Roy Moore pleads for contributions for legal defense fund
Unsuccessful Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore‘s resources have been depleted and he is urging his supporters to contribute to his legal defense fund. In a Facebook post on Thursday, Moore unveiled details about his personal battle with lawyers from Washington D. C. and San Francisco who have hired a firm in Birmingham, Ala. to bring yet another legal action against him and to, in his words, “ensure that he never fights again.” According to AL.com, the lawsuit was filed against Moore by Leigh Corfman, one of the women who accused Moore of sexual misconduct when she was a teenager. Corfman filed a defamation suit against Moore and his campaign, saying Moore disgraced her by saying she was immoral and a liar. Moore says the full legal fees could cost over $100,000, that his current resources have been depleted; he is struggling to make ends meet. In the post, Moore gives several reasons he believes he’s being targeted by these firms. “The liberal media, in association with some who want to destroy our Country do not want my influence in the 2018 elections and are doing everything they can to stop me.” “Gays, lesbians, and transgenders have joined forces with those who believe in abortion, sodomy, and destruction of all that we hold dear. Unless we stand together we will lose our Country.” He goes on to tell his Christian supporters that they, “can no longer afford to remain silent in these ‘perilous’ times.” and that they “must fight, an appeal to the God of Heaven is all that is left us!” Moore ends his post with an appeal to conservatives; saying, “the political Left is filled with men and women whose sole aim in life is to overthrow our God-ordained rights which are guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. It is your responsibility and mine to stand up to this vile encroachment on our rights, and defend that for which the Founding Fathers sacrificed so greatly. Please…help me defeat, once and for all, those who would destroy America in order to usher in their anti-Christian ‘kingdom.’ May the Lord richly bless you as you stand with me in this critical fight!”
Gulf Shores rolls out new access mat, makes beach more accessible
The City of Gulf Shores officials want everyone to be able to enjoy the beach, no matter their mobility restrictions. On Thursday, the city of Gulf Shores announced on their Facebook the newest addition to their beach, a new Access Mat to the West End of Gulf Place Public Beach. You asked, we listened! The City of #GulfShores is excited to announce the addition of an Access Mat to the West End of Gulf Place Public Beach. This pedestrian pathway will make the beach more accessible for beach goers of all ability, elderly people, wheelchair users and parents with strollers. The mat will give beach access to people of all ability, including: elderly people, those with wheelchairs, power scooters, and families with strollers. The access mat was made by a company in New Jersey, it’s five feet wide, made of plastic, and held into the ground with 12 inch stakes. The 350-foot mat has already been used by hundreds of beach goers who said that using it made it much easier to get to the beach. This is the first time a mat like this has ever been available on the Baldwin County beaches, and with the positive reactions thy’ve received, Gulf Shores plans to add more mats along the shoreline in the near future.
I’ll toast to that — let’s pass direct-to-consumer wine legislation this session
Alabama we have another opportunity this session to help bring our state in line with the times. This week, a bill to allow wine to be shipped directly from vineyards to consumers homes passed out of committee. After all, is there any reason the government should be involved in deciding if a resident can have an otherwise lawful substance delivered to their home? So long as someone over 21 can drive to their neighborhood grocery store or heck even a gas station and get cheap wine why should laws prohibit someone else from ordering a bottle or case of the good stuff from an out of state winery? It makes no sense for a state of conservative lawmakers who value personal responsibility and a free-market to object to this. Looking at the Free the Grapes! website, you’ll see Alabama is only one of six states where direct-to-consumer wine purchases are prohibited. That’s absolutely ridiculous. Come on Alabama, let’s get with it. All of the reasons why this should continue to be prohibited are absurd. Our state wants additional tax revenues, this would do that. We want to continue to attract new business and have a more dynamic marketplace. This would do that. We want to attract people who not only have high incomes, but will employ people with high incomes, so let’s pass SB24 and satisfy consumer demand. Antiquated laws do nothing to further our state’s place in the competing market for increased quality of life and if you don’t think wine matters then you’ve never tasted a great Sine Qua Non Dark Blossom or another hard to get bottle. While it might seem like a minor inconvenience, is an a completely unnecessary inconvenience that should be remedied. If Free the Grapes! could get Alabamians to rally around the idea of home delivery of wine, the same way the Free the Hops movement got people to rally around updating our state’s antiquated beer and brewery laws — we could pass this in no time. Here’s to hoping that legislators give us a reason to toast this session by rolling back these terrible prohibition-era laws.
Mike Rogers: The true root of the problem
Across East Alabama, I know our hearts and prayers have been with all of those affected by the recent tragedy at Parkland High School. Any time innocent lives are lost – especially the lives of young people – it shakes us to the core. The Parkland tragedy was the culmination of terrible mistakes and missed opportunities by various authorities. Law enforcement was called regarding the shooter dozens of times with little or no follow up. The FBI failed to pass on tips to be investigated. The shooter even posted images and statements on social media about wanting to be a school shooter. It is crystal clear he was a very mentally disturbed individual that authorities completely missed despite repeated warnings and opportunities. The debate we should be having now is how did local, state and federal authorities fail to follow through on all the warnings? How can we improve mental health care in our nation? How can we make our schools safer? According to State of Florida, a person who is adjudicated mentally defective or involuntarily committed by a judge may be prohibited from purchasing a gun. The Parkland shooter could have had either of these actions taken against him with the laws currently on the books by the state if the authorities had acted on the first warning signs. The same was true with the killer in last year’s church massacre in Texas. He was convicted of domestic abuse and served time in a military jail. One cannot legally buy a gun with such convictions, but the Air Force never reported him to the national data base. Instead of talking facts and looking for honest solutions, gun control advocates choose to attack the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. A psychotic criminal intent on committing mass murder does not care about the law and will find a weapon – be it a gun, a knife, or even a vehicle to plow over people. We must find ways to identify and help those suffering from mental illnesses. ••• Mike Rogers is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District. Sign-up for his e-Newsletter by visiting www.mikerogers.house.gov. To stay up to date, you can also like him on Facebook at Congressman Mike D. Rogers, follow him on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram at RepMikeRogersAL, on Tumblr at www.repmikerogersal.tumblr.com.
Alabama seeks work requirement for some able-bodied Medicaid recipients
Unemployment has been shown to have a negative impact on physical and mental health outcomes. Which is why in January, Gov. Kay Ivey and state Medicaid officials revealed the plan become the newest state to institute a work requirement for some Medicaid recipients. On Thursday, that plan took a step forward when Ivey’s office announced the state will formally seek permission from the federal government to make that change to its Medicaid program. The proposal would only apple to “able-bodied” Parent or Caretaker Relative (POCR) recipients — with exemptions being made for people with disabilities, anyone who pregnant or receiving post-partum care, anyone required to care for a disabled child or adult, among others — that will require unemployed or underemployed adults to become gainfully employed, or participate in training opportunities to enhance their potential for full employment. Alabama Medicaid believes this change will put Alabamians on a path to better health outcomes. According to the proposal, proposed work requirement would impact nearly 74,000 of the state’s 1 million Medicaid recipients. As required by federal regulation, Medicaid is now opening a formal 30 day comment period. A copy of the draft Demonstration proposal will also be available upon request for public review at each county office of the Department of Human Resources and the State Office of the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Additionally, two opportunities for public comment will be held at the following locations: March 5, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Alabama Industrial Development and Training (AIDT) Auditorium One Technology Court Montgomery, Ala. 36116 March 6, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Hoover Public Library 200 Municipal Drive Hoover, Ala. 35216 Critics contend the work requirements are based on falsehoods and vilify those who are on Medicaid. “We will not improve the health of people in our state, nor will we improve the state’s economy, by forcing people to work when they are not healthy,” said Samuel Brooke, Deputy Legal Director, Economic Justice Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). “This proposal would unnecessarily increase the burdens of the working poor, and end up costing the state more money by cutting people from the Medicaid rolls and forcing them and their families to use emergency rooms – subsidized by taxpayers – for routine health services.”
Alabama physicians contribute billions to state economy
A new report, released Wednesday by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama and the American Medical Association shows that Alabama physicians contribute billions of dollars to Alabama’s financial health. The study showed that Alabama’s 8,700 patient care physicians and the 101,770 jobs they create play a crucial role in the Alabama economy; a $16.7 billion role in fact. The study also noted that physicians are not only skilled healers, charged with safeguarding healthy communities, it also shows that their positive impact is not confined to the exam room. Physicians are strong economic drivers in their communities by the economic growth, opportunity and prosperity they generate. “Urban or rural, large group or solo practitioner, Alabama’s physicians are major economic engines,” said Jerry Harrison, M.D. and Medical Association President. “While we are healers first, this study shows physicians help improve the health of our state as much as the health of our patients.” The report concentrated only on doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy; those who are engaged in treating patients not researchers or teachers and found that physicians contribute as much or more to Alabama’s economy than higher education, legal services, nursing and community care facilities, and home health care. The study measured the economic impact of the physicians according to four key economic focal points: Jobs: Each physician supported an average of 11.7 jobs, including his/her own, and contributed to a total of 101,770 jobs statewide. Output: Each physician supported an average of $1.9 million in economic output and contributed to a total of $16.7 billion in economic output statewide. Wages and Benefits: Each physician supported an average of $839,103 in total wages and benefits and contributed to a total of $7.3 billion in wages and benefits statewide. Tax Revenues: Each physician supported $64,816 in local and state tax revenues and contributed to a total of $565.4 million in local and state tax revenues statewide.
Legislative committee delays prison medical, mental health care contract
A legislative committee Thursday morning delayed a contract for prison medical and mental health services for the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) after new objections were raised this week that the vendor is involved in a bribery case in neighboring Mississippi. The Legislative Contract Review Committee delayed the proposed $360 million contract with Wexford Health Sources, who has been named in a suit brought forth by the Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood to recoup funds and damages related to bribery charges that sent the former Mississippi Corrections Commissioner, Chris Epps, to jail for 20 years. “There are just some questions floating around out there,” Vestavia Hills-Republican state Rep. Jack Williams, chairman of the Joint Legislative Contract Review Permanent Joint Legislative Oversight Committee, told the AP. “I held it up in order to give the governor’s office time to evaluate these others concerns that have been raised primarily from the state of Mississippi.” The contract review committee is unable to permanently stop the contract, but they are able to delay it for 45 days, at which time they’re able to send it to Gov. Kay Ivey for further consideration.
Russia’s Putin unveils ‘invincible’ nuclear weapons; Mike Rogers says U.S. must act
Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted of a powerful new generation of nuclear weapons his country has developed on Thursday in his annual state-of-the-nation address. The weapons included a cruise missile that he claimed could “reach anywhere in the world.” In a concept video, Putin displayed the unlimited range nuclear warheads raining down on what looks like Florida to showoff his country’s new military technology. “Any use of nuclear weapons against Russia or its allies, any kind of attack, will be regarded as a nuclear attack against Russia, and in response, we will take action instantaneously no matter what the consequences are,” Putin said. “Nobody should have any doubt about that.” In the wake of Putin’s bragging, Alabama 3rd District U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers — a member of both the House Armed Services Committee as well as the House Homeland Security Committee — said the U.S. must take steps to bolster the U.S. nuclear deterrent. “Putin’s disclosure of their development of a nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered cruise missile is just the latest in a string of new and horrific Russian weapons designed to intimidate and coerce the U.S. and our allies. This only makes it clearer that President Trump’s 2018 Nuclear Posture Review is correct: we must take steps to bolster the U.S. nuclear deterrent to deter adversaries and reassure allies,” said Rogers. “We cannot stand idly by and do nothing in the face of these barbaric weapons and threats. In Congress we must act to support President Trump’s budget request for nuclear modernization. We can’t be dissuaded by nuclear disarmament advocates who would rather us unilaterally disarm while also dismantling our missile defenses.”
State Rep. Mary Moore proposes ban on semiautomatic gun sales
One Alabama lawmaker has introduced a bill banning semiautomatic firearms sales in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla. Birmingham-Democrat state Rep. Mary Moore introduced HB472 on Thursday which would prohibit the possession, sale, or transfer of assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition within the state. This bill defines assault weapons as “any selective-fire firearm capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic, or burst fire at the option of the user or any of the following specified semiautomatic firearms. Included in her ban are: All AK series, including, but not limited to, the following: AK, AKM, AKS, AK-47, AK-74, ARM, MAK90, MISR, NHM90, NHM91, SA 85, SA 93, VEPR, WASR-10, WUM, Rock River Arms LAR-47, and Vector Arms AK-47. All AR series, including, but not limited to, the following: AR-10, AR-15, Bushmaster XM15, Armalite AR-180 and M15, Olympic Arms, AR70, DPMS Tactical Rifles, Smith and Wesson M and P15 Rifles, Colt AR-15, Rock River Arms LAR-15, and DoubleStar AR rifles. Algimec AGM1. Barrett 82A1 and REC7. Beretta AR-70 and Beretta Storm. Bushmaster Auto Rifle. Calico Liberty series. Chartered Industries of Singapore SR-88. Colt Sporter. Daewoo K-1, K-2, Max-1, and Max FAMAS MAS 223. Federal XC-900 and SC-450. Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, or FNC. FNH PS90, SCAR, and FS2000. Goncz High Tech Carbine. Hi-Point Carbine. HK-91, HK-93, HK-94, SP-89, or HK-PSG-1. Kel-Tec Sub-2000, SU series, RFB. M1 Carbine. SAR-8, SAR-4800, SR9. SIG 57 AMT and 500 Series. Sig Sauer MCX Rifle. SKS capable of accepting a detachable magazine. SLG 95. SLR 95 or 96. Spectre Auto Carbine. Springfield Armory BM59, SAR-48, and G-3. Sterling MK-6 and MK-7. Steyr AUG. Sturm Ruger Mini-14 with folding stock. TNW M230, M2HB. Thompson types, including Thompson T5. UZI, Galil and UZI Sporter, Galil Sporter, Galil Sniper Rifle (Galatz), or Vector Arms UZI. Weaver Arms Nighthawk. A full list of additional guns listed on the ban can be found here. Moore said her bill would allow those Alabamians who already own semi-automatic weapons to keep them.
State House passes Silver Alert bill to protect missing persons with Alzheimer’s
There are an estimated 5.5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, and this number is expected to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, six in 10 people with dementia will wander at some point during the course of the disease. Wandering can be dangerous, even life threatening, as person with Alzheimer’s may not remember his or her name or address, and can become easily disoriented, even in familiar places. If not found within a 24-hour period, up to half will suffer serious injury or death. It’s an incredibly stressful situation that weighs heavily on caregivers and family On Thursday, the State House took a step forward to help alleviate a bit of that stress and find missing seniors with the passage of HB427. Sponsored by Huntsville-Democrat state Rep. Laura Hall, HB427 updates a statewide Silver Alert system to provide families a way to locate lost or missing seniors who may be endangered. Similar to Amber Alert system, Silver Alerts allow law enforcement to disseminate statewide alerts for missing seniors. Currently, Alabama issues alerts for seniors under certain circumstances — including being over 60 years of age — but Hall’s bill includes adults with Alzheimer’s or other cognitive disorders, regardless of age. It also requires specialized training for law enforcement personnel who participate in searching for missing persons with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. “This Silver Alert bill will play a significant role in the safety of those with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia,” said Hall. “As a community, we need to do what we can to establish these protocols in order to keep our loved ones with dementia safe.” Lawmakers voted 99-0 in support of the legislation. It now moves to the State Senate.
Parker Snider: Alabama can do more for its military families
According to a recent survey, a majority of military family members do not feel that they belong in their local civilian communities. This means that less than half of military families that live in our neighborhoods, shop at our malls, and attend our places of worship feel at home with us. Why is this the case? Perhaps it is because of one of the staples of military life – regular mandated relocation. Members of our military often have little to no say in where they live or how often they move, something they do an estimated 10 times more than civilian families. Nevertheless, they choose to sacrifice their desires and expectations for the good of our country. Anyone who has moved will readily admit that it is rarely an easy task. Along with the logistics of relocating from one area of the country to another, families grapple with leaving friends, schools, and communities they are familiar with for the unknown. Additionally, even though military families move, on average, once every three years, the effects of compulsory relocation are felt yearly. Morgan Kistler, a mother of three and wife to a member of the Coast Guard, quickly learned that “during those three to four years when your family is planted, everyone else around you is not.” Every year, children and parents alike repeat the painful season of goodbyes, regardless of whether or not they are the ones leaving. Clearly, military families face struggles that many families do not. Here in Alabama, we host roughly 8,700 active duty members of our nation’s military and their families. In a state that rightfully respects and reveres our military, one would expect our laws to reflect an intentional attempt to ease the burden of relocation on these families. Unfortunately, there are sections of our code in which that is not true. If we want to ease the burden of relocation on military families, Alabama should reform its occupational licensing laws. In the survey cited previously, 77% of military spouses said that having two incomes is “vitally important” to their family’s well-being. 52% of those same spouses, however, did not earn any income. A good portion of the blame for this disparity lies in the difficulties of getting state-sanctioned licenses to work. When military families move, the occupational licenses of spouses do not always transfer. Many states require spouses with licenses from other states to jump through a variety of hoops and pay a collection of fees, a process that takes a considerable amount of time and discourages entrance into the workforce. This session, Alabama lawmakers are considering legislation that would require licensing boards to recognize professional licenses of military spouses from other states, assuming the licensing criteria is similar or greater than Alabama requirements. For military spouses whose state license does not meet Alabama requirements, boards would be required to provide temporary licenses and allow spouses to work while they complete the requirements for full licensure. Furthermore, military families would not bear the burden of licensing fees. As entering the workforce inherently increases connection and interaction with the community, these are meaningful changes that should be supported by all who back our military. Although we cannot remove every challenge military families face, we must eradicate the state’s contribution to these challenges. Eliminating barriers and making it less complicated for spouses to enter the civilian Alabama workforce will promote greater integration, helping military families feel like they belong to their communities, even if for only a short time. ••• Parker Snider is the Alabama Policy Institute‘s policy relations manager.
