House passes legislation making changes to the public charter schools statute
On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation making several changes to the Alabama Public School Charter Commission. House Bill 363 (HB363) is sponsored by State Representative Terri Collins. The Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act changes the appointment process for the Alabama Public Charter School Commission; authorizes the Commission to hire staff; requires commissioners to receive annual training; provides additional guidelines for the authorizing and application review process; provides further for the operational and categorical funding of public charter schools in their first year of operation; and clarifies the per pupil federal, state, and local funding of conversion public charter schools during their first year of operation. “All charter schools are public schools,” explained Rep. Collins. “We have three conversion schools in Montgomery, Mobile, west Alabama, Birmingham has a few, Fairfield, and there are a couple more in Montgomery.” “A public system could choose to make a starter school,” Collins stated. “If they have a specific need, they can do it through the charter process.” Collins explained how a public system can convert a failing public school to a charter public school through the formal conversion process. Rep. Tracy Estes thanked Collins for bringing the bill and the hard work in crafting the substitute. The House voted to adopt the negotiated substitute version of the bill to address issues that some members had with the original legislation in a 88 to 13 vote. Rep. Mark Gidley said, “I want to express my appreciation for how you have worked hard on this.” Rep. Jamie Kiel brought an amendment that would restore the local school board as an authorizer. An earlier version of the bill removed that. This amendment was ratified. “I appreciate you working with all of the parties on this,” Kiel said to Collins. Rep. Barbara Boyd said, “I want to thank you for where you have gone and for working with all of the parties, but I would still have preferred magnet schools because those are set aside for specific purposes. I am going to have to vote no today.” “They have to be nonprofit,” Collins said of charter schools. “They can’t be a for-profit. They have to have local support.” Rep. Laura Hall said, “African American boys have a great need, particularly between K and 3irth grade.” Hall said that she had visited the new aviation-focused charter school in Fairfield. “I have been there,” Collins said. “What they are doing is very exciting.” Collins said that students there can work on actual planes and “learn takeoff and landing through a simulator.” Hall said, “The dollars that the system has used sound like they are very well used.” Collins said, “They do everything that a public school does. They do ACAP. They give grades.” Collins said that members of the Commission would be appointed by the governor, the lieutenant governor, the Speaker of the House, the Senate Pro Tem, the House Minority Leader, and the Senate Minority Leader. “They look at applications, and they approve or disapprove,” Collin said of the Commission. “This extends their term from two years to four years.” Rep. TaShina Morris suggested changing the bill so that the state superintendent of education hires the Commission staff. Collins said, “No, we want the commission to choose their own employees.” Rep. Mary Moore said, “I don’t think the state of Alabama can support multiple forms of public schools with one pot of money for education.” Moore complained that the local school board can deny a charter application and “the state of Alabama will go ahead and authorize them to be a charter school when they know they are deficient.” Moore attacked the performance of charter schools. “They (students) are coming back to public schools, and they are not able to do the work,” Moore said. “They are not doing their due diligence. They are not hiring proper teachers. They have teachers that don’t even know how to set up a proper classroom.” Collins replied, “They all have a long waiting list to get in. I don’t know of any who are coming back.” Moore said, “They are taking dollars from the public schools, and they are hurting public schools because they are taking resources.” Collins said, “Charter schools are public schools.” The Alabama House passed HB363 in a 76 to 25 vote. The legislation now goes to the Senate for their consideration. Thursday was day 20 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The House convenes at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Sen. Gerald Allen optimistic about getting national anthem bill before the Senate
On Thursday, Alabama State Senator Gerald Allen (R-Northport) expressed optimism that the Senate would address his national anthem legislation soon. Allen’s bill, Senate Bill 238 (SB238), is a proposed amendment to the Alabama Constitution of 1901 that would require every public school in the state to play the national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, at least once a week during the school year. On May 3, the Senate State Governmental Affairs Committee gave a favorable report to the legislation, but since then, it has not been brought to the Senate floor. Following the end of Thursday’s legislative session, Alabama Today asked Allen about the status of his bill. Allen said he had just talked about that while the Senate was in. “It is going to be on the floor soon,” Allen said. Alabama Today asked if it would be on the floor next week. “I don’t know about next week,” Allen said. According to the synopsis, “This bill would propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to public K-12 schools, to require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each K-12 public school to broadcast or sanction the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week during school hours.” Allen said in Committee that he had brought legislation last year that would have required that the anthem be played before every public school athletics competition. He dropped that requirement in this bill and is simply requiring it just once a week during school hours. Allen was asked if it does pass the Senate and if he has someone willing to carry this bill in the House of Representatives. “Yes, I do – Arnold Mooney,” Allen said. There is a very high burden for the passage of SB238 since it is a constitutional amendment. Passing a constitutional amendment requires a three-fifths majority of both bodies of each House. The Alabama Republican Party has commanding supermajorities in both Houses of the Alabama Legislature, but it is not known whether the Republican caucus will support this legislation or not. Without support from the GOP caucus, the leadership will not bring the bill to the floor. If SB238 does get approval from the legislature, the proposed amendment would still have to be ratified by a vote of the people next year in the presidential election. Tuesday will be day 21 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The session is limited to just 30 days by the Alabama Constitution. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Sen. Katie Britt concerned about growing mental health crisis in America
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt said there is a growing mental health crisis in America. Britt’s comments were made during a recent hearing of the Subcommittee for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. In the hearing, Sen. Britt questioned the top leadership from the National Institute of Health (NIH) about the staggering, rising rates of depression and suicide among America’s teenagers. “When you look at what is happening, it is clear that NIH has also identified this crisis as being one that is plaguing communities across this great nation,” Britt said. “The White House in 2023, the Mental Health Research Priorities, those even showed they speak to digital platforms in terms of their effectiveness to treat mental and behavioral health outcomes. However, there are plenty of NIH studies that show how social media and screen time likely have a negative effect on mental health, particularly youth mental health.” “Now let me tell you something, as a Mama of a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old, this is something that is particularly important to me,” Britt said. “I look at how young people are having to grow up. I know, as someone who went through middle school and high school as a young woman, that it’s tough. I can’t even imagine the additional pressures that they feel, given having a screen at their fingertips all of the time. “ “I think the reports are shocking, and I don’t think the numbers lie,” Britt said. “Last year, 1 in 3 high school girls said that they seriously considered suicide. And actually, one in nine, or almost nine percent – one in ten high school students reported actually attempting suicide in the last twelve months. Folks, I ran for the Senate as a mama on a mission. I said that my children and other people’s children and grandchildren should be able to achieve the American dream. If we do not take hold of what is happening right now with social media and our youth, it is going to be so far gone that we can’t get it back. My question to you is: what is the NIH doing to address the damage of social media and what it is having on our children and our children’s mental health?” Between 2011 and 2019, the rate of depression more than doubled for American teenagers as social media use increased. Dr. Joshua Gordon, M.D., is the Director of the National Institutes of Mental Health. “Not just depression, but suicide deaths have been dramatically increasing in children and children that are younger than those who used to typically die,” said Dr. Gordon. “So, we’re seeing dramatic increases in the rates for pre-teens, which is incredibly disturbing.” On April 26, Sen. Britt introduced the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act alongside Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) to help empower families and protect children from the harmful impacts of social media. “It is bipartisan,” Britt stated. “It prohibits children from under the age of 13 from using social media, which is consistent with what social media companies say that they already do. It requires a parent or guardian’s permission for children ages 13 to 17 to create an account, so very simple, and the last thing is it requires social media companies to verify that quickly. It also does not allow them to utilize algorithms against our children. So between 13 and 17, when they are on social media, they would not be able to be targeted by algorithms to push them into what we know are so many deep, dark holes. I am hopeful that this body will actually do something to put parents back in the driver’s seat and to protect our children. I will tell you they are counting on us.” May is Mental Health Awareness Month. People or families struggling or in crisis can call or text 988 or go to the website 988lifeline.org for help. Katie Britt was elected in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Rep. Gary Palmer votes on bill to secure U.S. border
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer released a statement today in support of H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023. The bill aims to address issues regarding immigration and border security, including imposing limits to asylum eligibility. “President Biden has had two and a half years to fix the border crisis but has only made excuses,” Rep. Palmer stated. “Today, House Republicans took action to stop the chaos that is currently on display at our southern border. The Secure the Border Act of 2023 delivers on our promise to the American people to secure the border because the safety of our country is our top priority.” Rep. Palmer continued, “The Secure the Border Act of 2023 responds to the failed border policies of the Biden Administration. It funds more border patrol agents, resuming construction on the border wall, and demands transparency from the Department of Homeland Security. The time for talk is over. The President needs to stop willfully neglecting the border crisis and act with the best interest of Americans in mind.” Today, @HouseGOP took action to stop the chaos that is currently on display at our southern border. The Secure the Border Act of 2023 delivers on our promise to the American people to secure the border because the safety of our country is our top priority. pic.twitter.com/s96EL69hO7 — Gary Palmer (@USRepGaryPalmer) May 11, 2023 The bill passed the House just hours before Title 42 expired but is unlikely to pass the Senate. The White House has also stated they will veto the bill. Title 42 is the name of an emergency health authority. The Trump administration implemented it in March 2020 and allowed U.S. officials to turn away migrants who came to the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent the spread of COVID-19. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called it the “strongest border security bill to come through Congress in more than 100 years.” The legislation would increase penalties for individuals who overstay their visas and increase the number of Border Patrol agents. The bill would: require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to resume activities to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border; provides statutory authorization for Operation Stonegarden, which provides grants to law enforcement agencies for certain border security operations; prohibit DHS from processing the entry of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) arriving between ports of entry; limit asylum eligibility to non-U.S. nationals who arrive in the United States at a port of entry; authorize the removal of a non-U.S. national to a country other than that individual’s country of nationality or last lawful habitual residence, whereas currently, this type of removal may only be to a country that has an agreement with the United States for such removal; expand the types of crimes that may make an individual ineligible for asylum, such as a conviction for driving while intoxicated causing another person’s serious bodily injury or death; authorize DHS to suspend the introduction of certain non-U.S. nationals at an international border if DHS determines that the suspension is necessary to achieve operational control of that border; prohibit states from imposing licensing requirements on immigration detention facilities used to detain minors; authorize immigration officers to permit an unaccompanied alien child to withdraw their application for admission into the United States even if the child is unable to make an independent decision to withdraw the application; impose additional penalties for overstaying a visa; and require DHS to create an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system modeled after the E-Verify system and requires all employers to use the system. House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries stated in a press conference, “This extreme MAGA Republican piece of legislation will throw out your children who are fleeing, in many cases, extreme violence and persecution. They will build a medieval border wall… The child deportation act is not a serious effort to deal with the issue related to our broken immigration system.”
Alabama House passes two education bills
The Alabama House passed a bill that would create an education savings account program and another that would change the way the state manages charter schools on Thursday. House Bill 334, authored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, would create an education savings account program for students who are either homeless, have an individual education program, have a parent on active duty in the military, or had a parent die on active duty in the military. Individual education programs are drawn up for special education students who deal with a disability or impairment, home-bound students who deal with an illness or autism. The bill passed 99-5 and is headed to the Senate. HB334 is known as the Students with Unique Needs Education Scholarship Account program and would give these families $5,600 per year and would be capped at 500 scholarships in the first year, which would be 2024, and increase by 500 new scholarships annually. The measure was amended by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, to require standardized tests administered by their resident school districts for program participants. The bill met with opposition by Democrats, who argued against providing public funds to private schools in the education savings account that aren’t judged by the same accountability standards as public schools. “These are dollars that are designed for the public good,” said Rep. Artis McCampbell, D-Demopolis. “But if we are taking these dollars and actually putting them into the private sector and using a different measure, how is that a fair measure?” House Bill 363 is sponsored by Collins and would alter the way the state governs charter schools. The biggest change would be how funding would be disbursed to new charter schools. They would be funded during their first few years in operation based on anticipated enrollment and would also receive state funds in the same way as conventional public schools. The measure would change the appointment process for the state’s charter authorizer body, the Alabama Public Charter School Commission, and allow the commission to hire staff along with requiring commissioners to receive annual training. The bill would also change the processes of authorization and the review of applications. Alabama, which passed charter legislation in 2015, has only five charter schools. HB363 passed 76-25 and is headed to the Senate. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Data shows booming Florida economy despite inflationary headwinds
Data shows that despite lingering inflation, Florida’s economy is excelling. The latest data from the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research shows tax revenues are up, and federal data reveals the Sunshine State had the nation’s 10th lowest unemployment rate. According to the FOED, Florida tax revenues in March showed a gain of $167.7 million (4.8 %) over the forecast made by the state’s General Revenue Estimating Conference. Sales tax revenues were up 1.7% ($49 million) over the estimate. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state’s unemployment rate of 2.6% was tied for 10th lowest nationally with Idaho and Maine. Both data points show why the state has become the nation’s most popular moving destination, according to recently released IRS data. Ron DeSantis has signed into law several measures to further reduce the tax burden on Floridians thanks to this year’s legislative session, including permanently removing sales tax for everyday items like diapers, baby formula, and adult incontinence products. Tax incentives are also being implemented to keep Floridians in the state for family vacations, which include sales tax holidays for concerts, camping gear, and other attractions around the state. The measures have all been put in place to ease some of the pressures being felt due to rising inflation that has hit a 40-year high since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, growing 4.9% since April 2022, according to the U.S. Labor Department. Employment opportunities and bonuses are being offered to law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and teachers to attract more professionals to Florida, driving up in-migration, while adding new taxpayers. The U.S. Census Bureau data shows that tax revenues, despite taking a slight dip in early 2020, have continued to grow each quarter. Florida’s tax revenue for 2022 hit almost $62 billion, peaking in the second quarter at over $17 billion, as tax revenues have been on an upward trend since the early 1990s. Gross domestic product in Florida has also increased exponentially to around $1.08 trillion, according to The Bureau of Economic Analysis, and large corporations have been relocating operations to Florida. Citadel, a $51 billion hedge fund now based in Miami which employs around 1,000 people, relocated from Chicago citing safety concerns. CEO Ken Griffin announced in 2022 that Citadel and Citadel Securities would be relocating headquarters to South Florida and that many staff members had requested they also be transferred there. Wall Street electronic trading firm Virtu Financial Inc, announced in 2021 that they would be relocating to Palm Beach Gardens from New York City, with many of its employees saying in a survey that quality of life and long commute times made them prefer life in Florida over New York or New Jersey. Virtu’s Chief Executive Officer Doug Cifu said during an interview with Bloomberg, that employees automatically save 11% upon moving because of Florida’s no state income policy. In January, Los Angeles-based investment firm Colony Capital formally relocated its corporate headquarters from California to Boca Raton. Tech companies are also looking to move out of Silicon Valley, and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is actively driving Miami to become the next big tech hub. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Lawmakers approve bill that would enable construction of new Alabama Statehouse
Lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval to legislation that could lead to the construction of a new Alabama Statehouse. The bill gives the Legislative Council, a 20-member panel that consists of legislative leaders and selected members, the authority to contract with the Retirement Systems of Alabama, or another entity, for the construction and maintenance of a new Alabama Statehouse. State senators voted 34-0 to accept changes to the legislation made by the House of Representatives. The bill now goes to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature. House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said the current Statehouse, originally built in the 1960s to house the state highway department, has ongoing maintenance problems with accommodating spectators in crowded committee rooms. “I think the people of Alabama need to be represented better than this building. I really do. I’ve been to statehouses in different parts of the country, and they are a representation of the people. They want to welcome people into them,” Ledbetter said. “We can’t accommodate the public.” Ledbetter said he believed a decision would be made fairly quickly but declined to give a more precise estimate. He said council members will weigh the yearly cost of maintenance against the cost of leasing a new building. From the mid-1800s to 1985, Alabama lawmakers met at the Alabama Capitol, which also houses the governor’s office. Lawmakers in 1985 moved into the current building as a temporary meeting place when the Capitol was undergoing renovations. Lawmakers never moved back, and a number of renovations have been made through the years. Alabama lawmakers in 2020 briefly discussed the possibility of using $200 million of federal pandemic relief funds to build a new statehouse, but the idea drew immediate backlash. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
