March 8, 2021 Group Watch: House Approves Bill to Remove Anti-Gay Language

The Alabama House passed a bill that deletes from state law a requirement that sex education courses in public schools include condemnation of homosexuality. The bill by Rep. Laura Hall of Huntsville amends the state law that sets minimum requirements for sex education courses. This measure had bipartisan support and passed 69-30. The legislation retains a requirement that courses must teach that abstinence is the only completely effective way to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

March 8, 2021 Group Watch: Tweet of the Week

@willainsworthAL
March 4
With this legislation, AL has shown the Pentagon that we value the military bases and await future expansion and investment. I appreciate the Senate Pro Tem @SenatorGregReed, Speaker of the House @MacMcCutcheon1, and each sponsor for making the military a priority in Alabama.

March 8, 2021 Group Watch: Mask Mandate Extended

Governor Kay Ivey extended Alabama’s COVID-19 health order through April 9, adding that the included mask mandate will be allowed to expire at that time. Ivey speaking during a press conference with State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, said her decision to keep the mask mandate in place was so businesses have ample time to implement policies of their own and to make adjustments they would like ahead of April 9. The updated health order will allow hospitals and nursing homes to allow up to two visits from caregivers; programs such as senior service centers may resume congregate meals; restaurants and bars will have no limit on party size tables, but will retain social distancing between tables; and summer camps will re-open with social distance and sanitation standards.

March 8, 2021 Group Watch: AL Senate Passes Bill Banning Transgender Treatment for Minors

The Alabama Senate passed a bill aimed at preventing minors getting medications or treatments to change genders. The Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act passed 23-4. The bill makes it a felony for doctors to treat transgender minors with hormonal therapy, puberty blockers or surgery to help their transition. Supporters of the bill said minors are not ready to make decisions like these at a young age. Senator Shay Shelnutt of Trussville said his bill is about protecting the health and well-being of Alabama’s children. Opponents say the decision should be between parents, the minor and a doctor. Dozens protested outside the statehouse speaking out against the bill

March 8, 2021 Group Watch: Hatcher Wins AL Senate District 26

Rep. Kirk Hatcher, a Democrat, won a special election for Alabama’s District 26 Senate seat. Hatcher defeated Republican William Greene with 78 percent of the vote. Hatcher says his focuses will be education, economic development and reducing crime. Congratulations Senator Hatcher!

March 8, 2021 Group Watch: Military Friendly Package Heads to Gov. Ivey

The legislature has taken a step toward making the state more friendly to military members and their families. A package of bills passed in the House last week will now go to Governor Ivey to be signed into laws. Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, chair of the state’s Military Stability Commission, noted how important Alabama’s federal military bases are to local economies and the state’s economy and said the bills show that the state values current bases and is “ready for even more expansion and investment.” See Ainsworth’s tweet above and read more here.

March 8, 2021 Group Watch: Vote on Lottery & Casino Bill This Week

Despite some detail tweaks still in progress, a vote on gambling in Alabama is coming this week, according to Senator Del Marsh (R-Anniston) who is sponsoring a bill that would allow a lottery and up to 10 casino locations in the state. If the bill passes both the Senate and House, it will appear on the ballot, letting the people of Alabama cast their vote and make the ultimate decision on the issue. Read more here.

March 8, 2021 Group Watch: AL Could Reach Herd Immunity in May

An epidemiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham projected that the country, and Alabama, could reach herd immunity to COVID-19 as early as May or June. Dr. Suzanne Judd said her calculations are based on the current pace of delivering COVID-19 vaccines and a recent study from Columbia University that estimated more than a third of the U.S. population may have already been infected with the virus by the end of January. Herd immunity occurs when the virus cannot spread through a population uncontrolled because enough members of the population have some kind of immunity, either from a vaccine or from antibodies if they had the disease and recovered. There is a strong belief that a large but unknown number of people who got the virus were never tested. Judd says that although there is no magical number for herd immunity, her calculations are based on a threshold of getting immunity in 72 percent of the population.

March 8, 2021 Group Watch: Broadband Expansion Passes Senate

A bill to create the Alabama Digital Expansion Authority made it through the Senate last week without a single “nay” vote. The Authority that SB215 establishes will help ensure all parts of Alabama, including currently underserved (mostly rural) areas, have access to high-speed internet. Proponents point to high-speed internet as an essential element of increased economic development. The Authority will also be charged with determining the most cost-effective way to expand access. Read the bill’s full text here.

March 1, 2021 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

Last week marked the third week of the 2021 regular session, and many expected a Senate vote on gambling legislation. That didn’t happen. Yet. Senator Del Marsh announced that he is continuing to work on the measure and doesn’t expect to bring the bill to the floor for at least two weeks. The proposed constitutional amendment requires 21 votes to clear the Senate. Here are details on the other activity last week.
  • Tuesday, February 23 (7th legislative day): The House Children and Senior Advocacy Committee approved a Senate-passed bill relating to elder abuse and a House-sponsored bill to further define the types of foster family homes. The House County and Municipal Government Committee approved a Senate-passed bill to authorize counties and municipalities to provide solid waste services to the public and to charge and collect fees for the services. The House approved several bills, including bills to provide for sexual assault victim notification and to create the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights; to establish the Seizure Safe Schools Act; to require a child successfully complete kindergarten before being admitted to first grade; and to revise the bid laws relating to solid waste collection and disposal. The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee approved a bill to further define the types of foster family homes. The Senate debated a number of measures before carrying them over, but passed a bill establishing privacy protections for coronavirus contact tracing.
  • Wednesday, February 24 (8th legislative day and a committee day): The House Boards, Agencies and Commissions Committee approved the continuation of 27 state boards, agencies and commissions to include the Onsite Wastewater Board, Home Builders Licensure Board and Interior Designers Board. The House Ways and Means Education Committee approved a bill to exempt airport authorities from sales and use tax. The House Education Policy Committee approved a bill to create a public K-12 Teacher Bill of Rights. The House passed several bills of local application only and a bill to allow class 5 municipalities to place property liens under certain conditions to recover costs of grass and weed abatement. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved bills to grant sovereign immunity to the School of Cyber Technology and Engineering; to expand the expungement of criminal records to include convictions of certain misdemeanor offenses; and to provide for professional services for design professionals. The Senate passed for the third time in as many years a measure to allow use of medical cannabis for certain health conditions.
  • Thursday, February 25 (9th legislative day): The House passed 27 bills relating to the continuation of specific boards, agencies, and commissions. They also passed a House-sponsored bill to authorize the Revenue Department to exempt airport authorities from sales and use tax and a Senate-passed bill to require redaction of contract information from court documents released to the public of an elderly person. The Senate passed several bills, including measures to further provide for consumer protection relating to deceptive trade practices and pyramid sale structures; the Building Exceptional School Board Team Act for local boards of education; and to authorize community paramedicine programs through the State Board of Health.
The House and Senate reconvene on Tuesday, February 23 at 1 PM and 2 PM, respectively.

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