News from the South - Alabama News Feed
Religious instruction bill fails House committee; Senate version filed
by Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector
April 2, 2025
A bill that would require local school boards to adopt policies on extending academic credit for “religious instruction” outside the classroom failed an Alabama House committee on Wednesday.
The House Education Policy Committee rejected HB 342, sponsored by Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, on a 4-9 vote despite significant amendments to the bill that gave local school boards more flexibility with the policy.
Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, the chair of the committee, said she supported the amendments but said the pushback from both sides was stronger than she expected.
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“I had every superintendent around me actually reach out and ask not to,” Collins said in an interview about her vote. “There was just a lot of passion. The amount of people pushing both ways was extreme, more so than I thought, and that makes me hesitant.”
State law currently allows boards of education to extend that credit, but does not mandate released time religious instruction (RTRI), the subject of DuBose’s bill, in which students can take time out of the school day for religious instruction.
The ministry teaches students about the Christian Standard Bible “with a focus on head, heart and hands,” according to its website. In a sample curriculum, it alters the language and organization of Bible lessons so that children can understand it easily.
Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, also voted against the bill, saying schools can already create religious release time policies. The Legislature passed a law allowing school boards to create a policy in 2019.
“I think the local authorities need to make that decision,” Baker said in an interview. “If they want that there in their system, then they can handle it.”
Collins said she wanted to see more results of the current law.
“My thought is, we passed it several years ago as a ‘may.’ I would like to see how that works a little bit longer,” she said.
Rep. Tashina Morris, D-Montgomery, said the program would take away needed instructional time.
“The school hours haven’t changed, but we keep sticking things into the class time,” she said.
DuBose said the bill may come back next year, but start in the Senate.
“People had a difference of opinion. And that happens all the time,” DuBose said in an interview. “I don’t think anything went wrong.”
SB 278, sponsored by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, is identical to DuBose’s bill with the amendments. It was filed Tuesday and is in the Senate Education Policy Committee.
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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 Religious instruction bill fails House committee; Senate version filed appeared first on alabamareflector.com
News from the South - Alabama News Feed
A very dry September forecast with hot afternoons ahead for Alabama.
SUMMARY: Alabama faces a very dry September with hot afternoons continuing through the last week of summer before the autumnal equinox. Sunday begins comfortably cool in the 60s, warming to low 90s by mid-afternoon under mostly sunny skies. A weak wave may bring a few showers tonight, mainly to northwest Alabama, but widespread rain is unlikely. Temperatures will remain above average, hitting mid-90s Tuesday and Wednesday. By next weekend, a trough and front may increase cloud cover and rain chances slightly, potentially lowering temperatures closer to average. Overall, the forecast calls for persistent dry and warm conditions into next week.
A very dry September forecast with hot afternoons ahead for Alabama.
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News from the South - Alabama News Feed
Huntsville Fire & Rescue Holds 9/11 Memorial Service | Sept. 11, 2025 | News 19 at 5 p.m.
SUMMARY: On September 11, 2025, Huntsville Fire & Rescue held a memorial service to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Military members and first responders gathered at Huntsville Fire Station One, where at 7:46 a.m., lights, sirens, and air horns sounded to replicate the sounds heard during the attacks. Fire Chief Howard McFarland emphasized the importance of remembering the tragedy to educate younger generations and prevent history from repeating. Former Captain Lynn recalled the shock of witnessing the attacks and noted how 9/11 reshaped emergency preparedness. This annual event is held across all 20 Huntsville fire stations.
The Huntsville Fire & Rescue held a 9/11 memorial service.
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SUMMARY: On September 11, 2025, News 5 NOW covered 9/11 commemorations, including first responders climbing 2,000 steps at Hancock Whitney Stadium to honor the World Trade Center’s 110 stories. The Original Oyster House offered free meals to first responders in Mobile and Baldwin counties. The program also reported a new Vibrio bacterial infection case in Escambia County, highlighting health warnings for beachgoers. Additionally, they discussed a study linking chronic insomnia to increased dementia risk, election recounts in Gulf Shores, and a recent political shooting in Utah, sparking debate over harsher punishments for political violence. Viewer opinions on extraterrestrials and political violence were shared in an interactive social media segment.
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