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Lawmakers consider new Alabama school funding model
With one legislative session finished and the next about eight months away, Alabama legislators will spend the time in-between deciding whether to develop an entirely new school funding formula. The House and Senate committees that oversee the Education Trust Fund (ETF), the state’s education budget, held a joint meeting Tuesday to begin discussions about potential […] The post Lawmakers consider new Alabama school funding model appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama attorney general wants absentee ballot lawsuit dismissed
The Alabama attorney general’s office Monday asked a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to block a new law criminalizing some forms of ballot assistance. In a 52-page filing in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, the attorney general’s office argued the new law does not violate existing rights […] The post Alabama attorney general wants absentee ballot lawsuit dismissed appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Bipartisan border bill likely doomed in approaching U.S. Senate vote
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats are pushing for a second attempt to pass a bipartisan border security bill that failed in February after Republicans walked away from the very deal they helped craft, and it’s likely to fail again when the Senate votes on the legislation Thursday. “So why are we bringing this bill up […] The post Bipartisan border bill likely doomed in approaching U.S. Senate vote appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Gun safety group, U.S. Senate architects of 2022 law call for stricter measures
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin and a coalition of medical officers advocated Tuesday for Congress to pass stronger gun safety laws. Congress should build on the 2022 gun control law following high-profile mass shootings, Durbin, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy and about 80 members of OnCall4Kids, a group of doctors and healthcare professionals […] The post Gun safety group, U.S. Senate architects of 2022 law call for stricter measures appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Trump signals he’s open to state limits on contraceptive access, then insists he’s not
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee for president, suggested during a taped interview with a Pittsburgh TV news station Tuesday that he might be open to states restricting access to contraceptives, though he later appeared to backtrack. “We’re looking at that and I’m going to have a policy on that very shortly […] The post Trump signals he’s open to state limits on contraceptive access, then insists he’s not appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Trump declines witness stand as testimony in his first trial concludes
WASHINGTON — The end of the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president is in sight as Donald Trump’s defense team rested its case Tuesday in Manhattan, where jurors have heard weeks of testimony from nearly two dozen witnesses about Trump’s alleged reimbursement of hush money meant to silence a porn star before the […] The post Trump declines witness stand as testimony in his first trial concludes appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
States need to keep PFAS ’forever chemicals’ out of the water. It won’t be cheap.
This story originally appeared on Stateline. In recent years, Michigan has spent tens of millions of dollars to limit residents’ exposure to the harmful “forever chemicals” called PFAS. And some cities there have spent millions of their own to filter contaminated drinking water or connect to new, less-polluted sources. “We’ve made significant investments to get […] The post States need to keep PFAS ’forever chemicals’ out of the water. It won’t be cheap. appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama OB-GYN residencies dropped over 20% after Dobbs, state abortion ban, says analysis
Alabama’s near-total abortion ban seems to be discouraging medical students from applying to residency programs in the state. A new analysis from the Association of American Medical Colleges found that applicants for OB-GYN residency programs in the state dropped 21.2% in 2023-24, the first full cycle after the U.S. Supreme Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health […] The post Alabama OB-GYN residencies dropped over 20% after Dobbs, state abortion ban, says analysis appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
What killed Alabama’s bill to open public colleges to some undocumented residents?
A bill to allow undocumented students to attend some of Alabama’s public institutions of higher education died in the final days of the 2024 session amid attempts to limit the scope of the bill. HB 210, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, would have allowed undocumented students to attend public colleges and universities as […] The post What killed Alabama’s bill to open public colleges to some undocumented residents? appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Prosecution rests in Trump hush money trial, after former fixer Cohen is grilled
NEW YORK — New York state prosecutors rested their case against Donald Trump Monday after four days of testimony from their key witness, Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen, who says the former president was well aware of a hush money cover-up. The defense paints Cohen as a liar. The Manhattan criminal trial, the first ever […] The post Prosecution rests in Trump hush money trial, after former fixer Cohen is grilled appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Gov. Kay Ivey makes Juneteenth Alabama state holiday for 2024
State employees will be given Juneteenth as a holiday, according to a memo that Gov. Kay Ivey sent to state department leaders on Monday The memo identifies the state holidays for the remaining part of the year, including Juneteenth on June 19, a holiday marking the end of American slavery. “All state offices will be […] The post Gov. Kay Ivey makes Juneteenth Alabama state holiday for 2024 appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
In Detroit NAACP speech, Biden warns ‘unhinged’ Trump is looking for ‘revenge’ in 2024
This story originally appeared on Michigan Advance. President Joe Biden told a crowd in Detroit on Sunday night that former President Donald Trump is seeking reelection not to lead the country, but for “revenge.” “Trump isn’t running to lead America. He’s running for revenge. And revenge is no way to lead a country,” Biden said […] The post In Detroit NAACP speech, Biden warns ‘unhinged’ Trump is looking for ‘revenge’ in 2024 appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
As a key labor union pushes into the South, red states push back
This story originally appeared on Stateline. Just days before workers at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama began voting last week on whether to unionize, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed a new law that would claw back state incentives from companies that voluntarily recognize labor unions. Alabama’s move follows similar efforts in Georgia and Tennessee, where […] The post As a key labor union pushes into the South, red states push back appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt introduces bill to end a state’s Medicaid funding if it blocks IVF
WASHINGTON — Two Republican U.S. senators have teamed up to try to prevent states from banning in vitro fertilization, months after the Alabama state Supreme Court upended access to the procedure by ruling fertilized embryos were children under state law. Sens. Katie Britt of Alabama and Ted Cruz of Texas introduced a three-page bill on […] The post U.S. Sen. Katie Britt introduces bill to end a state’s Medicaid funding if it blocks IVF appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Prison crisis continues, but Alabama Legislature largely avoids topic
Violence in Alabama’s state prisons remains a persistent problem, but legislators in the 2024 session proposed little in the way of addressing it. Lawmakers passed a single bill late in the session, SB 322, which aims to make the Alabama Department of Corrections more responsive to the families and loved ones of those who are […] The post Prison crisis continues, but Alabama Legislature largely avoids topic appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
In the Alabama Legislature, it’s culture wars first, retirees second
As lawmakers locked in $12 billion in spending late in the recently-concluded legislative session, they discovered education retirees. These are the teachers and support staff who spent 20 or 30 years or more educating you and your children. They ensured the kids in their charge were fed, sheltered and taught as best as local resources […] The post In the Alabama Legislature, it’s culture wars first, retirees second appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Alabama enacts law to protect physicians prescribing off-label medications
Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill Thursday prohibiting the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners and the Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama from taking adverse action against a physician who prescribes or recommends off-label medical treatments. SB 72, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, passed out of both chambers unanimously. “This bill just allowed a doctor […] The post Alabama enacts law to protect physicians prescribing off-label medications appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Abortion ballot measures could lift Dems in U.S. House races, campaign chief says
WASHINGTON — Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene told reporters Friday that ballot questions on abortion access, which will go before voters in several states this November, can help vulnerable Democratic candidates in swing districts — potentially increasing the odds the U.S. House flips from red to blue. “We’ve seen huge turnout as a […] The post Abortion ballot measures could lift Dems in U.S. House races, campaign chief says appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
More than half of states sue to block Biden Title IX rule protecting LGBTQ+ students
WASHINGTON — Twenty-six GOP-led states are suing the Biden administration over changes to Title IX aiming to protect LGBTQ+ students from discrimination in schools. Less than a month after the U.S. Department of Education released its final rule seeking to protect against discrimination “based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics,” a […] The post More than half of states sue to block Biden Title IX rule protecting LGBTQ+ students appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Farm bill text released in U.S. House, setting up fight with Senate
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Agriculture Committee Friday released the draft bill text of the long-awaited $1.5 trillion farm bill, which is likely to face opposition in the Senate from Democrats due to disagreements over federal anti-hunger programs and climate change requirements. The chair of the committee, GOP Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson of Pennsylvania, said […] The post Farm bill text released in U.S. House, setting up fight with Senate appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
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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.
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