News from the South - Alabama News Feed
What passed in the Alabama Legislature: Feb. 18-20, 2025
What passed in the Alabama Legislature: Feb. 18-20, 2025
by Anna Barrett and Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector
February 21, 2025
Here is a list of bills that passed in the Alabama Legislature this week, the third of the 2025 regular session.
Tuesday, Feb. 18
House
HB 210, sponsored by Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, would increase Calhoun County’s coroner’s base salary to $54,570 starting in 2027 and raises the salaries of assistant coroners from $4,800 to $6,100. The bill passed 32-0. Itl goes to the Senate.
HB 213, sponsored by Rep. Mark Gidley, R-Hokes Bluff, would allow the Calhoun County Commission to pay members of its board of registrars members $15 per day the commission meets and conducts business. The bill passed 18-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 215, sponsored by Rep. Chad Robertson, R-Heflin, would increase the base salary for the Calhoun County Sheriff to $114,290 without expense compensation starting in 2027. The bill passed 15-1. It goes to the Senate.
HB 188, sponsored by Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, would allow dependents and spouses of Alabama law enforcement to claim a $3,000 scholarship for post-secondary education. The bill passed 101-0. The bill goes to the Senate.
HB 199, sponsored by Rep. Travis Hendrix, D-Birmingham, would allow the Board of Pardons and Parole to electronically monitor a juvenile delinquent before their court hearing. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.
SB 70, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, creates a Veterans Resource Center as a public entity with a corresponding board of directors. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
HB 216, sponsored by Rep. Russell Bedsole, R-Alabaster, creates civil liability protections for gun dealers participating in a voluntary firearm surrender program. The bill passed 98-2. It goes to the Senate.
HB 164, sponsored by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, would raise the threshold for small estates for surviving spouses from $25,000 to $47,000. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 137, sponsored by Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, would allow the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to have a language interpreter to monitor wiretapping. The bill passed 97-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 92, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollingers Island, would create the Alabama Seagrass Restoration Task Force, responsible for studying Alabama’s marine waters and addressing the loss of seagrass and its ecological and economical impacts. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 9, sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, would ban the three-cueing method of teaching reading. It passed 100-0. The bill goes to the Senate.
HB 134, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, would allow fees and fines collected from vehicles parked without a license plate to go to the employing agency of the officer issuing the ticket. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 140, sponsored by Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-Birmingham, would allow privately owned sewer and wastewater systems to choose to be in the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission. The bill passed 100-0. It goes to the Senate.
Senate
SB 67, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, would make the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs an appointed position by the governor and make the board an advisory body. The bill passed 21-9. It goes to the House.
SB 76, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, would exempt nursing mothers from jury service. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House.
SB 64, sponsored by Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, would make removing, cutting, trimming, severing, or uprooting aquatic plants from public waters a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of at least $500. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House.
SB 104, sponsored by Sen. Robert Stewart, D-Selma, would increase membership of the Alabama Job Creation and Military Stability Commission to include the chairs of the Alabama House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and the Alabama Senate Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Safety Committee. It passed 32-0. It goes to the House.
SB 95, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, would allow Alabama Municipal Electric Authority board members to be paid up to $1,750 monthly and up to $2,000 for the chair. Currently, members may be compensated up to $600 if the board unanimously agrees. It passed 32-0. It goes to the House.
SB 60, sponsored by Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, would increase the state’s borrowing power for prison projects by $500 million, to approximately $1.28 billion. It passed 32-0. It goes to the House.
SB 1, sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, would provide compensation benefits to full-time public education employees who are injured on the job. The bill passed 32-0. It goes to the House.
SB 42, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, would allow abandoned roads constructed on a right-of-way to be deeded by an appropriate governing body to the original landowner. It passed 32-0. It goes to the House.
Thursday, Feb. 20
House
HB 211, sponsored by Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, would allow the Calhoun County Commission to regulate halfway houses and similar facilities. The bill passed 24-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 200, sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Almond, R-Tuscaloosa, makes technical changes to the Business and Nonprofit Entities Code and codifies electronic filing practices. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 123, sponsored by Rep. Kerry Underwood, R-Tuscumbia, extends the term of the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy to Oct. 1, 2026; changes the appointment of members of the board and the board’s sanctioning powers. The bill passed 101-0. It goes to the Senate.
HB 35, sponsored by Rep. Russell Bedsole, R-Alabaster, would extend first responder death benefit to volunteer firefighters. It passed 102-0. The bill goes to the Senate.
HB 141, sponsored by Rep. Kenyatté Hassell, D-Hassell, would allow state employees to deduct from their salary for household items, like a washing machine, pre-tax. The bill passed 81-19. It goes to the Senate.
Senate
HB 76, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Brinyark, R-Windham Springs, would allow the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office to establish procedures for using a credit card for official purposes. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
SB 139, sponsored by Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, extends the terms of offices for the Scottsboro mayor and certain members of the city council and school board members by one year. The bill extends the term of office for city council members and city board of education members whose terms set expire in 2026 to 2027; the mayor and council members with terms set to expire in 2028 to 2029, and board of education members whose terms are scheduled to expire in 2028 or 2030 to 2029 and 2031, respectively. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to the House.
SB 162, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, sets minimum distribution amounts of in-lieu-of-taxes payments of the Tennessee Valley Authority to the Marshall County Legislative Delegation office; the Marshall County Economic Development Office; Snead Community College, and ambulance service in the city of Boaz. It passed 30-0. It goes to the House.
SB 25, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, would require tax proceeds from alcohol sales in community development districts to be awarded as grants based on the recommendation of each legislator representing a portion of the county. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to the House.
SB 54, sponsored by Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, would add communications service facilities to the definition of “critical infrastructure facility.” The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House.
SB 80, sponsored by Sen. Tom Butler, R-Madison, would change the name of the Alabama Local Government Training Institute to the Buddy Sharpless Education Institute. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House.
SB 115, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, makes accepting a job as a law enforcement officer a crime of impersonating a peace officer if the person accepting the job knows they are disqualified or if they know their certification with the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training (APOST) commission has been revoked or suspended. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House.
SB 102, sponsored by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, would provide presumptive Medicaid coverage for up to 60 days to pregnant people before their application for the program is formally approved. The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House.
SB 40, sponsored by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, would provide liability protection for Federal Firearms License dealers who choose to participate in the Safer Together Program, where they may accept surrendered firearms from community members.The bill passed 31-0. It goes to the House.
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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 What passed in the Alabama Legislature: Feb. 18-20, 2025 appeared first on alabamareflector.com
News from the South - Alabama News Feed
Study: Alabama’s moral turpitude laws contribute to racial disenfranchisement disparities
by Ralph Chapoco, Alabama Reflector
September 2, 2025
BIRMINGHAM — Robert Cheeks cast a ballot in Birmingham’s municipal elections last week and received a standing ovation from poll workers.
It was the first time that Cheeks, 82, had voted. Until the most recent election, his criminal history barred him from participating in the electoral process.
“I had never voted before and it was always my wish to vote,” he said after he cast his ballot. “I had the opportunity, encouraged, to vote, and I said I want to exercise my right as a citizen in the state, and I wanted to vote because I had never voted before.”
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For Black Alabamians like Cheeks who have criminal convictions, getting the right to vote restored can be difficult, according to a new report from Return My Vote, an organization that assists people with criminal convictions with regaining their right to vote.
The study, “Alabama’s Moral Turpitude Law Disproportionately Strips Black Citizens of Their Voting Rights,” found that Black Alabamians were four times more likely to lose their right to vote than white Alabamians.
“The most basic, and most important, finding is that overall that people who were dropped from the voter file or denied registration due to felony conviction, a majority of them were Black,” said Richard Fording, a professor of political science at the University of Alabama and a co-author of the study. “Not a large majority, but over 50% of them were Black. It was about twice the percentage of the general population that is Black in Alabama, and so, of course that is alarming.”
Alabama laws generally deny the vote to those convicted of crimes of moral turpitude, a broad phrase that was subject to interpretation until the state began listing specific crimes under it in 2017. While some states automatically restore voting rights after a person completes a sentence, Alabama has a more complicated process.
While only a handful of crimes can permanently cost a person their vote, some require pardons from the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles. Others require a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote once they have completed their sentence, which includes payment of any fines, fees and restitution.
The authors of the study studied 25,000 people removed from the voter rolls or disqualified from voting between 2017 and 2020 due to criminal conviction. Study authors were able to review the information only after the Campaign Legal Center had obtained the records after a federal judge had required the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office to release it.
Disparities
According to the study, Black men were disenfranchised at a rate of 22.4 citizens per 1,000 men of voting age. That is almost four times the rate for their white counterparts, whose rate was 6.7 citizens per 1,000.
The rate for disenfranchising Black women was 3.9 citizens per 1,000, almost twice the rate of white women, whose disenfranchisement rate was 2.1 citizens per 1,000 white women.
Counties with significant Black populations had some of the highest Black disenfranchisement rates and largest racial disparities in disenfranchisement. Seven of the 10 counties with the highest rates of disenfranchised voters are within the Black Belt. The rate for disenfranchising Black men in Monroe, more than 40% Black, was 40.6, compared to 8 per 1,000 for white men. In Perry County, with a Black population of 70%, the rate was 30 citizens per 1,000 Black men of voting age. The rate was 11.4 for white men, almost three times lower.
The disparities are less pronounced for women in the same counties, but they still exist. In Monroe County, Black women are disenfranchised at a rate of 5.6 citizens per 1,000 Black women who are at least 18 years old. For white women in that county, the rate is 2.4, less than half.
Study authors stated in the report that even though there is some uncertainty with the information because of problems collecting data, after reviewing the Uniform Crime Report data obtained from the FBI website, the findings indicated that more Blacks are disenfranchised than whites even when criminal convictions are considered.
“Nevertheless, the most important takeaway is that the disproportionate percentage of arrests for disqualifying offenses by Blacks in Alabama (42%) cannot fully account for the significantly higher percentage of Blacks disenfranchised by the state (52%) during 2017-2021,” the report states.
The study also found that Blacks have a more difficult time regaining their right to vote after they are removed from the voter rolls after getting convicted of a crime.
Authors also investigated the number of people who were removed from the voter rolls from 2017-2021 who had regained their voting rights and registered to vote once again by 2024. According to the study, 1,034 people who are Black reregistered to vote after they completed their sentence, about 8.3% of the total. That is less than the almost 13% of whites registered to vote after a criminal conviction.
The study suggested that the disparities could stem from disparities in the application of Alabama’s felony disenfranchisement law and uneven methods of voter file maintenance in the state.
“Regardless of the reason, the significant variation in county-level disenfranchisement rates calls for further investigation into how Alabama’s felony disenfranchisement law is being implemented at the local level,” the report said. “This is especially important given federal law that requires uniform implementation of state election laws across counties.”
‘It means so much’
Cheeks spent almost 40 years in the custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections after receiving a mandatory life sentence in 1985 for a robbery. Cheeks had prior convictions of forgery and assault, leading to the sentence but no one was physically injured. Cheeks spent 30 years working in the kitchen at Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer without pay, according to Alabama Appleseed.
Cheeks was released in July 2022. His criminal convictions required him to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote, which he applied for and received from the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles. Cheeks, with the help of supporters, then registered to vote with the Board of Registrars in Jefferson County and acquired full citizenship once again after spending nearly four decades incarcerated in Alabama’s prisons.
“It is more important now than it would have been in the first place,” Cheeks said of voting. “I have been so anxious over the years to vote. I have been hearing so much about voting, and I wanted to express my opportunity for the right to vote. It is granted to American citizens by right, and I wanted to do that. I am so thankful. It is a blessing, and it means so much.”
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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 Study: Alabama’s moral turpitude laws contribute to racial disenfranchisement disparities 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: Center-Left
This content highlights issues of racial disparities and systemic barriers related to felony disenfranchisement in Alabama, focusing on the disproportionate impact on Black citizens. It emphasizes social justice concerns and critiques existing laws and their implementation, which aligns with a Center-Left perspective that advocates for voting rights expansion and racial equity. The tone is factual and empathetic, without overt partisan language, but the focus on structural inequalities and reform suggests a leaning toward progressive policy viewpoints.
News from the South - Alabama News Feed
Monroe County Football Coach speaks out, calls for more support for team
SUMMARY: Monroe County High School football coach Robert Wilkerson is urging more support from parents, alumni, and the community. Since starting in April, Wilkerson has faced challenges such as low game attendance, limited adult volunteers for filming and chain crew, and a lack of trainers. He publicly expressed concerns on Facebook, emphasizing the need for people to attend games and boost team morale. Wilkerson highlights issues like outdated training equipment and lack of pride in the school. He calls for increased community involvement through their “adopt a tiger” program and donations via an Amazon wish list to improve the team’s resources.
Head Coach Robert Wilkerson says building the team starts with more people attending games and helping the young players.
News from the South - Alabama News Feed
Alabama Lawmakers Threaten to Dismantle Athletic Association After New Rule | Sept. 1, 2025 | News 1
SUMMARY: Alabama lawmakers are challenging a new rule by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) that sidelines certain high school athletes using the $7,000 tax credit under the CHOOSE Act. Senators and representatives argue the rule violates state law, which protects player eligibility and opposes restrictions impacting athletes’ ability to participate. They call for increased oversight of the AHSAA and suggest revising or repealing the CHOOSE Act. Concerns focus on fairness but emphasize that opportunities for student-athletes should not be compromised. Some lawmakers are even considering dismantling the AHSAA due to these controversial regulations.
High school athletes who transfer schools using financial aid like the CHOOSE Act are ineligible to play for one year, according to the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
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