Committee advanced repeal of habitual offender law
KIM CHANDLER , Associated Press
FacebookTwitterEmail
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) A divided Alabama House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced a bill to repeal Alabama’s habitual offender law that mandates lengthy sentences for repeat offenders.
Committee members voted 9-5 to approve the bill by Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, that would do away with the sentencing mandates for new cases and allow some prisoners to have their sentences reviewed. The bill now moves to the full Alabama House of Representatives but faces an uncertain future with just 13 meeting days remaining in the legislative session.
England said the mandatory sentences in habitual offender laws have resulted in arbitrarily long sentences. He said his legislation would put the decision back into the hands of judges and prosecutors.
3 legislators test positive for COVID-19 this week
March 16, 2021
FacebookTwitterEmail
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Three Alabama lawmakers tested positive for COVID-19 this week, a legislative spokesman confirmed Tuesday.
Alabama House of Representative spokesman Clay Redden said three representatives received positive COVID-19 test results this week. He did not disclose the names of the legislators for privacy reasons.
Lawmakers and legislative staff have been receiving regular COVID-19 tests since the session began last month. Lawmakers have been taking precautions such as wearing masks, limiting access to the building and spreading out the 105 House members over two floors.
A number of lawmakers tested positive for COVID-19 before the session began.
Bill passed in Alabama House ends yoga ban, forbids saying namaste  and other mantras Share Updated: 6:54 PM CST Mar 11, 2021 The Associated Press Share Updated: 6:54 PM CST Mar 11, 2021 The Associated Press A decades-old ban on yoga in Alabama public schools could be coming to an end. The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday voted 73-25 to approve a bill that would authorize school systems to decide if they want yoga to be allowed in K-12 schools. The bill by Democratic Rep. Jeremy Gray specifies that the use of chanting, mantras and teaching the greeting ânamasteâ would be forbidden. The Alabama Board of Education voted in 1993 to prohibit yoga, hypnosis and meditation in public school classrooms. The ban was pushed by conservative groups. The bill now moves to the Alabama Senate.
Updated: 9:43 AM CST Mar 4, 2021
Hide Transcript
Show Transcript RIGHT NOW. The Reporter: HOUSE BILL 108 SAYS SPONSOR DAVID WHEELER WOULD CREATE A NINE-MEMBER DIVERSE CITIZENS BOARD TO ADVISE DR. MARK WILSON OR WHOEVER IS AT THE HELM. THE INTENT IT SO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE THE COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER ISSUES, ORDERS OR DIRECTS. The Reporter: WHEELER SAYS HE S NOT HAPPY WITH UNILATERAL DECISION THAT IS WERE MADE DURING THE PANDEMIC, BY THE JEFFCO HELD DEPARTMENT. THESE PEOPLE DON T WANT ANY OVERSIGHT, YOU NOW, THEY WANT TO RUN THINGS AS AUTHORITARIAN AS THEY CAN. THE REPORTER: MR. WHEELER HAS GENERALLY PRAISED DR. WILSON FOR HIS EFFORTS DURING THE PANDEMIC. THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL THING BETWEEN HE AND I. I VE GOT CONSTITUENTS THOUGH, THAT HAVE LOST THEIR BUSINESSES, OR HAD THEIR BUSINESSES SIGNIFICANTLY HARMED BY THESE HEALTH ORDERS. The Reporter: FORMER VESTAVIA BOARD OF EDUCATION PRESIDENT DAVID POWELL SUPPORTS THE ADVISORY BOARD. I THINK THAT ALL
A proposal that would require Alabamians to send their kids to kindergarten was passed by the Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday.
The bill by Rep. Pebblin Warren was approved 101-0 and will move to the Alabama Senate.
It requires a child to have successfully completed kindergarten or have demonstrated first grade readiness on a district approved assessment before enrolling in first grade.
The Education Commission of the States says 19 states and the District of Columbia require children attend kindergarten.
Tags: