SUMMARY: Decatur City Schools Superintendent Michael Douglas addressed the impact of a recent tax settlement requiring repayment of around $700,000 to a major company, Exelon, following a lawsuit over improper tax assessments in 2021-2022. The funds, already spent by the district, equal the salary of 10 teachers. Douglas expressed frustration, concerned other companies might make similar claims, and noted Decatur was not part of the lawsuit, limiting their input on the settlement. Despite the financial hit, the district plans to avoid layoffs by carefully managing funds. Morgan County and Hartselle schools are also affected by the repayment obligation.

Several school systems in Morgan County are trying to figure out how to re-pay money that was previously allotted to them, after a tax lawsuit settlement.

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Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission advances lab license, awaits court decision

by Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector
May 15, 2025

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) Thursday received a legal update and approved corrections to a state testing laboratory license application.

Mark Wilkerson, an attorney for the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, updated the commission on ongoing legal cases. Wilkerson said three Court of Civil Appeals decisions over the past two and a half months ordered temporary restraining orders to be dissolved, but one of the denied applicants filed a petition requesting the Alabama Supreme Court review a decision made by the Court of Civil Appeals.

“We don’t have a timetable for what the Supreme Court may do in regard to that petition. If the (Alabama) Supreme Court issues an order requiring participation and briefing, this agency will do that,” Wilkerson said during the meeting.

The AMCC on February 14 opened a one-month window for parties to request an application for state testing laboratory licenses. From the five applications the commission received, the AMCC received one that had to be amended before being accepted. Justin Aday, general counsel for the commission, said that once the application was resubmitted, the only outstanding item was a background check.

“They had not yet received that completed background check from the FBI. Two days later on May 7, we did receive that FBI background check,” Aday said.

The commission approved the application, which will be made available during a 30-day period for public comments. The commission will hear the applicant’s presentation in a June 12 meeting and make the final decision at a June 17 meeting.

Under Alabama’s medical cannabis law passed in 2021, physicians can recommend the use of cannabis for patients with qualifying health issues. These conditions include chronic pain, PTSD, epilepsy and cancer-related pain. The law allows cannabis to be dispensed in forms such as tablets, tinctures, patches, oils and gummies, though only peach flavored. The use of raw plant material is not allowed.

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

The post Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission advances lab license, awaits court decision appeared first on alabamareflector.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The content provided is focused on updates from the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission regarding legal and procedural matters related to medical cannabis in the state. It primarily reports on the commission’s activities, legal updates, and regulatory decisions, without expressing a clear political bias. The tone and language used are neutral and factual, and the article does not advocate for or against the policies it covers. It remains centered on procedural details rather than presenting ideological perspectives or opinions, indicating a centrist approach to reporting on the subject matter.

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