| Legislative leaders on the Republican side say that legislation to give Alabamians a tax rebate will be debated during regular session. State government is enjoying a budget surplus, and Republicans believe the best way to use the money is to give some of it back to the tax payers who dutifully paid it to the state; the rebates could be a couple hundred dollars each. Read more here. |
| Last week, leadership in the Alabama House and Senate announced which members would be serving on which committees. The full list for the Senate can be found here; the House list is here. Note that a rule was changed to allow some Senate committees to contain more members than in the past. |
| The newly elected Speaker of the House Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter and other leaders laid out some of the issues they’ll tackle in the upcoming regular session. Stopping the stream of fentanyl, and the deaths it leaves in its wake, is a priority, as is making adoption easier. Read more here. |
| The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission announced it had received more than 90 applications for medical cannabis business licenses. The commission received 38 applications for integrated facility licenses, 18 applications returned for dispensary licenses and 12 applications for a processor license. In addition, 12 applications were received for cultivator license, 11 applications for secure transport and 3 state testing laboratory applications. The review, evaluation and scoring of applications will serve as the basis of the Commission’s decision regarding the award of licenses. The Commission is expected to award licenses in each category at its June 12, 2023 meeting. Once business licenses have been issued, physicians may begin the certification process to recommend medical cannabis to qualified patients. |
| In her inauguration speech, Governor Kay Ivey said that improving the quality of education available to Alabama’s students was the “No. 1 focus” of her second term. She pointed to parental rights and increase parental involvement as major points in her plan. Read more here. |
| U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers will lead the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee. He will be the first congressperson from Alabama to chair the committee. In a press release, Rogers said our nation faces unprecedented threats from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. In order to deter theses threats, Rogers feels that our military must focus on lethality and capability. He said over the next two years, the committee will provide our warfighters with the resources and weapons they need to deter and if necessary, defeat any adversary anywhere in the world. U.S. Rep Robert Aderholt has been tapped to head the Labor, Health and Human Services & Education Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, which puts him in charge of the largest non-defense budget within the federal budget. He voiced his appreciation for the appointment and voiced his commitment to oversight and fiscal responsibility, saying, “The new Republican majority in the House has made a commitment to the American people to get government spending under control. |
| Gulf Distributing, one of the oldest beverage distributors in the Southeast, recently announced plans to relocate its operation in Mobile as part of a project that will create 25 jobs and solidify its future in the city. The company will overhaul the former Press Register Building, expand and modify the existing warehouse to suit its needs, and improve the office space, according to the Mobile Chamber. The project includes improvements to the remaining office space to lease as Class A commercial space to other tenants, making the building ideal for other headquarter operations in downtown Mobile. The $32.5 million project is expected to bring 25 new jobs and retain 220 existing jobs. |
| Peak North America USA announced plans to open a facility in Mobile County’s Irvington community that will provide equipment and services to the wood products industry. The project will create 175 jobs over the next four years, according to the announcement. As part of the project, Peak North America is acquiring fabrication firm Endurance Equipment Co. in Irvington, where it will operate a facility that focuses on serving sawmills, pellet plants and Oriented Strand Board producers. The facility is scheduled to begin operations at the site in June 2023. |
As Christmas fast approaches and 2022 draws to a close, some are slowing down a bit. But Governor Ivey and state lawmakers are moving full speed ahead and getting ready for 2023 and the next legislative session with multiple announcements for position appointments and an orientation to arm new legislators the details they need to get straight to work.
And, next year, all the activity in the State House will be more accessible to more Alabamians than ever before. All happenings on the House and Senate floor and even committee meetings will be recorded and available for anyone to watch online at any time. In the past, legislative sessions were live-streamed but not recorded, meaning if you missed it, you missed out.
Find more details and other #alpolitics news below.
