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Gov. Kay Ivey signs legislation to impose tougher penalties for fentanyl traffickers

Brandon Moseley April 7, 2023

On Thursday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation that set mandatory minimum sentences for persons convicted of trafficking in fentanyl. House Bill 1 (HB1) is sponsored by State Rep. Matt Simpson. “The entire nation should take note of what we accomplished today in Alabama with the passage of House Bill 1, the bill to help combat the fentanyl crisis,” Ivey said. “Every member of the Legislature – Republican and Democrat – came together to pass this critical piece of legislation.” “Combatting this deadly drug will continue to be a top priority for our Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and I will do everything in my power to stop this drug from being a

Alabama lawmakers approve harsher penalties for fentanyl

Kim Chandler, Associated Press April 7, 2023

Alabama lawmakers on Thursday approved harsher penalties for trafficking fentanyl — with punishments of up to life imprisonment — as lawmakers try to respond to the deadly overdose crisis. The Alabama Senate approved the House-passed bill on a 31-0 vote that came without any debate. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed the legislation into law on the same afternoon. The bill sets mandatory minimum sentences for fentanyl trafficking based upon the weight of the drug, including up to life imprisonment for possession of eight grams or more of the deadly substance. “Combatting this deadly drug will continue to be a top priority for our Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and

Alabama House passes legislation outlawing smoking or vaping in a vehicle with children present

Brandon Moseley April 5, 2023

On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives voted in favor of legislation to make it illegal to smoke or vape with a child present in the vehicle. House Bill 3 (HB3) was sponsored by State Rep. Rolanda Hollis. Hollis said, “This is about protecting kids.” According to the synopsis, “Existing law does not prohibit smoking or vaping in a motor vehicle when a child is present. This bill would prohibit smoking or vaping in a motor vehicle when a child under 14 years of age is present.” Hollis said that the law would apply whenever a child was in the car, whether the window was open or not, whether or not the

House passes major rewrite of adoption laws

Brandon Moseley March 24, 2023

On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives voted in favor of a massive rewrite of Alabama’s adoption laws. Sponsors say the rewrite will make adoptions faster, more economical, and less complicated. House Bill 101 (HB101) is sponsored by State Representative Ginny Shaver. Shaver told reporters, “Cutting down on the court procedures and filings will save money, but it has a bigger savings on time.” The bill decreases the time in a child abandonment case before that child can be put up for adoption from six months to four months. “It is a big-time savings, which is hugely important in getting children into a permanent home as soon as possible,” Shaver said. The Alabama Law

Alabama House votes to increase penalties on fentanyl trafficking

Brandon Moseley March 24, 2023

On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives unanimously voted in favor of legislation to substantially increase the length of sentences for persons convicted of trafficking fentanyl in the state. House Bill 1 (HB1) is sponsored by State Representative Matt Simpson. “This is going after the distributors, the trafficker, the people bringing this into the communities,” Simpson explained. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that was designed to make hospital patients unconscious during surgery. It has become the drug of choice for drug dealers as it is cheap, plentiful, highly addictive, and produces a very powerful high. Opioids, and especially fentanyl, have resulted in a massive increase in the number of Americans dying from

Legislature returns for session on Tuesday

Brandon Moseley March 21, 2023

Both Houses of the Alabama Legislature will be in session on Tuesday for Day 2 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The regular session started on March 7, but Alabama Governor Kay Ivey called for a special session during her state of the state address for Legislators to appropriate the second tranche of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as well as to appropriate funds to repay the remaining balance of a debt owed to the Alabama Trust Fund. Both bills were passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor. Gov. Ivey declared the special session a success. The Legislature declared an end to the 2023 First Special Session on Thursday, allowing the legislators

Governor Kay Ivey gives State of the State Address

Brandon Moseley March 9, 2023

On Tuesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey addressed a packed joint meeting of the State Legislature in the Old House Chambers in Alabama’s historic Capitol Building. This was Gov. Ivey’s sixth State of the State address and the first since winning re-election in a landslide last November. Ivey extolled the strength of the Alabama economy and the strength of the state’s budgets. “Alabama is thriving,” Ivey said. “Alabama’s budgets are strong, and that is not by chance.” “We can be very proud of the fact that during my time as governor, we have never used the word proration,” Ivey added. The state has $3 billion in surplus left over from

Drug overdose deaths at an all-time high in Alabama

Brandon Moseley March 7, 2023

Americans like drugs. Americans have historically abused alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs. Some people to this day make and sell outlaw alcohol, “moonshine.” Today, however, hard drugs are more prevalent than ever, killing Americans like never before. Medical care has never been better, and first responders are better prepared than ever to deal with drug overdoses than any generation of police officers and paramedics we have ever seen. It is still not enough. Drug overdose deaths are now at an all-time high, increasing rapidly in Alabama. A recent study found that there has been a 15 percent increase in drug-related overdose deaths in Alabama over the last year – that’s

The Alabama Republican Party passes resolutions and elects officers

Brandon Moseley March 1, 2023

The Alabama Republican Party State Executive Committee held its Winter Meeting in Birmingham on Saturday. The ALGOP elected officers and passed resolutions urging legislators to adopt these policy positions. John Wahl was elected to a second term as Chairman. Wahl is a butterfly farmer in Limestone County. “It is an honor for me to represent you, not just you, the Republican executive committee, but you, the Republican primary voters,” Wahl said. “I am incredibly humbled by the support of my fellow committee members and the trust they have put in me. I look forward to working with them, as well as our County Parties and Auxiliary organizations, to promote and defend our Conservative values.” Joan

Ten pre-filed bills to watch

Brandon Moseley February 17, 2023

Winter is almost over. The coming of Spring means flowers, cutting grass, weekend trips to the beach, lazy days on the lake fishing, turkey hunting, and baseball. It also means the Alabama Legislature is returning for the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The constitutional purpose of the legislative session is to pass the state budgets for 2024. However, Alabama has 105 members of the State House of Representatives and 35 members of the Alabama Senate, and all of them have their own ideas about laws that they want to change. Thirty-six bills have already been pre-filed ahead of the session. Some of these bills will be dead on

Nathaniel Ledbetter announces third round of committee chairmanships

Brandon Moseley December 15, 2022

State Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter announced his third round of intended committee chair appointments on Wednesday. Ledbetter was chosen to be the next Speaker of the House in November by the Alabama House Republican Caucus – which holds a commanding supermajority in the Alabama House of Representatives. The Republicans hold a 77 to 28 supermajority in the Alabama House of Representatives, so the selection of the House Republican Caucus will almost certainly be elected as the next Speaker of the House when the Legislature meets for its organizational session in January. Ledbetter has appointed Rep. Ginny Shaver as Chair of the Children and Senior Advocacy Committee. Ledbetter also appointed Rep. Chris Blackshear to chair the Financial Services Committee. Rep. Matt

Alabama eyes fentanyl penalties; critics say they won’t work

Associated Press September 28, 2022

Alabama lawmakers may consider harsher penalties for traffickers and distributors of illicit fentanyl next year, but some say a comprehensive approach should also include more health services and helping drug users reduce overdoses. Republicans Reps. Matt Simpson of Daphne and Chris Pringle of Mobile told Al.com they plan bills next year to increase penalties for distributing the deadly drug that accounted for 66% of all U.S. overdose deaths in 2021. Under Simpson’s proposal, prison sentences would increase based on the weight of fentanyl distributed in Alabama. Similar laws exist in other states, but Simpson’s proposal would be among the harshest. Traffickers caught with more than 8 grams of fentanyl could

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