Bills on Prisons, the Budget, and Driver’s License Offices Move Ahead

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It was a busy week in Montgomery. The Senate passed a bill on driver’s license offices, and a prisons bill. The House debated church daycare licensing. And House representatives passed a general fund budget that level funded most agencies except one: Medicaid. It got a small increase, though there’s still concern among lawmakers, and some of it stems from the federal American Health Care Act.

In fact, the House plan sets aside $97 million to protect against uncertainty in Congress around the new federal health care bill. Medicaid would get $700 million, plus $105 million in BP oil settlement money.

Lawmakers also moved a very different prisons construction bill along, as well as a bill that would require driver’s license offices to open at least one day a week.

WBHM’s Gigi Douban spoke with Don Dailey, host of Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal. 

 

Anti-DEI bill faces opposition from students across Alabama

College students across the state are speaking out against Senate Bill 129, which would restrict the funding of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Alabamians want public officials to mitigate landslide risk

In Birmingham, residents want two properties shielded from development and turned into parkland. Councilors decided to protect one parcel years ago. The vote never stuck.

What do you want state lawmakers to know?

That’s the question WBHM put to people at our recent News and Brews community pop-up at Church Street Coffee in Mt. Brook. Despite the early hour, those at the shop had plenty to share. 

As Alabama tries to legalize sports betting, advocates point to neighboring states’ success

Increased tax revenues in states like Louisiana are one reason many pro-sports betting Alabamians say it’s time to catch up to neighbors in the Gulf South.

Alabama state lawmaker Rogers to plead guilty to federal charges

The charges are related to what federal prosecutors described as a kickback scheme that diverted money from a state fund intended to pay for community projects in Jefferson County.

Britt used decades-old example of rapes in Mexico as Republican attack on Biden border policy

An independent journalist revealed in a TikTok video Friday that the sex trafficking of the victim mentioned by Britt on Thursday did not happen during the Biden administration or in the United States.

More Capitol Journal Coverage