John Merrill extends absentee voting for House District 33 special election
Voters in House District 33, which includes parts of Clay, Coosa, and Talladega counties, concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, will be able to vote absentee in the October 6 special election, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill announced Friday. Merrill’s announcement follows Governor Kay Ivey’s Tuesday announcement where she set the House District 33 special primary election for Tuesday, October 6, 2020, in order to fill the vacant seat left by the unexpected passing of Representative Ron Johnson. Any qualified voter who determines it is impossible or unreasonable to vote at their polling place shall be eligible to check the box on the absentee ballot application that is most applicable to that individual. State law allows the Secretary of State to issue absentee voting guidance during declared states of emergency, allowing Secretary Merrill to encourage voters to check the box which reads as follows (in the case none of the boxes are appropriate): “I have a physical illness or infirmity which prevents my attendance at the polls. [ID REQUIRED]” If necessary, a special primary runoff election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The special general election is set for Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Deadlines For the House District 33 special primary election, the deadline to register to vote is Monday, September 21, the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Thursday, October 1, the last day to return an absentee ballot by hand is Monday, October 5, and the last day to postmark an absentee ballot is Monday, October 5. Voters who are eligible to vote pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act will have until Tuesday, October 6 to postmark an absentee ballot.
Doug Jones proposes Paycheck Protection Program fix for rural hospitals
Alabama U.S. Senator Doug Jones, on Wednesday, introduced a bipartisan bill to allow rural hospitals to access relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) established the PPP in March to provide relief to small business owners with fewer than 500 employees. Many small hospitals operate as part of a larger health system that exceeds the 500-employee limit under the Small Business Association’s rules, making these smaller hospitals ineligible for PPP. This legislation would waive the SBA rule for non-profit critical access hospitals and hospitals that serve rural areas so that they are eligible for PPP loans. “We need to do everything we can to make sure that Alabamians can access the health care they need no matter where they live,” said Jones, a member of the Senate Health Committee. “Many of our rural hospitals were struggling even before this pandemic, and are now being stretched to a breaking point by the spread of COVID-19. It’s crucial that they can access the support they need to continue to provide care to their communities, and PPP funds will be another tool in the toolbox to help them stay afloat.” In addition to dealing with increased costs for staff, personal protective equipment, and other safety measures as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, many hospitals and medical facilities have lost significant revenue because of reductions in elective procedures. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alabama Hospital Association had estimated that 88-percent of Alabama hospitals were operating in the red. Many rural hospitals in Alabama were already operating on thin margins, and the pandemic has placed them under even greater financial stress. The legislation is also sponsored by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).
Alabama extends online driver license renewal due to COVID-19 pandemic
The State of Alabama is extending online driver license renewals due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Kay Ivey made the announcement Tuesday, allowing Alabama driver license holders to be allowed to renew online a second time during a 12-year period. Until now, driver license holders were limited to one online renewal every eight years. As part of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) commitment to public safety, and in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the agency’s Driver License Division has temporarily expanded its online renewal process at www.alea.gov. Customers who renewed their Alabama driver licenses using ALEA’s online system prior to the pandemic may now renew a second time during the next four years. “COVID-19 has presented many challenges in our daily lives. As we work tirelessly to mitigate the spread of the virus in our state and to offer some relief to our citizens, I am proud that ALEA will be enabling more online driver license renewals,” Ivey said. “In Alabama, we want to lift burdens and ensure the health and safety of every Alabamian. This extension is certainly an effort to help do just that.” Since COVID-19 began to affect Alabama citizens, ALEA has, on more than one occasion, modified its Driver License Division operations to ensure the health and safety of both its customers and employees. “We are pleased to offer this extension to ease the minds of customers with health-related concerns during this precarious time, as well as reduce the number of in-person transactions at ALEA’s’s Driver License Examining Offices, county probate, and license commissioners” offices,” added ALEA’s’s Secretary Hal Taylor.
Kay Ivey announces special election dates for House District 33
Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday scheduled a special election to fill the Alabama House District 33 seat left vacant by former Rep. Ron Johnson who passed away on July 14. Ivey set the special primary election for Tuesday, October 6, 2020; the special primary runoff, if necessary, for Tuesday, November 3, 2020; and the special general election Tuesday, January 19, 2020. Johnson, who had served in the House since 1978, was the longest-serving member of the Alabama House of Representatives when he died. “Rep. Ron Johnson served the constituents of Clay, Coosa and Talladega Counties well for many years, and I know he will truly be missed by all,” Governor Ivey said. “Especially while we are experiencing such uncertain times, it is important that the people living in House District 33 have a voice for them in the Legislature. For that reason, I am calling a special election to fill this seat.” The deadline for qualifying with major political parties will be Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. The deadline for all independent candidates and/or minor parties is Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. House District 33 represents Clay, Coosa and Talladega Counties.
