approved measures extending tax credits for child care and housing construction, both aimed at improving the state’s workforce participation rate. Lawmakers have been working on legislation, known as the “Working for Alabama” package, to increase access to work through a combination of education programs and tax […] The post Alabama Senate committee approves tax breaks for child care, housing appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Black homeowners start to close gap in property values
Black homeowners’ property values are on the rise across the country, with some of the biggest upswings in Midwestern and Southern states. The boon to Black homeowners, after decades of lagging property values, could help them close a racial wealth gap that has kept the American dream out of reach. Home values increased on average […] The post Black homeowners start to close gap in property values appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama House committee approves bill allowing chaplains in schools
The Alabama House Education Policy Committee Wednesday approved a bill that would allow school boards to employ volunteer chaplains. SB 294, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, was amended in committee to make the position volunteer-only. The amendment also drops a requirement for school boards to create policies for chaplains, instead giving boards the option […] The post Alabama House committee approves bill allowing chaplains in schools appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Marjorie Taylor Greene to force vote next week on ousting U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson
WASHINGTON — Two U.S. House Republicans, aggrieved by Speaker Mike Johnson’s bipartisanship amid divided government, said Wednesday they plan to force a vote next week on removing him from the leadership office — despite the extremely long odds of success. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie held a press conference just […] The post Marjorie Taylor Greene to force vote next week on ousting U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama Senate committee approves bill extending ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law
A bill that would extend Alabama’s “Don’t Say Gay” law received a favorable report from a Senate committee Wednesday morning, though some members expressed concern over the scope of the bill. HB 130, sponsored by Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, would extend prohibitions on classroom instruction or discussion on sexual orientation or gender identity “that […] The post Alabama Senate committee approves bill extending ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama House passes bill criminalizing ‘Glock switches’
The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday to ban trigger activators, such as “Glock switches.” HB 36, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, would ban the possession of any part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert a firearm into a machine gun. It would make possession a Class C felony, […] The post Alabama House passes bill criminalizing ‘Glock switches’ appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Biden administration to greatly ease marijuana regulations
The Biden administration plans to remove marijuana from a list of the most dangerous and highly regulated drugs, the Department of Justice said Tuesday night. The Drug Enforcement Administration will propose moving the drug from a Schedule I substance, which also includes heroin and methamphetamine, to Schedule III, which is the category for regulated-but-legal drugs […] The post Biden administration to greatly ease marijuana regulations appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
More than 100 people speak at hearing on proposed Alabama library regulations
More than 100 people Tuesday spoke at an all-day meeting of the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) Board, with most urging the board to reject changes to an administrative code proposed by Gov. Kay Ivey. Amid right-wing attacks on the content and leadership of libraries, particularly books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes, Ivey last fall […] The post More than 100 people speak at hearing on proposed Alabama library regulations appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Jeana Ross wins Alabama House District 27 seat
Former Aabama Secretary of Early Childhood Education Jeana Ross won a special election Tuesday to represent Alabama House District 27, which includes most of Marshall County. As of 8:43 p.m. Tuesday, Ross had 1,611 votes (53.31%) in unofficial returns. Arab City Councilman Alan Miller had 1,411 votes (46.69%). A message seeking comment was left with […] The post Jeana Ross wins Alabama House District 27 seat appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama Senate committee adds funding for children’s summer meal program to ETF
An Alabama Senate committee approved a $9.3 billion education budget Tuesday afternoon that includes $10 million for a summer meal program for children. Committee chair Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, encouraged members of the committee to speak with him over the next roughly 48 hours about changes before they end up on the floor. “I meant […] The post Alabama Senate committee adds funding for children’s summer meal program to ETF appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Gambling package suddenly emerges, then stalls in Alabama Senate
A constitutional amendment to allow some forms of gambling and a lottery in the state passed the House Tuesday but stalled in the Senate after a vote and an obscure procedural rule. The House approved a conference committee report on HB 151, a constitutional amendment authorizing a lottery and limited gambling, on a 72-29 vote. […] The post Gambling package suddenly emerges, then stalls in Alabama Senate appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama House committee passes General Fund budget, 2% state employee pay raise
An Alabama House committee approved a $3.4 billion General Fund budget for the 2025 fiscal year and a supplemental funding bill for the current year of about $254 million. The House Ways and Means committee approved some minor changes in the funding bill approved by the Senate, which Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, the chair of […] The post Alabama House committee passes General Fund budget, 2% state employee pay raise appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Trump fined $9,000 for violating gag order in NY hush-money trial
Former President Donald Trump defied a gag order in his New York state hush-money trial by posting attacks on likely witnesses on his social media platform and campaign website, the judge in the case ruled Tuesday. Judge Juan M. Merchan fined Trump $9,000 for nine violations of an order barring him from making public statements […] The post Trump fined $9,000 for violating gag order in NY hush-money trial appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama Public Library Service Board to hold hearing on rules that could affect book access
The state agency overseeing public libraries is set to host a hearing Tuesday on rules that could alter the availability of books in libraries around the state. The Alabama Public Library Service Board will solicit comment for changing the administrative code following a directive from Gov. Kay Ivey in October. Board members will make a […] The post Alabama Public Library Service Board to hold hearing on rules that could affect book access appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Bill cutting Alabama sales taxes on baby, feminine hygiene products awaiting final vote
Legislation to lift state sales taxes on specific maternal, baby, and menstrual hygiene items has stalled but could reach Gov. Kay Ivey before the session ends. SB 62, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would remove Alabama levies from baby formula, baby bottles, baby wipes, breast milk pumping equipment, diapers, maternity clothing, and menstrual hygiene […] The post Bill cutting Alabama sales taxes on baby, feminine hygiene products awaiting final vote appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
A voter’s guide to the House District 27 runoff
Voters in Marshall County go to the polls Tuesday to select a new state representative. Former secretary of Early Childhood Education Jeana Ross and Arab City Councilman Alan Miller will compete for the party nomination in House District 27. With no Democratic candidate, the candidate with the most votes Tuesday will become the representative for […] The post A voter’s guide to the House District 27 runoff appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Ivey, 47 other governors oppose National Guard move to Space Force
This story originally appeared on Iowa Capital Dispatch. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed on to a letter Monday alongside 47 other state governors, as well as five territories and commonwealths, opposing the Biden administration’s move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force. The letter from the National Governors’ Association, addressed to […] The post Ivey, 47 other governors oppose National Guard move to Space Force appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
‘Transformative’: More college programs are slowly coming into prisons
This story originally appeared on Stateline. When the U.S. Department of Education announced last summer that federal Pell Grants would become available to incarcerated college students, lawmakers and state corrections agencies scrambled to adjust statutes and step up potential partnerships with universities. But nearly a year later, colleges and agencies are recognizing the steep administrative […] The post ‘Transformative’: More college programs are slowly coming into prisons appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
On abortion, advocates and opponents unite on policies to address root causes
Editor’s note: This story is the third in a series about a group of people from Wisconsin trying to come up with policies to address abortion and its root causes that could be applied nationwide. Their larger goal is to find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America. Read Part 1 […] The post On abortion, advocates and opponents unite on policies to address root causes appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama Reflector
2K+
Posts
21M+
Views
The Alabama Reflector is an independent nonprofit website covering politics and policy in our state. We look at the problems affecting Alabamians, and search for solutions. We connect readers with the decisions made in the hallways of the State House and try to give a voice to those outside it. We write stories about people in power and men and women on the margins. We hope to reflect what our home is, and what it could be. Alabama Reflector is an affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The Reflector retains full editorial independence.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.