What was approved, and what failed, in the 2025 Alabama legislative session
Alabama lawmakers ended the 2025 legislative session on Wednesday. Here is a look at a few of the notable bills that passed, and some that failed, during the session.
Could calligraphy help with anxiety? This study aims to find out
People have a lot of strategies for dealing with anxiety – medication, therapy or exercise, for instance. But a new study explored a different method – calligraphy.
Author revives forgotten stories through historical fiction novel based in Birmingham
Barry Cole is using historical fiction to revive the lost history of enslaved people found buried in a mass grave at the park. That book, called 100 Pearls, is out Thursday.
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Lawmakers pass bill to criminalize bringing immigrants in the US illegally across state lines
The legislation given final approval Wednesday protects “not only the citizens of Alabama but also the people that are immigrating here legally and doing everything the right way,” said the bill’s Republican sponsor.
Ivey signs a bill regulating the sale of hemp products
The law would allow gummies, drinks and other consumable products to continue to be sold, but limits the amount of psychoactive compounds in the products. It also puts restrictions on where the products can be sold.
Trump’s plan to bring shipbuilding back to the US? Port fees on Chinese vessels
Port fees on Chinese-built ships and operators will start in October, further raising the cost of trading with the United States.
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Trump aims to fast track Alabama coal build-out, citing US need. Nearly all the coal is bound for export
A Trump effort to streamline the project would benefit the overseas steelmaking industry while putting Alabamians and the environment at risk.
Iranian student in Alabama to self-deport despite withdrawal of initial charge behind his arrest
Alireza Doroudi was detained by immigration officials in March as part of President Donald Trump’s widespread immigration crackdown and has been held at a facility in Jena, Louisiana.
School cellphone ban passed in the final days of the legislative session
Smartphones are practically appendages for many nowadays, but one place you probably won't see them in use soon is in Alabama schools. Alabama lawmakers gave final passage this week to a bill that would ban them during the school day. It's where we start our weekly legislative roundup with Todd Stacey, host of Capital Journal on Alabama Public Television.
Nearly 60 cases dismissed due to corruption in Hanceville Police Department
The grand jury determined that 58 felony criminal cases had been tainted by corruption in the Hanceville Police Department, after four officers and the police chief were indicted on a variety of charges related to mishandling or removing evidence from the department's evidence room.
Court rules Alabama violated Voting Rights Act in drawing congressional lines
A three-judge panel permanently blocked Alabama from using a state-drawn map that they said flouted their directive to draw a plan that was fair to Black voters. The decision was not a surprise because the panel ruled against the state twice previously and put a new map in place for last year’s elections.
Coca-Cola Amphitheater poised to open mid-June
With just six weeks until the first show, construction at the new Coca Cola Amphitheater north of downtown Birmingham is still underway.
