GUNTERSVILLE — The final state legislative session of the quadrenium begins January 13, and State Sen. Wes Kitchens (R-Arab) expects things to move quickly.
Kitchens spoke at a Marshall County Republican Club meeting on Tuesday, where he previewed what to expect at the State House in 2026.
He said the first week will likely be devoted to tackling local bills before moving on to other legislation addressing issues such as lake cleanup, veterans, and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
"We're trying to get those in the first week of session because it's going to be moving very quickly," Kitchens said.
Among the bigger issues the legislature will be addressing is oversight of the embattled Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA).
"Still don't know what the final verdict and final version is going to be," Kitchens said. "There's been conversations anywhere from completely disbanding the AHSAA, putting it under the Department of Education, all the way to just more of an oversight to restructuring the board. A lot of different conversations, a lot of different directions on that bill and a lot of compromises have been working into that with our school systems."
Kitchens said the legislature also plans to remove the sunset clause on the bill capping property taxes and may consider a constitutional amendment to address redistricting after a court ordered the redrawing of two districts.
State Rep. Jeana Ross (R-Arab) also spoke briefly at the GOP meeting about her upcoming bill to limit children's screen time.
"We now know the science, the impact of those screens on the neurological connections," she said. "...[The bill] is something that has been needed and hopefully will create awareness not only in our child care and our Pre K and our kindergarten, but with parents so that they understand the impact and the devastating things that will go on with their child, particularly when they've got a phone, and they're not making eye contact. It's a type of neglect."
She said the bill would limit screen time to zero minutes for children under 2 years, 30 minutes per day for 3- and 4-year-olds, and so on, based on science-backed guidelines.
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