Hunter Weathers elected as new Chairman of College Republican Federation of Alabama
Hunter Weathers was elected as the Chairman of the College Republican Federation of Alabama. “I was thankful to be elected the Chairman of the College Republican Federation of Alabama!” Weathers said on Facebook. “A group of University of Alabama College Republicans and I spent the day in Montgomery at the State House and Capitol. We watched the CRFA’s financial literacy bill pass unanimously, met with some legislators, and attended the annual CRFA convention. Looking forward to making 2023-2024 Alabama College Republicans’ strongest year yet!” The Alabama Republican Party congratulated Weathers for his election victory. “Please join us in welcoming Hunter Weathers as the new Chairman of the College Republican Federation of Alabama,” that ALGOP said on Facebook. “He was elected at their organizational meeting earlier this week. We would also like to offer our thanks to outgoing CRFA Chairman Chris Mayer for his service to the Party and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors!” “Congratulations to the rest of the new team, and I can’t wait to get to work!” Weathers added. Weathers was previously the group’s Vice Chair. The financial literacy bill, House Bill 164, was sponsored by Representative Andy Whitt. “As college students that are fresh out in the world, we have experienced the struggle of understanding how the financial system works,” said Weathers on why the group was supporting Whitt’s financial literacy bill. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
House Committee advances legislation to levy stiff penalties on violent crimes using a firearm
On Wednesday, the Alabama House Public Safety and Homeland Security voted to advance legislation that would crack down on crimes involving the use of a firearm. House Bill 301 is sponsored by State Representatives Reed Ingram. According to the synopsis, this bill would establish a list of criminal offenses deemed felonies dangerous to human life. The bill would provide enhanced criminal penalties for possessing, brandishing, or discharging a firearm while committing a felony dangerous to human life. This bill would also prohibit possessing a firearm by certain individuals released on bond or personal recognizance when the underlying criminal offense for which the person was arrested is a felony dangerous to human life. It would prohibit the possession of a firearm by certain individuals previously convicted of a felony dangerous to human life within a 25-year period. Rep. Ingram introduced an amendment to the bill in Committee. “The Amendment removed some of the mandatory sentencing,” Ingram said. Rep. Tim Wadsworth asked, “They can’t get probation? They can’t get community corrections? They can’t get a split sentence?” Ingram replied, “Only if they commit the crime.” Barry Matson is the Executive Director of the Alabama District Attorneys Association. Rep. Allen Treadaway Chairs the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. Chairman Treadaway asked about concerns that the Judges Association had with the bill. “We have been working with the bill for quite a long time,” Matson told the Committee. “We will continue to work on this before it gets to the floor.” Matson explained that the Alabama Judges Association has asked that the bill be carried over in Committee. However, the amendment removing the mandatory minimums addressed the judges’ concerns. While he has not yet gotten agreement from Judge Phil Seay, head of the Judges Association – they are longtime friends, and he believes that this amendment has addressed most of the judges’ concerns with the legislation. Alabama has the fifth highest rate of gun deaths (murder, suicide, and accidents combined) in the nation. The Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee voted to give HB301 a favorable report as amended. The legislation could be considered by the full House of Representatives as early as Tuesday. Tuesday will be day 14 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The Alabama Constitution of 1901 limits the regular session to a maximum of thirty legislative days in a regular session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Senators Tommy Tuberville and John Thune introduce bill to promote apprenticeships
U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and John Thune led a group of four Republican Senators that introduced new legislation that would require the Department of Labor to restart apprenticeship programs for high-demand industries. The Training America’s Workforce Act would make apprenticeship programs more responsive to industry workforce needs. “Workforce development programs benefit us all,” said Sen. Tuberville. “I’m proud that Alabama leads the way with many outstanding industry-education partnerships that create accessible pathways to good jobs. This legislation is one way I’m working to promote apprenticeships so our students can reach their God-given potential.” “Workforce shortages are one of the top issues I continue to hear about from businesses across South Dakota,” said Sen. Thune. “I’m proud to lead this legislation that would help address these ongoing workforce challenges by providing employers with another way to adequately train prospective employees and help expand the pool of skilled workers.” John Thune is the Senate Republican Whip. The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Tim Scott and Mike Braun. “Every child deserves the opportunity to achieve their version of the American Dream. Oftentimes, that doesn’t include attending a 4-year college or university,” said Sen. Scott. “In fact, quality apprenticeship programs can put young Americans on the path to a lifelong, good-paying job. Rather than imposing a heavy-handed, government-run program, our legislation seeks to expand industry-led workforce development initiatives to get qualified workers into well-paying jobs.” “Coming from the business world, I have long been a supporter of expanding access to workforce development and skills training programs,” said Sen. Braun. “When I travel across Indiana each year on my annual 92 county tour, I visit a number of workforce development programs that provide job training to prepare the next generation of talent. This legislation will allow us to expand programs like these in order to address the nationwide skills shortage and fill American jobs.” The Training America’s Workforce Act would require the U.S. Department of Labor to restart industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs) that were previously formalized during the Trump administration and ended by President Joe Biden. These programs would expand apprenticeship opportunities by making it easier for students to receive required training and certifications to ensure skills learned during training align with in-demand job skills. Alicia Huey is the Chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). “The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) commends Senators Thune, Scott, Braun, and Tuberville for introducing the Training America’s Workforce Act to help address the persistent labor shortage that is facing the construction industry,” said Chairman Huey. “The legislation will help ease the housing affordability crisis by allowing the home building industry to expand its workforce training reach through IRAPs. With the addition of IRAPs to existing training options, this bill would provide the training and education needed to promote and advance a variety of careers in residential construction.” Kristen Swearingen is the Vice President of legislative and political affairs at Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). “The Training America’s Workforce Act will support the industry-recognized, market-driven apprenticeship programs that many Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) chapters and members use to provide their workers with the skills they need for a successful career,” said Vice President Swearingen. “While President [Joe] Biden and his allies in Congress attempt to narrow pathways to a profession in the skilled trades through the unnecessary requirement of union-only apprenticeships for critical construction projects, we know that the flexible and modern approach of industry-recognized programs provides new opportunities for all of America’s workers. ABC appreciates Senator Thune, Scott, Braun, and Tuberville’s efforts to better serve construction professionals throughout the country.” Tuberville was an educator and coach for more than 40 years. He says that that experience has made him passionate about ensuring students can access educational options that create pathways to good-paying jobs. Tuberville is a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, serving on the Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety. He also serves on the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. He was elected to his first term in the Senate in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama and Mississippi mark Confederate Memorial Day
Alabama and Mississippi closed most government offices Monday for Confederate Memorial Day as efforts have stalled to abolish state holidays that honor the old Confederacy. Legislation has been introduced in the ongoing Alabama legislative session to remove, alter or rename Confederate-related holidays, but the effort has so far gained little traction. Camille Bennett, the founder of Project Say Something, an organization that has worked for the removal of Confederate monuments in Alabama, said the determination to keep Confederate holidays comes at the same time Alabama lawmakers push legislation banning so called “divisive concepts” from being taught in state classrooms and diversity training for state workers. “On one side, you have white conservative men defining what divisive is and what it means. … At the same time, you are honoring the Confederacy, which in itself is a divisive concept. It’s really hypocritical, quite tone deaf,” Bennett said. An Alabama Senate committee last week rejected a proposal to separate the joint state holiday celebrating Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and slain civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the same day. “We’re trying to separate the holidays of two men whose ideologies were totally separate, from one end of the totem pole to the other. One believed in justice and fairness for all, and another believed in slavery,” state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures said. Figures’ bill would have kept Lee’s holiday but moved it to Columbus Day in October. “Whoever wants to honor either man will have their own day,” she said. The vote split along racial lines, Figures said at the end of the meeting, with white Republicans voting against it and Black Democrats voting for it. Several Southern states have ended or renamed Confederate holidays. Louisiana, in 2022, removed Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from the list of state holidays. Georgia, in 2015, renamed Confederate Memorial Day to “State Holiday.” Arkansas, in 2017, ended the practice of commemorating Lee and King on the same day. Mississippi Public Broadcasting on Monday had historians read Mississippi’s secession declaration, which makes clear that slavery was the central issue. Mary Jane Meadows, a member of the North Mississippi chapter of the Indivisible advocacy group, told Mississippi Public Broadcasting that the group protested Confederate Memorial Day last year and planned to do the same for 2023. “That means that 25,000 or more state employees have a day off with pay courtesy of the Mississippi taxpayers, 39% of whom are Black persons who are voters and taxpayers,” Meadows said. Some government offices in Mississippi remained open Monday, including courts in majority-Black Hinds County. Bennett said she believes the continued recognition of Confederate holidays “speaks to the blatant disregard of the humanity of Black Alabamians.” “We experienced a Holocaust, right. We experienced our families being ripped apart, and there is a celebration saying, ‘We wish things could have stayed the same,’ ” Bennett said. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Twelve more bills to watch introduced in the legislative session
The 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session is almost half over. Tuesday will be legislative day 14. To this point, State Legislators have introduced 618 bills in the current legislative session. Alabama Today has been monitoring bills as they are introduced. Here are twelve of the most recently introduced bills to watch. House Bill 370 (HB370) is sponsored by Representative John Rogers. According to the synopsis, HB370 “would require the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to establish and maintain a database that includes a list of individuals with communication disabilities or disabilities that can impair communications, to be available to law enforcement officers. This bill would require the Alabama Department of Public Health to develop a form for individuals to voluntarily register for inclusion in the database.” Senate Bill 237 (SB237) is sponsored by Senator Tom Butler. According to the synopsis, “Under existing law, the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act of 2017 prohibits architecturally significant buildings, memorial buildings, memorial streets, and monuments that are located on public property and have been so situated for 40 or more years from being relocated, removed, altered, renamed, or otherwise disturbed unless the Committee on Alabama Monument Protection grants a waiver, and provides penalties for violations. This bill would require a controlling governmental entity that replaces a memorial building to maintain the original name or erect a marker memorializing the name. This bill would provide that a petition for waiver is deemed denied if the Committee on Alabama Monument Protection fails to act on an application for waiver within 90 days. This bill would revise the penalties for violations and would authorize the Attorney General to commence a civil action. This bill would also require the Alabama State Council on the Arts to oversee the design, construction, and installation of a replica of the Saturn 1B Rocket, previously located at the I-65 Ardmore Welcome Center in Elkmont, Alabama, at the most northern I-65 rest stop in the state.” House Bill 364 (HB364) is sponsored by State Rep. Steve Hurst. HB364 would require a public K-12 school or a local board of education to accept cash and any other form of payment of its choosing for admission to school-sponsored sporting events that are open to the public. Some venues have gone to credit card payments only during the COVID-19 pandemic. House Bill 354 (HB354) is sponsored by State Rep. Mack Butler. HB354 “would provide that classroom instruction or discussions related to gender identity or sexual orientation may not be provided to public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade or to public school students in a manner that is not age or developmentally appropriate. This bill would require the State Board of Education to adopt procedures for notifying a student’s parent if there is a change in the student’s services or monitoring relating to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health and would prohibit local boards of education from adopting policies to the contrary. This bill would require each local board of education, at the beginning of each school year, to notify parents of the health care services available to students and allow parents to opt their child out of any health care service.” Senate Bill 224 (SB224) is sponsored by Sen. Vivian Figures. According to the synopsis, “Under existing law, the crime of transmitting obscene material to a child by computer is a Class B felony. This bill would clarify that for the purpose of this crime, a child is a person who is under 16 years of age. Under existing law, a person commits the crime of distributing a private image if he or she knowingly posts, emails, texts, transmits, or otherwise distributes a private image with the intent to harass, threaten, coerce, or intimidate the person depicted in certain circumstances. This bill would clarify that a criminal proceeding for a violation of distributing a private image could be brought in any county in which any part of the crime took place, in the county of residence of the victim, or any county where the image was received. Also, under existing law, a violation of incest is a Class C felony. This bill would provide that a violation of incest when the victim is under 16 years of age is a Class A felony. Also, under existing law, a person may not be convicted of the crime of incest or of an attempt to commit incest unless there is corroborated testimony. This bill would remove the requirement of corroborated testimony.” Senate Bill 234 (SB234) is a state constitutional amendment by Sen. Merika Coleman. SB234 would end the state’s four percent sales tax on groceries but would replace the lost revenue by ending the state’s allowing income taxpayers to deduct their federal income tax. A family of four who spends $110 a week on groceries would save $229 on the reduced sales tax on groceries. With a typical household taxable income of $54,062, they pay $4,726 in federal income taxes. Currently, they would deduct that from their state-taxable income. If SB234 passes and they lose that deduction, they would pay $281 in additional Alabama income taxes. In this example, that family would pay $52 more in taxes. A low-income family or a retired couple with no investment income would come out ahead by not having to pay the grocery tax. A high-income family will pay more taxes in this scenario if SB234 becomes law. Senate Bill 232 (SB232) is sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott. SB232 would authorize peer-to-peer car-sharing programs, which are business platforms that connect vehicle owners with drivers, to enable the sharing of vehicles for financial consideration in this state. House Bill 342 (HB342) is sponsored by Rep. Susan Dubose. The bill states, “Under existing law, the State Superintendent of Education is authorized to issue professional educator certificates to qualified individuals who complete an alternative teacher preparation program offered by an approved alternative teacher education preparation organization. This bill would provide additional requirements for programs to provide alternative certifications for educators.” House Bill 339 (HB339) is sponsored by Rep. Chris Pringle. The bill states, “Under existing law, the second or runoff
Alabama shuts down all state waters for shrimping
On Monday, the Marine Resources Division (MRD) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announced that all inside waters of Alabama will close for commercial and recreational shrimp harvesting. This is an annual occurrence to allow the young shrimp time to grow. All inside waters, not permanently closed by law or regulation, will reopen to shrimp harvesting on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 6:00 a.m. Shrimp are often used as bait for other marine species, such as fish. This applies to licensed live bait dealers as well. The taking of live bait north of a line beginning at the northern shore of East Fowl River running along the northern edge of the Fowl River Channel to marker number two in the Fowl River Channel, then southeasterly to Middle Bay Light and then northeasterly to Great Point Clear is prohibited during this closure. Special permit holders in the Special Permit Area in the Mobile Ship Channel are still allowed to harvest shrimp. Recreational shrimp vessels possessing a Special Live Bait Permit, however, are limited to only taking one gallon of shrimp per boat per day. Special Live Bait Area Permits may be purchased only at the MRD office on Dauphin Island. For more information, call (251) 861-2882. Shrimp, crabs, lobsters, and crayfish, are a species of invertebrates known as decapods. There are about 2,000 species of shrimp in the world. Numerous fish and wildlife species feed on shrimp. There are 15 to 22 species of shrimp in Alabama waters. Three of these are harvested by humans. The brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus), the white shrimp (P. setiferus), and the pink shrimp (P. duorarum). The brown shrimp is by far the most abundant. The pink shrimp is the least abundant of the three. Alabamians harvest approximately 20.5 million pounds of shrimp with an estimated dockside value of $45 million. Alabama is a sportsmen’s paradise with harvestable quantities of shrimp, oysters, crayfish, croaker, flounder, red snapper, drum, whiting, sea bass, deer, squirrel, rabbit, turkey, crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, nutria, hogs, coyotes, crows, alligators, cranes, ducks, geese, raccoons, and much more. Alabama residents and guests from outside the state can purchase saltwater, freshwater, and hunting licenses. All proceeds from the sale of the licenses go toward wildlife conservation. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management, and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Police make 6th arrest in Alabama Sweet 16 party shooting
Investigators on Thursday charged a sixth person with reckless murder in connection with a deadly shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday party, saying in court documents they believe gunmen shot into the crowd during the celebration. Investigators said in court documents filed Thursday that they believe five of those charged were present at the party on April 15 and “discharged firearms into the crowd,” resulting in the deaths of four people. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency on Thursday night announced the arrest of a 15-year-old juvenile from Tuskegee, Alabama, the sixth person charged in the case, but court records were not released because of the person’s age. All six face reckless murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting, the state agency said. The Sweet 16 birthday, at a dance studio just off the town square, was in full swing when gunfire erupted. Investigators have not discussed a motive or what they believe led to the shooting. The shooting killed four young people, ranging in age from 17 to 23, and shocked the small east Alabama city of Dadeville. Besides the four slain, 32 others were injured, four of them critically. Tyreese “Ty Reik” McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, both of Tuskegee, were arrested Tuesday. Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20, of Auburn, Alabama, was arrested Wednesday. Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee and Willie George Brown Jr., 19, of Auburn, were arrested Thursday. All are charged with four counts of reckless murder, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. The district attorney said the teens will be tried as adults as required by Alabama law when anyone 16 or older is charged with murder. All of the suspects are being held in the Tallapoosa County Jail with no bond with the exception of the 15-year-old, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. The birthday girl’s brother, 18-year-old Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell of Camp Hill, Alabama, died as his sister knelt beside him, begging him to keep breathing. He and another fatal victim, 17-year-old Shaunkivia Nicole “KeKe” Smith of Dadeville, were high school seniors. Also slain were Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins, 19, of Opelika, Alabama, and Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 23, of Dadeville. The shooting was the 16th mass killing in the U.S. this year. A 17th took place in Maine on Tuesday. A total of 88 people have died in mass killings so far in 2023. A mass killing is defined as the slaying of four or more people other than the perpetrator, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Daniel Sutter: What’s good and bad with DEI
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in business and higher education have become controversial. Texas A&M and Texas Tech recently ended DEI statements for faculty hiring and tenure. What is problematic about being welcoming and inclusive? Let’s consider the underrepresentation of women in engineering. According to the National Science Foundation, in 2016, women earned 21 and 24 percent of engineering bachelor’s and doctoral degrees. The disparity exists across white, Black, and Hispanic students. Everyone should be free to pursue the career of their choice regardless of gender or race. Such inclusion, I hope, is not controversial. Historical discrimination calls for extensive efforts to make women feel welcome today. Ivy League universities, for instance, did not admit women until 1969 (Yale). The service academies only admitted women in 1976. Gender segregation did not reflect pure animus. Many educators believed separate men’s and women’s schools facilitated learning. The all-male Ivies had the prestigious Seven Sisters as counterparts, colleges like Barnard and Vassar. Pioneering women in male-dominated fields faced discrimination and harassment. According to a 1960s survey, 90 percent of law firms would not interview women. Pioneers in law enforcement and firefighting had to overcome horrific harassment. Discrimination can yield perceptions of hostility long after reforms. It is not enough to treat women in STEM fields fairly; young women must feel welcome. I favor strongly worded commitments to inclusion by universities and businesses. Will this yield equal representation of men and women in every field? No. Career choices depend on preferences regarding work, which may differ between the sexes. Consider building skyscrapers. This would be a nightmare job for anyone afraid of heights. If more women are afraid of heights than men, the free choices of individuals may yield a male-dominated job, but one in an economy where everyone can choose their career. Alternatively, drafting women afraid of heights to work on high steel to achieve gender balance is preposterous. Once we eliminate legal barriers and harassment, can we attribute any STEM gender disparities to preference differences? Not necessarily. We also must consider the shaping of preferences. Our preferences are at least partially socially constructed, shaped by many influences in our lives. Economists take preferences as given and as reflecting our genuine selves. Suppose young Jack and Jill both want to be rocket scientists. Adults encourage Jack and discourage Jill, who does not choose a STEM career. I think many people fear that these numerous social cues push gender roles on young people. The interpretation of these cues gets to the DEI controversy. Here I mean the programmatic elements of DEI and the academic theories behind them. Consider the research on microaggressions, “brief and commonplace daily … indignities, whether intentional or unintentional…” But as Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt observe in The Coddling of the American Mind, intention matters significantly in evaluating action; the difference between murder and an accident is intention. DEI programs have evolved from critical theory, the application of Marxist analysis to gender and race instead of economic class. Karl Marx viewed the features of markets as deliberately designed by capitalists. Similarly, critical theory views slights as deliberate aggressive acts designed to discriminate against women. This worldview views all gender or racial disparities as intentional. The alternative to Marx’s deliberate design is Adam Smith’s spontaneous (or emergent or unplanned) order. As one example, money evolved spontaneously as people recognized that trading with stones or gold, or silver made life easier. The cues and prompts shaping preferences reflect the personal values and actions of millions of Americans or an unplanned order. Unplanned orders can be enormously complex, creating the potential for policies to have unintended consequences. Policies can negatively impact the intended beneficiaries. Since the impacts are not intended, we can modify the policies once we recognize the impacts. Welcoming and inclusive universities are desirable. But programmatic DEI, including litmus tests for hiring, threaten to impose one ideology on higher education, impinging on open inquiry. Programs sold under the banner of diversity may enforce conformity. Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.
