One of the primary responsibilities of the Legislature is to pass budgets for the operation of state government and public education. They accomplished that feat on the last day of the regular session with the passage of an education budget. After much debate, the final bill reduces spending for public
Tuesday, the 27th day of the 2012 regular session: The House Ways and Means-Education Committee discussed, but took no action on, the $5.5 billion education budget, but approved a bill to provide tax breaks for developing large tourist attractions. The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to establish the crime
State School Superintendent Tommy Bice is recommending a complete overhaul of the state’s testing program. Bice says it is time to raise performance standards. His proposed changes include requiring higher minimum scores necessary for a student to pass and adding more components that consider more than multiple-choice questions. He says
Gulf Coast promoters are launching a new marketing campaign to increase sales of Alabama seafood. The Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission is kicking off a three-year, $5 million marketing drive to increase demand for Alabama’s catch. The ads particularly target state consumers and restaurants across the region. The campaign is being
Tuesday, the 24th meeting day of the 2012 regular session: The House passed bills to change the mandatory school attendance age from 7 to 6 years old, to allow schools to use electronic devices like Kindle in the place of textbooks and to establish tax incentives for tourist attractions. They
On Tuesday, the Senate approved an education budget that reduces spending on public schools and colleges, cuts teaching positions and increases class sizes. The Senate voted 31-4 for the $5.5 billion budget for the upcoming school year. It’s about $150 million (or 2.7 percent) less than the current year’s budget.
More than 100 people held hands and formed a circle around the Alabama State House to protest the state’s immigration law. The protesters called for repeal of the law, which was passed last year. It is considered by proponents and opponents to be the toughest crackdown on illegal immigration in
Tuesday (the 22nd meeting day of the 2012 regular session): The House passed bills to establish a single electronic system that businesses may use to file or pay state and local sales taxes, use taxes and rental and lease taxes, and requiring the posting of a human trafficking hotline telephone
A recently revealed study shows that a growing number of Alabamians under the age of 18 are living in poverty. The study conducted by the Southern Regional Education Board shows Alabama with the fourth highest childhood poverty rate as of 2010. Alabama falls behind New Mexico, Mississippi and Washington D.
The chairman of the House Ways and Means-General Fund committee said that a $.20 to $.30 cigarette tax would have a better chance of making it out of his committee, but even that amount would be a longshot to make it out of the Alabama House of Representatives. The committee
