Alabama Legislature

Former congressional candidate Ken McFeeters announced Tuesday that he is running for governor of Alabama next year, casting himself as a political outsider and accusing his opponent U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of being a "part of the establishment."

Secretary of State Wes Allen has an opponent in his race for lieutenant governor. Alabama Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Rick Pate wants the job as well. Pate, a Republican, was elected agriculture commissioner in 2018 and reelected in 2022.

Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones is reportedly interested in running for Governor of Alabama, as is former Secretary of State John Merrill. Another name may be U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville

Alabama lawmakers on Wednesday gave final passage to legislation that will make Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the end of slavery after the Civil War, an official state holiday. The Alabama Senate voted 13-5 for the legislation that now goes to Governor Kay Ivey for her to sign or veto.

Alabama lawmakers voted to cut the state sales tax on food and to exempt diapers, baby formula and feminine hygiene products from the state sales tax altogether. The Alabama Senate approved both bills by votes of 34-0. The bills now goes to Governor Kay Ivey for her signature.

The Alabama legislature is working to make Hollywood feel more at home in our state. A bill is making its way through the Senate in Montgomery to add incentives for people who make movies or commercials here in Alabama. APR student reporter Barry Carmichael spoke to one Mobile resident whose movie making experience including meeting the actor who played Luke Skywalker.

An Alabama teen who narrowly survived a fierce shark attack last year said she hopes a proposed alert system before state lawmakers can help keep others safe in the water. Lulu Gribbin, now 16, was one of three people bitten by a shark last year, during a string of attacks off the Florida Panhandle.

Alabama legislators unanimously passed a bill that would expedite access to Medicaid for pregnant women, as more states across the South attempt to stem high maternal and infant mortality rates. The "presumptive eligibility" legislation states that Medicaid will pay for a pregnant woman's outpatient medical care for up to 60 days while an application for the government-funded insurance program is being considered.

The Alabama legislature is considering two bills that could change control of local libraries and possibly expand obscenity laws which could mean more book banning. The University of Alabama Bateman Team is a group of public relations students. They just released a survey that shows opposition to both measures. Ninety percent of those in the survey believe government should not have the power to ban books

Alabama legislation to expand Medicaid coverage and regulate firearms outlaw are just two state bills being watched by children’s advocates. Lawmakers may try to prevent the use of devices to turn weapons into machine guns. Another measure may try to make Medicaid more available to pregnant women to reduce infant mortality.