Former State Senator Roger Bedford has died
Former State Senator Roger Bedford Jr. has died. Bedford was 67. He was diagnosed with cancer in September. At one time, Bedford was one of the four or five most powerful people in the state Legislature for a number of years. Bedford was first elected to the State Senate in 1982 when he was only 25. He was re-elected in 1986. He did not seek re-election in 1990 due to a cancer diagnosis. After defeating cancer, he ran again for the Senate and was elected in 1994. He would go on to serve eight terms in the Alabama State Senate. Bedford, a White rural Democrat – back when White rural Democrats aligned with Executive Secretary Paul Hubbert and the Alabama Education Association (AEA) dominated the Legislature – quickly rose in prominence statewide. In 1996, he ran for the Democratic nomination for the open U.S. Senate seat when Sen. Howell Heflin (D-Alabama) retired. Bedford, mainly due to his AEA support, defeated Congressman Glenn Browder (D-AL04) in the Democratic primary. However, Bedford lost the general election to then-Alabama Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Bedford remained in the State Senate, where he continued to grow in power and influence until 2010, when Republicans gained control of both Houses of the Legislature after 135 years of Democratic Party control. Bedford was one of the few White rural Democrats in the Alabama Senate to survive the 2010 election. He served as Senate Minority Leader from 2011 to 2013. He did not survive the 2014 election when Dr. Larry Stutts unseated him in the 2014 election by just 13 votes. Bedford’s wife died last year after a long illness. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Gov. Kay Ivey signs school choice bills into law
When the State Legislature left town for the year on Tuesday, they left a lot of bills on the desk for Governor Kay Ivey to consider. Ivey signed into law a handful of bills on Thursday that she says deliver on her promises and will benefit Alabamians now and in the future. During the governor’s inaugural and state of the state addresses, Ivey promised that more parents in Alabama emphasized the importance of improving school choice in Alabama. Ivey said that those efforts must begin with improving the school choices that Alabama already has: Public charter schools and the Alabama Accountability Act scholarship program. The Legislature responded by passing both House Bill 363 and Senate Bill 263. Upon signing those bills in her office earlier today, the governor then issued the following comment: “While some parents in other states are finding themselves being forced aside, here in Alabama, we believe strongly that a parent should be able to decide what is best for their own child’s education. To help support high-quality education and create more choices for parents, I have prioritized improving school choice. Both HB363 and SB263 will certainly help us make progress, and the bill sponsors, Representative Terri Collins and Senators Donnie Chesteen and Will Barfoot did yeomen’s work in getting this needed legislation across the finish line. I am proud to put my signature on these two bills so that more students have an opportunity for a strong educational experience.” SB263 is an expansion of the landmark 2013 Alabama Accountability Act, which created a mechanism for scholarship granting organizations to award scholarships for students in Alabama’s most dreadful public schools. Chesteen said that in the old bill, students from just 79 failing schools can apply for scholarships to leave their failing schools. This will open it up to students from a school with a D or an F on its report card – 212 schools. SB263 would open up to 25% of the scholarships for students who live outside of those targeted D and F-scoring schools if they meet the poverty thresholds. It also raises the poverty thresholds for children to be eligible for the scholarships and changes the name the state uses for its most dreadfully performing schools from failing schools to priority schools. Collins explained that HB363, 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.” The current law allows a public school system to convert an existing public school into a charter school. It also allows nonprofit groups that recognize a need to take their own funds to build and operate a charter school and apply for permission from the local school authorities to open a charter school. If that application is denied, that organization may submit its request to the Alabama Public Charter School Commission for review. Governor Ivey also successfully championed funding charter schools in addition to this needed legislation. A much more vigorous expansion of school choice – the PRICE Act – was never considered on the floor of either House. SB202/HB295 was carried by Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Sheffield) and Rep. Ernie Yarborough (R-Hartselle). It would have allowed education dollars to follow the child and was not limited to just poor children or children zoned to the worst schools in the state. It was not regulated by a state commission as to whether an alternative was needed or not. Every child in the state would have been given $6,900 in an education savings account that could have followed the child to another public school, a private school, a church school, or even to cover the expenses of home school. That legislation was strongly opposed by the Alabama Education Association (AEA) and the Alabama School Superintendents. Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) told reporters moments after the regular session ended on Tuesday that more school choice bills will likely be passed in future legislative sessions. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Senate passes bill to raise cap on the Alabama Accountability Act
On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate voted to raise the cap on the money that can go to the Alabama Accountability Act (AAA). The Alabama Accountability Act was passed in 2013 to allow parents whose children are zoned to Alabama’s worst-performing schools to choose to apply for a scholarship to go to another public school or a private school. That act is currently capped at $30 million. This legislation would raise it to $40 million next year, and if specific targets are reached in coming years, that could increase to $50 million. Potentially the cap could increase to $60 million over six years. Senate Bill 263 (SB263) is sponsored by State Senator Donnie Chesteen (R-Dothan). SB263 also raises the number of Alabama students who qualify for scholarships to 250 percent of the poverty line. That would be slightly higher than the median income in Alabama. Under the existing rules, only students zoned to the worst six percent of schools can qualify for scholarships to go to a private school or another public school. The legislation would also rename those failing schools as priority schools. Chesteen said that in the old bill, students from just 79 failing schools can apply for the scholarships. This would open it up to students from a school with a D or an F on its report card – 212 schools. SB263 would open up to 25% of the scholarships for students who live outside of those targeted D and F scoring schools if they meet the poverty thresholds. Sen. Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) said, “I think this bill takes care of the middle up. It does not help those in the bottom.” “It is not easy to satisfy all the components of all the people involved, and it is not easy to get through the process to get here today; nevertheless, I do not support this bill,” Singleton said. Singleton said that expansion of the AAA would only hurt public schools. “I think this is going to hurt public education,” Singleton said. “I am here to protect those to whom I see that unintended consequences are happening. “Our charter schools, they can take a limited number of students, our private schools, they can take a limited number of students,” Singleton said. “If students leave school B for school A, what they are going to do is leave school B with nobody. If that was a bad school, you just left it worse.” The SGOs have had difficulty over the past year in raising the $30 million to utilize the cap. “If we have not met the cap, why are we bumping it up?” Singleton said. “25% can go anywhere.” “If they meet the threshold,” Chesteen said. “That bothers me,” Singleton said. “They may not qualify at one level, but can roam around the system if they are in poverty.” Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Sheffield) argued against the bill because he felt it did not go far enough. “We have been in last place too long,” Stutts said. “It is important that we make a statement that education is important. It is important for the workforce. It is important to parents.” Stutts is the sponsor of the PRICE Act, which would be a far larger, more expansive school choice bill. “Your bill (the AAA) has only helped 3,200 students in ten years. My bill would help 7,900 students the first year,” Stutts argued. The money for the Accountability Act comes from Alabama taxpayers voluntarily electing to take tax credits so that their income tax dollars go to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) instead of the Alabama education trust fund. The PRICE Act, on the other hand, would transfer $6,900 per student from the education trust fund to an education savings account that would follow the child to the school of the parent’s choice. “We need universal school choice,” Stutts said. “We need choice throughout the state. The parents know the needs of the children. No one understands the individual needs of the child better than the parents.” Stutts also objected to the fact that the students can get a scholarship up to $10,000 under this bill, while the amount the student would receive under the PRICE Act – would be just $6,900 – the amount of state support that Alabama public schools students receive from the education trust fund on a per capita basis. “Are you willing to say that we carry over your bill tonight and commit to me that we will tie these two bills together and pass these two bills out of the Senate together?” Stutts asked. Chesteen answered, “My plan is to move this bill tonight. I am going to continue to work this bill. If you will continue to work your bill, I will commit to you that I will work with you to get your bill passed tomorrow.” Stutts said, “I appreciate your bill, but I appreciate my bill more.” Singleton warned that expanding school choice could lead to a mass exodus of students from public schools. “You might think that not everybody is going to get up and run, but it might happen,” Singleton said. “It doesn’t say that the child has to fail, just that the school has to fail. They can recruit this star athlete who has a 3.9 to go over here because the school is failing. Usually, when one child leaves, it is the whole family that leaves.” Sen. Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) said there are no failing schools in his district, so no one in his district qualifies for the scholarships. “They told me back in my district that they are not opposed to school choice, but since no one from the district gets the money, and it takes $30 million out of the education trust fund to oppose this,” Gudger said. “It is hard for me to go back to rural Alabama when the money goes to people in other parts of the state.” Sen. Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) said that more money is going for school choice than raising up the state’s failing schools. “I am up here
Bills expanding school choice options advance in Legislature
Bills to increase school choices for parents are still being considered by Alabama state legislators as time remaining in the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session is starting to become an issue. There is growing support for giving parents options on where their children are educated. Now how to do that without harming the existing legacy public school systems is an issue that the Alabama Legislature is presently grappling with. House Bill 363 (HB363) is sponsored by State Rep. Terri Collins. HB363 passed the Alabama House of Representatives on a 76 to 25 vote on May 11. Since then, the charter schools legislation has been referred to the Senate Education Policy Committee. HB363 is on the committee agenda for Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. in the Finance and Taxation Room on floor eight of the Alabama Statehouse. 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.” The current law allows a public school system to convert an existing public school into a charter school. It also allows nonprofit groups that recognize a need to take their own funds to build and operate a charter school and apply for permission from the local school authorities to open a charter school. If that application is denied, then that organization may submit its request to the Alabama Public Charter School Commission. Senate Bill 202 (SB202) is sponsored by State Senator Larry Stutts. The Parental Rights In Children’s Education (PRICE) Act for K-12 education “would secure the fundamental constitutional rights of parents to direct the education of their children according to their religious faith, beliefs, values, and morals. This bill would create and provide for the PRICE Program and would establish a three-year phase-in period.” It establishes a Parent Advisory Board and “would provide for the funding of the PRICE ESA Fund and the PRICE Administration Fund for the costs of administering the PRICE Program.” The bill would also provide for implementing and administrating the PRICE Program and using education savings accounts. It would specify the qualified expenses that can be paid from an education savings account. The bill would give parents $6,900 to put into an Education Savings Account that the parents could use at a public school, a public charter school, a private school, or a religious school. SB202 spent three weeks in Senate Committees; but received a favorable report on May 17. The program cost was capped at $50 million in the substitute that passed the committee. SB202 could be considered by the full Senate as early as Tuesday. House Bill 295 (HB295) is sponsored by Rep. Ernie Yarborough. HB295 was referred to committee in the House and has not been acted on in committee and is not on the committee agenda for Wednesday. That the House has yet to address HB295 is not a good indicator for the PRICE Act if it gets out of the Senate. Senate Bill 297 (SB297) is sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot. SB297 is the Senate version of HB363. It received a favorable report from the Senate Education Policy Committee on May 11. It could be considered by the full Senate as early as Tuesday. SB297’s having advanced in committee indicates that HB363 will also advance out of committee. The Alabama Republican Party has endorsed school choice, but the Alabama Education Association and the Alabama School Superintendents Association are both staunchly opposed to any serious expansion of parental choice. Republicans have commanding supermajorities in both Houses of the Alabama Legislature, so they can pass school choice whether or not Democrats are in support. The question is how many Republican legislators are influenced by conservative principles on government versus how many are influenced more by lobbyist campaign dollars. Tuesday will be the 24th legislative day of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The Constitution of Alabama of 1901 limits the regular session to a maximum of 30 legislative days. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Senate Committee advances bill to issue nonviable birth certificates
Last Wednesday, the Alabama Senate Health Committee gave a favorable report to legislation allowing mothers who lost a child due to miscarriage can receive a state-issued birth certificate, called a “Certificate of Nonviable Birth.” House Bill 55 (HB55) is sponsored by State Representative Juandalynn Givan. “I had a mother come up to me at a town hall and ask me to carry this,” Givan said. “And then another mother, and another mother.” Senator Tim Melson – a medical doctor – chairs the Senate Health Committee. Melson asked when the cutoff date on this is. Givan said that in some states, it was five weeks. In others, seven weeks. This bill currently doesn’t have one. Melson said there would be tissue to verify that there was a pregnancy and that they could work on this before it came to the floor of the Senate. Sen. Larry Stutts said, “This is the most pro-life bill I have seen.” Givan had photos of what a fetus looks like at less than twenty weeks. Stutts said that those pictures show that this is a life that is worthy of protection. “I want to thank you for bringing this bill,” said Sen. Dan Roberts. Givan said that if this bill passes, she wanted it named the “Genesis Act.” After 20 weeks of gestation, a parent can request a nonviable birth certificate from the Health Department. This bill would extend that to pregnancies that were lost before that current deadline. “Florida was the first state to pass this,” Givan explained. According to the synopsis, “Under existing law, a nonviable birth that occurs before the twentieth week of gestation is not reported to the Office of Vital Statistics, and a parent of a nonviable birth that occurs before the twentieth week of gestation may not request a certificate of birth. Also, under existing law, a parent of a fetal death occurring after 20 weeks of gestation may request a Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth. This bill would create the Genesis Act to require the Alabama Department of Public Health to adopt rules allowing for the parents of a nonviable birth occurring before the twentieth week of gestation to request a Certificate of Nonviable Birth.” The Senate Health Committee voted unanimously to give HB55 a favorable report. HB55 could be considered by the full Alabama Senate as early as Tuesday. The legislation has already passed the House of Representatives. As of Friday, 680 bills have been filed thus far in the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. Tuesday will be Day 16 of the 2023 regular session. The Alabama Constitution limits the regular session to no more than thirty legislative days during a regular session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Donnie Chesteen uses stalling tactics to effectively kill education choice bill
On Wednesday, the Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee failed to vote on a school choice bill that was debated before the Committee. Instead, the bill has been referred to another committee for their consideration. Senate Bill 202 (SB202) is sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts. Over 200 people crowded into an overflowing public hearing in the Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee. Opponents and proponents of school choice both presented their arguments for and against in a time restricted format. Based on the applause and cheers it appeared that proponents far outnumbered the people there in opposition to the bill. Following the debate, the Republican Chairman of the Committee, Donnie Chesteen, said that his committee would not vote today on the bill. “We will not take a vote today,” Chesteen said. “My recommendation is that we refer this to the education budget committee.” “We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars out of the education budget,” Chesteen said. “We need to know what we are cutting.” “I asked that it be referred to the budget committee when I introduced it,” Stutts said. “I understand the stalling tactics that are playing out,” Stutts said. Thursday will be the 15th legislative day. The Alabama Constitution limits the regular session to a maximum of thirty legislative days. Under the rules of the Alabama legislature, it takes a minimum of five legislative days for a bill to pass. If the bill bounces from committee to committee for the next three or four weeks, there won’t be time for the bill to get to the floor of the second house for an up or down vote before the session ends. “I have never seen that,” Sen. Stutts told Alabama Today referring to the Chairman re-referring the bill to a second committee and expecting it to come back to the first committee for consideration. The House of Representatives has passed rules abolishing the practice of re-referring a bill from one committee to another before it can be considered by the full body. The Senate has not adopted that rule. “I am going to have a talk with the Chairman,” Stutts told Alabama Today. Dr. Arthur Watts is the Finance Director of the Montgomery City School System. “This bill could cost $600 million,” Watts told the Committee. The typical teacher costs about $70,000. That includes $10,000 in benefits. Just one fourth of that, $150 million divided by $70,000 would be a loss of over 2080 teachers. Half that would be $300 million. That would be a loss of 4160 teachers. If it cost all of that, $600 million, that would be a loss of 8320 teachers. Eagle Forum Director Becky Gerritson said, “Education dollars should go to educate the children.” “We already do this in higher education,” Gerritson said. “We take money in the form of Pell Grants and allow them to use the money the way they want. They can go to state schools, private schools, or technical schools. We do this all the time with higher ed.” Gerritson said there would not be a mass exodus from public to private schools if SB202 passed. “They will still get 98% of the students, but that little bit of competition makes the difference,” Gerritson said. “When private schools fail they close, when public schools fail we give them more money.” Gerritson explained that the bill sets up an educational savings account for every child that elects to opt out of the existing public school system. “The money goes directly from the account to a vender,” Gerritson said. “We can track every dollar.” Gerritson said that Eagle Forum backs this approach to school choice rather than existing programs like the Accountability Act and charter schools, because, “This one provides the biggest impact and the fastest.” Allison King with the Alabama Education Association (AEA) spoke against the bill. “Before I came to work for AEA, I worked ten years as a classroom teacher and an administrator,” King said. “We do currently have school choice in our state, and it is not being fully utilized.” King said that this bill has a “lack of accountability and oversight.” King said that the bill creates the opportunity for fraud by both the parents and the education vender the parents select. “The fraud would have to be substantial for it be actionable,” King said. King said that the legislation would allow parents to use the money on purchasing an ipad, sending their kid to Space Camp, or to play travel ball. “All of these things are allowable,” King said. “They can even get accountability act funding and still receive funding through the PRICE Act” The program would be phased in over three years with kindergartern through third grade in phase one. Proponents estimate that most of the children who would get the education savings accounts are already in private schools and of the 80,000 Alabama children who go to private school now about 75% would opt in to the program. “The saddest thing I have had to deal with as a realtor is families having to move because they are chasing schools,” said Sen. Shay Shelnutt. “Thank you Dr. Stutts for bringing this bill forward and I full support this bill.” “I appreciate all that accountability bills we have passed, but by all those measures we are still in last place or very near last place in education,” Stutts said. “That hurts our state on a whole lot of levels and not just on the real estate movement.” Stutts listed the Literacy Act, the Numeracy Act, the Accountability Act, and other efforts by legislators to improve education in the state. “This has the opportunity to change education faster than all of those other things combined,” Stutts said. “Where we rank in education is important.” Stutts explained that the money left over in the education savings account is available for the students. “You are able to use that money until you are 21,” Stutts said. The money left over from K-12 in a child’s account could be used for college or
Senate Committee to consider school choice bill
On Wednesday, the Senate Education Policy Committee will meet to consider school choice legislation. Senate Bill 202 (SB202) is sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts. The Parental Rights In Children’s Education (PRICE) Act for K-12 education “would secure the fundamental constitutional rights of parents to direct the education of their children according to their religious faith, beliefs, values, and morals. This bill would create and provide for the PRICE Program and would establish a three-year phase-in period.” It establishes a Parent Advisory Board and “would provide for the funding of the PRICE ESA Fund and the PRICE Administration Fund for the costs of administering the PRICE Program.” The bill would also provide for implementing and administrating the PRICE Program and using education savings accounts. It would specify the qualified expenses that can be paid from an education savings account. The bill would give parents $6,900 to put into an Education Savings Account that the parents could use at a public school, a public charter school, a private school, or a religious school. The Alabama Republican Party has been adamant that the Party favors giving parents the power to decide where they send their kids to school. Yet, the overwhelming majority of children in the state are still trapped with only the option to go to the legacy public school they are assigned to. The GOP released a poll on Tuesday showing that most Alabama voters want school choice in the state of Alabama. The poll asked 1,610 respondents the following question: “The State Legislature is considering a bill that would allow parents to choose which schools their children attend using state funds. Do you support or oppose school choice legislation?” 57% answered support, only 16% responded that they oppose, and 27% said they were undecided. The GOP has a commanding supermajority in both Houses of the Legislature, so they can pass this if they choose to. Many legislators, however, fear pushback from teachers, superintendents, and prominent supporters of local public school systems. The GOP polls showed that support for school choice was highest among Republican voters (67% to 9%) but also overwhelmingly popular with independent voters (55% to 17%) and still the first choice among Democrats (37% to 30%). The survey also showed school choice had extremely strong support from black voters (52% to 21%). In 2022 then, Senator Del Marsh brought his school choice bill to the same committee, and it was effectively killed there without reaching the floor of the Senate. Dozens of Alabama’s public school superintendents flooded the room and were all over that session lobbying to kill that bill. The school superintendents were joined by the Alabama Education Association in steadfast opposition to the bill. Proponents of school choice argue that competition will benefit Alabama’s children and that if multiple schools compete for students, that will produce improved performance. Proponents say that the parent will act in the best interest of their child and will send them to the school that best serves the child academically with the family’s value system and religious beliefs. Polling shows that protecting children from “Woke indoctrination” by liberal public school teachers, curriculum, and texts has become an increasingly important issue with Alabama families. Opponents argue that if tax dollars are allowed to follow the children to private and religious schools that the most involved parents, higher-income families, and the most talented students will leave the public system leaving the legacy system underfunded and with the remaining student body increasingly poor and disadvantaged. Some opponents also oppose tax dollars going to religious schools. The Committee will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Finance and Taxation Room on the eighth floor of the Alabama State House. Thursday will be day 15 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Conservatives hold rally and prayer service in front of the Alabama State Capital
On Thursday, a variety of conservative groups held a prayer service and rally for their issues in front of the Alabama Statehouse. The Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP) and Alabama Eagle Forum held a prayer service and followed that with a rally by the Campaign for Common Sense. The welcome-back rally urged legislators to advance a socially conservative agenda in the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session that began on Tuesday. ALCAP President and CEO and talk radio host Greg Davis said on Facebook, “We had a blessed time of prayer in Montgomery at the Statehouse steps yesterday with ALCAP – Alabama Citizens Action Program. I encourage all Christians to include those who serve us thru Government on your prayer lists and then truly lift them up to God!” Several speakers urged the Legislators to jettison the unpopular Common Core educational standards – renamed the Alabama College and Career Ready Standards by the state school board. The Rev. John Killian said that the state will not succeed educationally while Common Core remains in place. The Campaign for Common Sense Director Lou Campenosi said, “We have been coming here for 13 years, and still nothing has been done.” Campenosi said that the state of Alabama had gone from 20th in educational performance to 52nd in state educational rankings since switching to the Alabama College and Career Ready Standards. The Director of Alabama Eagle Forum, Becky Gerritson, told Alabama Today that State Sen. Larry Stutts and State Rep. Susan Dubose will introduce legislation in each House to prevent pregnant women from being able to obtain medical marijuana – which will become legal in Alabama by the end of the year. Gerritson said that the group would also support a bill to expand school choice for families across Alabama – the Universal School Choice Act. State Auditor Andrew Sorrell advocated for legislation to give his office powers similar to that of other state auditors. Sorrell said that he had been criticized as being “too conservative,” but in the recent November general election, it was he who won by the largest margin showing that true conservatives can win. Sorrell said that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis governed as a conservative and was rewarded with an easy re-election. State Rep. Ernie Yarbrough vowed to support the school choice bill. Former ALCAP Director Joe Godfrey said on Facebook, “Glad to have been a part of the ALCAP Prayer Rally led by Greg Davis.” Stephanie Durnin with the Healthcare Freedom group advocated for passage of the Healthcare Freedom Act. The controversial legislation would prevent employers from being able to require employees to be vaccinated. Durnin said that some workers who refused to get the vaccine are required to submit frequent COVID-19 tests. Durnin said that this was unfair and unjust. Healthcare Freedom wrote on Facebook, “We expect our legislators to pass the #neveragain legislation called the Alabama Health Freedom Act (AHFA) this session. We need your help to make this happen. Here’s your first CALL TO ACTION to kick off this legislative session right…” Other speakers included: former State Auditor Jim Zeigler, 1819 news podcaster Bryan Dawson, Jarman Leatherwood, Angela Shepard, Jackie Connell, Dr. Rick Lance, and others. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
State Auditor Andrew Sorrell addresses East Alabama Republican Assembly
Alabama State Auditor Andrew Sorrell was in Opelika on Monday to address the East Alabama Republican Assembly. Sorrell served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022, prior to his election last year as state Auditor. “In my first four years in the Legislature, I was the most conservative one down there,” Sorrell said, citing the ranking of members by the American Conservative Union and Club for Growth. “And it wasn’t even close. On every conservative scorecard, I was either number one or tied for number one.” “They said I was too conservative to get elected statewide,” Sorrell said. “I got the highest percentage of any candidate on the ballot in November.” “I was born in California, but I got out of there as quick as I could,” Sorrell said. “I was only there six weeks. We were there because Dad was a preacher at a Church there. If there is one thing that California needs, it’s more preachers. Dad took a job teaching Greek at a college in Wisconsin. I lived there until I was six years old. Dad got laid off from that job.” Sorrel’s father was laid off at the college and worked as a truck driver until finally; he was offered a job as pastor of a Church in Muscle Shoals, so the family moved to Alabama. ” There is nowhere I would rather be,” Sorrell said. Sorrell and his wife have one daughter and are expecting another. “We are going to home-school our children,” Sorrell said. “I got a good education at Muscle Shoals,” Sorrell said. “I can’t believe what has happened to the schools. There is a transgender kid in Muscle Shoals. When I was growing up, all my teachers were Christians.” Sorrell said that he became an entrepreneur growing up. His brother, Matthew, went to college at the University of North Alabama and received a $200 scholarship, so he thought his books were paid for. “That only bought one book,” Sorrell said. Then when that course was over, the bookstore would only pay $50. His brother decided to buy books on Amazon for substantial cost savings. He wanted to buy books and then sell them for a profit but had no money, so he formed a 50:50 partnership with Andrew because Andrew could front the $2000 in startup capital. “He came back home with a basket full of textbooks and $2500,” Sorrell said. They began offering cash for textbooks at the end of the semester to resell them at the beginning. “We were the book guys on campus. At one point, we bought 856 books in four days.” “We started buying hundreds of textbooks a day,” Sorrell said. Before selling the company, Andrew and his brother had grown the company to forty employees and over a million dollars in revenue. Next, Sorrell decided to go into the pawn shop business to sell guns. “It took two and a half years,” to open the store, Sorrell said. “Then I opened a second one – Gold, Guns, & Guitars. I also have eight rentals around the state.” “I am not in politics to make money – in fact, I am losing money,” Sorrell said. “Most of them (legislators) are losing money. Dr. [Larry] Stutts – I guarantee you that he is losing money in the legislature instead of delivering babies.” The Sorrell brothers became involved in local GOP campaigns, but all the candidates they helped lost their races. “Andrew, we are doing something wrong,” Matthew Sorrell said that his brother told him. “There are schools that teach you how to learn to run campaigns.” So they spent a week at a D.C. event learning how to run campaigns, and things changed. “We learned how to be campaign managers,” Sorrell said. After that, they found growing success. Sorrell said that Republican dominance has brought its own unique problem. “A big problem we have in the state is if you can’t run as a Democrat, you run in the Republican primary,” Sorrell said. “That is why we need party registration. I know you have a large problem with that down here with that.” Sorrell ran for House District 3 when he could not recruit a candidate to challenge incumbent Rep. Marcel Black (D-Tuscumbia). Black ultimately decided not to run again. “I narrowly won,” Sorrell said. “The gentleman that replaced me got 64% where I just got 52%. Part of that is redistricting made it a lot more fair, but it is also a lot more acceptable to vote Republican in Colbert County than it was.” Sorrell said one of his greatest legislative accomplishments was seeing constitutional carry law passed. That removed the requirement that gun owners purchase a pistol permit from their sheriff to carry their handguns concealed. “The guy that had it before I got elected got elected as a circuit judge, so I agreed to carry it,” Sorrell said. “I only had seven cosponsors,” Sorrell said that first year. That second year State Rep. Connie Rowe, a member of the leadership, “Stuck her neck on it” and agreed to cosponsor the bill after 22 members had signed on to cosponsor. “That took it to 26 or 27.” That third year, “I got it up to 28 or 29 (cosponsors),” Sorrell said. The bill would not come to the floor, so Sorrell decided to add it as an amendment to the lifetime permit bill to force a House floor vote on the legislation. Sorrell said that the Speaker of the House asked him to not bring that amendment and agreed to cosponsor the bill and bring it to the floor in 2022 if he would agree. “I decided to take the deal,” Sorrell said. “Fortunately for me, the Speaker kept his word.” Sorrell said that the decision by Mobile Sheriff Sam Cochran to fire State Rep. Shane Stringer as a deputy in the 2021 session over his support for constitutional carry was a key moment in passing the bill because legislators who weren’t fans of constitutional carry liked Stringer. “I wanted to introduce an amendment to name it the
Spending, school choice among key session issues in Alabama
Alabama lawmakers began the 2023 legislative session on Tuesday. Here are some issues to watch in the session that can last through mid-June: PANDEMIC RELIEF FUNDS Lawmakers are expected on Wednesday to begin a special session on allocating the remaining $1.06 billion in state relief funds from the American Rescue Plan. Lawmakers will take up a proposal that steers money to water and sewer projects, along with broadband and healthcare needs. Republican Sen. Greg Albritton said there have been disagreements among lawmakers “because it is the last batch.” BUDGET SURPLUS The state has a $2.8 billion surplus in the state education budget and no shortage of ideas how to use it. Lawmakers are expected to debate a plan to provide one-time tax rebates. Republican Sen. Arthur Orr, who chairs the Senate education budget committee, said rebates of $200 for single taxpayers and $400 for married couples, with the possibility of more for families with dependents, are under discussion. Lawmakers are also considering permanent tax cuts. House Democrats are pushing to remove the 4% state sales tax on food. Orr said he believes that will be discussed, but likely in a phased-in approach. Pay raises are also expected for education employees. Legislative leaders have also said they intend to be cautious with spending choices, over fears of a potential economic downturn. SCHOOL CHOICE Republican lawmakers are expected to introduce “school choice” proposals that range from providing money to help parents pay for private school to expanding the number of charter schools in the state. The push comes as at least a dozen other conservative states are considering similar legislation in what is emerging as a landmark year for school choice battles. Republican Sen. Larry Stutts, of Tuscumbia, is finalizing a proposal to allow parents to use about $6,000 a year in state tax dollars to send their children to private schools through education savings accounts. “Parents want the ability to choose,” Stutts said. BAN ON ‘DIVISIVE CONCEPTS’ Legislation has again been introduced to ban the teaching of so-called “divisive concepts” about race and gender. It would prohibit anyone in local school systems, state agencies, and public universities from being forced “to accept, acknowledge, affirm, or assent to a sense of guilt, complicity, or a need to apologize” because of their race, gender, or national origin. Similar legislation was introduced last year and drew criticism from educators and others who said it would have a chilling effect on honest classroom lessons and discussions about the nation’s history. IMPACT OF NEW MEMBERS The dynamic at the Alabama Statehouse this year brings an air of unpredictability because of an unusually large number of freshmen. There are 31 new members in the 105-member House of Representatives and six in the 35-member Alabama Senate. The House also has a new leader, following the election of House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter. Republicans maintain strong majorities in both the House and Senate. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Andrew Sorrell and David Sessions rank highest scorecards for Club for Growth Foundation
On Wednesday, Club for Growth Foundation released its annual legislative economic scorecard, which tallied up the 2021 legislative year based on criteria for “economic growth issues,” 1819 News reported. According to a release, Club for Growth Foundation based their scoring on each lawmaker’s record on votes related to “pro-growth policies and computed an Economic Growth Score on a scale of 0 to 100.” “A score of 100 indicates the highest support for pro-growth policies. The Foundation’s study examined over 2,500 floor votes and, in the end, included 21 Alabama House votes and 20 Alabama Senate votes.” According to the scorecards, Republican Senator David Sessions had the highest rating with a 35%. The lowest-rated Republican was Larry Stutts, with a score of 16%. The highest-rated Democrat Senator was William Beasley with 30%, and the lowest-rated Democrat was Kirk Hatcher with a score of 0%. For the House, Republican Andrew Sorrell was the highest rated Represenative, with a score of 95%. The lowest rated Republican was Dickie Drake with a 14%. The highest rated Democrat was Dexter Grimsley with a score of 20% and several Democrats rated lower than 6%. Other key takeaways include: Alabama Senate Average Republican Score: 27% (Up from 21% in 2020) Average Democrat Score: 11% (Up from 6% in 2020) Alabama House Average Republican Score: 28% (Up from 15% in 2020) Average Democrat Score: 12% (Up from 0% in 2020) “Through the release of this scorecard series, the Club for Growth Foundation is looking at how state legislatures perform in terms of pro-growth policies,” Club for Growth Foundation president David McIntosh said in a release. “We believe that this scorecard will help inform citizens and entrepreneurs about who supports the policies that promote economic prosperity.” According to their website, their mission is “to inform the general public about the many benefits of economic freedom and limited government.” Some of the Club for Growth’s top policy goals include: Reducing income tax rates and repealing the death tax Replacing the current tax code with a fair/flat tax The full repeal of ObamaCare and the end of abusive lawsuits through medical malpractice/tort reform Reducing the size and scope of the federal government Cutting government spending and passing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution Regulatory reform and deregulation School choice
Seven State Senate seat races to watch
All 35 State Senate seats are up for grabs in the November 8 general election. Republicans hold a 27 to 8 margin over Democrats in the current makeup of the Alabama Senate. The Alabama Republican Party is running candidates in 29 seats. The GOP is defending all of the 27 seats they currently hold and are running candidates in two districts currently held by Democrats. Alabama Democrats are defending the eight seats they currently hold and are challenging the GOP in six districts currently held by Republicans. Libertarians currently hold no seats in the Alabama Senate but are running twelve candidates in State Senate races. There are a number of contested State Senate races on the November ballot. These are the seven races with the most chance of becoming interesting. Democrat Lisa Ward is challenging Republican incumbent State Sen. Gerald Allen in Senate District 21. Both of these candidates are well known in the Tuscaloosa area. Allen has represented the district for three terms and served in the Alabama House of Representatives before that. Ward is a former city councilwoman who is very active in the community. According to filings with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office, Allen has a $204,872.68 campaign account balance entering September, which includes August contributions of $8,250. Ward, the challenger, meanwhile raised $23,149.76 in August and has a cash balance of $31,968.94 entering September. Neither faced a primary opponent. Democrat Kim Lewis versus Republican incumbent State Sen. Tom Butler in Senate District 2. Butler has represented Madison County in the legislature for parts of five decades, but this is one of the fastest growing areas in the state, and there are thousands of new people that bring different politics with them to the area. Lewis is hoping that an increasingly purple Madison County will result in a win. Butler was pushed hard in the Republican primary by former State Sen. Bill Holtzclaw. Butler raised $44,500 in the month of August and enters September with $38,166.63. Lewis raised $7,830 in August and comes into September with $27,859.70. In Senate District 33, incumbent Democratic Sen. Vivian Figures faces Republican challenger Pete Riehm. This has been a very safe Democratic district consisting of the poorest parts of Mobile as well as Mobile County suburbs like Prichard, but redistricting meant that the new district now goes deep into Baldwin County and picked up the very prosperous and heavily Republican community of Spanish Fort. This district went from very blue to purple thanks to the legislature’s redistricting and efforts to “unpack” Black voters from majority-minority districts. Is it purple enough for a Republican to take it away from the Democrats? That is for the voters to decide on November 8. Sen. Figures raised $31,500 in the month of August to enter September with $110,497.02. Riehm had contributions of $19,577.54 in August and enters September with $60,911.31. Democrat Sherri Lewis versus Republican Jay Hovey in Senate District 27. Hovey, an Auburn City Councilman, just narrowly defeated incumbent Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) in a heavily contested GOP primary. Hovey, who has the challenge of unifying Republicans, raised $85,500 in contributions in August to enter September with a cash balance of $70,074.17. Reese meanwhile raised $1,806.20 in August to bring a total of $2,703.33 into the month of September. Senate District 23 – here, there are three candidates vying for the open seat formerly held by State Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier, who vacated the seat in an unsuccessful bid for governor. Democrat Robert Lee Stewart narrowly defeated former State Sen. Hank Sanders in a hard-fought Democratic primary runoff in June. Stewart faces both a Republican in Michael Nimmer and a Libertarian in Portia Stephens. Stewart raised $16,987 in August to bring $17,872.84 into September. The Libertarian, Stephens, reported raising $2,060 in August to finish the month with $6,285 in cash on hand. The Republican, Nimmer, has not filed a campaign finance report. Alabama does not have general election runoffs, so when there are multiple candidates, the candidate with the most votes wins even if they got less than half of the votes. There is another three-way contest in Senate District 29. There, incumbent Republican Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Dothan) faces both Democrat Nathan “Nate” Mathis and Libertarian Floyd “Pete” McBroom. Matthis reported raising no money in August, but he has $5,719.36 in cash on hand. McBroom has not filed a campaign finance report with the Secretary of State’s office yet. The incumbent, Chesteen, raised $25,500 in August to enter September with $327,660.86. In Senate District 12, Republican Keith Kelley is battling Democrat David McCullars for the open seat currently held by Sen. Del Marsh. Kelley raised $29,658.24 in August and has $65,102.13 in cash on hand. McCullars only raised $265 in the month of August and entered the month of September with $4,377.15 in cash on hand. Kelley had a hard-fought Republican primary. This is a district that has given Marsh a close call in the 2014 general election. In other contested Alabama Senate races · SD3 incumbent Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) faces Libertarian Rick Chandler · SD4 incumbent Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) faces Libertarian Jacob Marlow · SD6 incumbent Larry Stutts (R-Sheffield) faces Libertarian Kyle Richard-Garrison · SD7 incumbent Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville) faces Democrat Korey Wilson · SD15 incumbent Dan Roberts (R-Mountain Brook) faces Libertarian Michael Crump · SD17 incumbent Shay Shelnutt (R-Trussville) faces Libertarian John Fortenberry · SD24 incumbent Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) faces Libertarian Richard Benderson · SD25 incumbent Will Barfoot (R-Montgomery) versus Libertarian Louie Woolbright · SD28 incumbent Billy Beasley (D-Clayton) faces Libertarian David Boatwright · SD35 incumbent David Sessions (R-Grand Bay) faces Libertarian Clifton Hudson Republican incumbents Tim Melson, Greg Reed, Steve Livingston, Clay Scofield, Andrew Jones, Randy Price, April Weaver, Jabo Waggoner, Greg Albritton, Clyde Chambliss, Chris Elliott, and Jack Williams are all running unopposed. Republican newcomers Lance Bell in SD11 and Josh Carnley in SD31 are also unopposed in the general election. Democratic incumbents Rodger Smitherman, Linda Coleman-Madison, and Kirk Hatcher are all also unopposed in the general election. State Rep. Merika Coleman is unopposed in SD19, which is being vacated by the retirement of Priscilla Dunn (D-Bessemer). In 2022 Republican candidates in Alabama have received $44,321,108.97 in contributions. Political Action Committees have received $17,846,761.05. Democratic candidates have received $6,629,199.43, and all other candidates have received just $111,950.87. The general
