September 2024 Group Watch: AL Film Office Gets New Director

The Alabama Department of Commerce announced the selection of Meghann Bridgeman, president and CEO of Create Birmingham, as the next Director of the Alabama Film Office. With extensive experience in arts and economic development, Bridgeman will lead the state’s efforts to attract, support and promote entertainment productions across Alabama. She has a proven track record of building public-private partnerships and collaborating with entertainment professionals and local communities to create opportunities for growth and innovation. In her new role, Bridgeman will work to position the state as a premier destination to filmmakers and producers. She will begin in January 2025. The Alabama Film Office was established in 1978 and has been instrumental in the development of the state’s film and entertainment industry. Over the past several decades, it has attracted a variety of high-profile productions, including films such as Big Fish, 42, and Selma.

August 2024 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

Most Alabama students are back in school, but some are repeating third grade as the Alabama Literacy Act, passed in 2021, takes effect. Almost 2,000 students didn’t meet the requirements to move to fourth grade.

The medical cannabis industry in Alabama is also behind but did take a small step forward last month after a judge recommended the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission grant two cultivation licenses.

And on Alabama’s coast, infrastructure improvements are moving forward, thanks to Governor Ivey awarding $30 million in grants for various projects and communities.

Find more details and info on other important #alpolitics news below.

August 2024 Group Watch: Post of the Month

August 2024 Group Watch: Governor Ivey Names Biz Leaders for AL Growth Alliance

Governor Kay Ivey announced the appointment of eight distinguished business leaders to the Alabama Growth Alliance, a key initiative aimed at supporting efforts to drive economic growth and innovation through the governor’s new economic development strategy. This marks another major milestone in the implementation of the “Working for Alabama” legislative package, which the governor championed and signed into law earlier this year. The newly appointed members bring a wealth of experience and leadership to the alliance.

• Mack Mauldin, President and CEO of Bank Independent in Florence is recognized for his extensive knowledge in banking and finance.
• Helena Duncan, President and CEO of the Montgomery-based Business Council of Alabama brings a strong background in business advocacy and policy.
• Angus Cooper III, President of the Mobile Cooper Group has a deep understanding of international trade and the maritime and logistics industry.
• Jimmy Rane, Chairman and CEO of Great Sothern Wood Preserving in Abbeville is a prominent figure in the wood products and construction industry.
• John Turner, President and CEO of Birmingham-based Regions Financial offers expertise in financial services and economic strategy.
• Allison Ross of Huntsville is a consulting, real estate and public relations entrepreneur and former owner of Yellowhammer News.
• Jeff Peoples, Chairman, President and CEO of Birmingham-based Alabama Power is a leader in the energy sector.
• Bruce Culpepper of Guntersville, former President and U.S. Country Chair of Shell Oil, has extensive experience in the energy and petrochemical industries.

August 2024 Group Watch: AL Medical Cannabis Commission Grants Two Cultivator Licenses

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission granted cultivator’s licenses to Pure by Sirmon Farms, LLC and Blackberry Farms, LLC after an administrative law judge recommended reversing earlier denials. The administrative judge, who was not publicly named, also found that First Choice Farms, LLC and James Gang Dispensary, LLC did not meet the required qualifications to be awarded a cultivator license, and the commission agreed. The license awards do not resolve any of the litigation that has delayed implementation of the state’s medical cannabis program, first approved by the Alabama Legislature in 2021. A Montgomery judge has blocked the commission from granting dispensary and integrated facility licenses.

August 2024 Group Watch: Senator Britt Secures Funding for Courthouse Restoration

Senator Katie Britt announced that $9 million has passed through the Appropriations Committee to fund the restoration and upgrades of the Dothan Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, which serves the Middle District of Alabama, and the Hugo Black Courthouse in Birmingham, which serves the Northern District of Alabama. Both of these buildings require improvements to continue serving their communities. Additionally, Senator Britt has secured $6 million for Montgomery-based Jackson Hospital and Clinic for the 2025 fiscal year. The non-profit hospital will receive the funding to improve medical care and services via the purchase of patient care equipment and infrastructure improvements

August 2024 Group Watch: AL Students to Receive Mandatory Info on Fentanyl Threats

Thanks to a bill passed by the Alabama Legislature last session, students in grades 6-12 across the state will be educated on the dangers of fentanyl. The law is in reaction to the staggering statistic that fentanyl was involved in 84 percent of all teen overdose deaths in 2021.  Read more here.

August 2024 Group Watch: Interest Rates Fuel General Fund & ETF Growth

Interests on state deposits continue to fuel the state’s General Fund revenue increases, though that growth is slowing and a possible interest rate cut looms. Ten months into the fiscal year, the General Fund revenues are up 7.6 percent to $2.7 billion. Most of that growth is because of interest earnings on money in savings accounts, including yet-to-be-spent federal COVID-19 money. State budget leaders have warned that decade-high interest rates will eventually drop, and those COVID-19 funds will be spent in the next two years. In the Education Trust Fund, which supports K-12 and higher education, receipts were up 1.49 percent in July, compared to July 2023, and up 1.66% for the year to $8.4 billion.

August 2024 Group Watch: New State House Update

Construction of the new Alabama State House in downtown Montgomery is in progress. The $350 project will give lawmakers a much-needed new home, as the current building, constructed in the 1960s, is no longer meeting the needs of legislators and their constituents. Read more here.

August 2024 Group Watch: State Still Seeking Funding for Second New Prison

It’s still unknown when construction will start and how long it will take to construct a second massive men’s prison, the Escambia Men’s Facility. It was pledged in 2021 legislation, but state leaders continue to seek more funding. The new Escambia County prison will be in Senator Greg Albritton’s district, and the chair of the Senate General Fund committee says the state must move forward with the 4,000-bed facility. Portions of Holman Prison were closed in recent years due to disrepair. Fountain Prison is nearly 100 years old. Both are also in Albritton’s district. The U.S. Department of Justice has an ongoing lawsuit with the state over the violence in the crowded existing prisons, and thanks to recent meetings in which families of inmates recounted gruesome details of abuse in prisons, public pressure is also mounting.