The so-called Jobs Act, part of a package of bills deemed "The Game Plan" by Gov. Kay Ivey, sailed through the legislature on Thursday and was signed into law by Ivey almost immediately. But it was not without vocal opposition from some in the upper chamber.
Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law a package of economic incentives bills on Thursday.
The Alabama Senate voted in favor of two bills on Thursday that, if passed, will expand special privileges and tax abatements for specific corporations in the state but also impose transparency requirements on certain economic incentives.
A bill that would require the Alabama Ethics Commission to provide exonerating evidence to individuals accused of violating the state’s laws passed the State Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously on Wednesday.
Legislation placing deadlines on public records request responses in Alabama by State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) passed the County and Municipal Government committee unanimously on Wednesday.
State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) will file legislation soon to strengthen Alabama’s public records law.
Everybody else does it, so we have to. Basically, that is what Republican lawmakers have told constituents about the state's use of economic incentives, which they will readily acknowledge in theory, is a gross violation of free market economics.
Some Alabama lawmakers are still reeling from the sticker shock after it was announced the budget for the new prison facility in Elmore County had been increased to nearly $1 billion.
State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) filed legislation on Tuesday that would require the Alabama Ethics Commission to provide someone allegedly guilty of an ethics or campaign finance violation with exculpatory evidence in their possession before resolving the case or forwarding it to a prosecutor.
Amended legislation appropriating $1.06 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding passed both the House and Senate on Thursday.
Alabama is one of the only states to charge a sales tax on “essential” foods like milk and eggs, but as food prices soar due to inflation, one state senator has drafted a bill to lift the tax burden.
If passed this legislative session, a new bill in the Alabama House of Representatives would allow beneficiaries of the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) and the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) to earn a salary of as much as $52,000 a year while still receiving retirement benefits.
The Alliance of Alabama Healthcare Consumers “does not have a position on Medicaid expansion,” according to Robin Stone, the group’s new executive director.
In a few days, the Alabama Legislature will begin the first session of the new quadrennium. In addition to both chambers having to deal with the constitutionally mandated duty of passing budgets, a $2.6 billion surplus leftover from the prior legislative session will also have to be handled.
The Alabama Legislature will likely not be a part of any government bailout for financially beleaguered Birmingham-Southern College, according to State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur).
Medicaid expansion proponents have a new ally in their effort, according to State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur).
State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) said last December that a rebate plus a tax cut weren’t off the table. However, now he said most people should expect a one-time rebate of roughly $200 per person.
Alabama was one of the only southeastern states in 2021 and 2022 to not offer its citizens any major, broad-based sales or income tax relief despite large state budget surpluses recently.
Lawmakers are grappling with what to do with a $2.7 billion education budget surplus with the 2023 legislative session around the corner.
Members of the Contract Review Committee reviewed a $450,000 communications services contract between the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board and Direct Communications Thursday for “development of anti-underage drinking materials and online/virtual presentations.”
With now-former State Rep. Charlotte Meadows' (R-Montgomery) loss on Tuesday and the retirement of long-time former State Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston), the future of a school choice bill making it through the Alabama Legislature in the future is very unclear.
State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) has had his hand in legislation to reform Alabama's education system throughout his tenure in the legislature. Despite some recent progress, he said there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Lawmakers have been mixed in their public comments about what to do with a $2 billion budget surplus.
While the fallout from a Huntsville middle school teacher's drag queen performances still is playing out, Huntsville City Schools has remained tight-lipped on the situation, claiming they were "limited" in what they can share because it was a personnel matter.
With Alabama continually ranking low in education, a recent report by the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services shows the problem may stem from how public universities prepare future teachers for the classroom.
State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) has been fighting to get the state out of retail alcohol sales, but he said he'd faced stiff opposition from the landlords who lease their properties to the ABC board.
State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), the Senate Education Budget Committee chairman, had previously floated the idea of one-time tax rebates.