Alabama Governor Kay Ivey

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Hospital Association and state doctors are urging Gov. Kay Ivey to extend a statewide rule requiring face masks in public.

The president of the hospital group, Dr. Donald Williamson, says cases of COVID-19 have fallen since reaching a high in the summer. And he says the reduction is tied to the rule, which took effect in mid-July and is set to expire Friday.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A panel will consider what to do with Alabama's existing prisons as the state moves forward with plans for three new, privately built lockups. 

Gov. Kay Ivey's office announced Tuesday she's forming a 15-member commission to evaluate the state's prisons. It will make recommendations about whether to renovate them or even use the buildings for something else.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced Sept. 3 that negotiations are beginning for the construction of a new prison site in Bibb County.

Construction should begin early next year, Ivey announced in a news release.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s chief of staff is quarantining at home after his wife tested positive for COVID-19. 

Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola told reporters Friday that Ivey’s Chief of Staff Jo Bonner does not have symptoms but is in quarantine at home.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is extending a state order requiring face coverings in public for another month. 

And she says masks will be required for students in grade 2 and above in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 as schools reopen.

Ivey announced she was extending an earlier mask order during a news conference at the Capitol in Montgomery on Wednesday. The order had been set to expire on Friday.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Several people, including a former longtime state senator, have been arrested for attempting to paint “Good Trouble” and “Expand Medicaid” on the street in front of the Alabama Capitol.  

Montgomery police handcuffed former Sen. Hank Sanders and several others Tuesday as they began to write the words in yellow spray paint. It was not immediately clear what they were being charged with.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Gov. Kay Ivey has set a special election to fill the Alabama House seat vacated by the death this month of Republican state Rep. Ron Johnson of Sylacauga. 

Al.com reports Ivey set the special primary for House District 33 for Oct. 6, the primary runoff, if necessary, for Nov. 3, and the general election for Jan. 19.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama prosecutor is now one of the state’s newest judges. 

Gov. Kay Ivey appointed Limestone County prosecutor Russell “Gray” West to replace Doug Patterson as a district judge for Place 1 in the county.  The 31-year-old was sworn in Friday to the post.

Gov. Kay Ivey announced Alabamians can now renew their driver licenses online twice within 12 years.

Previously, Alabama residents could only renew online once per eight years.  However, the ongoing challenges of the pandemic made the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency change its online renewal process for the time being.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Officials say Alabama is in danger of losing at least one congressional seat based on its current response rate to the U.S. Census. 

Officials including Gov. Kay Ivey provided an update on the state's standing with the national head count on Tuesday. Ivey says the state's current participation rate of nearly 60% is 2 percentage points behind the national average. That's better than some other Southern states.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama will begin requiring face masks in public as health officials try to quell a surge of new coronavirus cases that are filling up hospitals. 

Gov. Kay Ivey announced the rule on Wednesday, a day after the state reported a pandemic-high of 40 deaths in a single day.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Gov. Kay Ivey says nearly $49 million in federal virus response aid will pay to boost internet access for students, offer digital textbooks and help with other education budget needs. 

The dollars come from an education relief fund created by Congress that allows governors to determine the spending plans. Alabama’s Republican governor is sending her state’s allocation to the state education department. 

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is extending a state health order that limits the number of people in restaurants and stores. 

But she isn't following other states in issuing new restrictions as the pandemic worsens in Alabama. Ivey announced Tuesday she was extending the state’s “safer at home order.” Among other things, it limits occupancy in stores and restaurants and requires safety measures at salons.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama’s “safer at home” order is set to expire Friday and Gov. Kay Ivey has not yet decided whether to renew it. 

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — State representatives and civil rights groups in Alabama have called on the state’s governor to expand voting options ahead of November’s general elections because of the health risk to voters. 

Alabama’s death toll from the coronavirus passed 550 on Sunday, according to data from the state Department of Public Health. 

There have been over 14,200 confirmed cases of the virus statewide. Close to 4,400 cases have been reported within the last 14 days.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has scheduled a special election to replace a central Alabama legislator who announced she is resigning to take a position with the Trump administration. 

Rep. April Weaver of House District 49, consisting of Bibb, Chilton and Shelby counties, announced her resignation last week. Ivey said the primary election for the seat will be held Aug. 4. A primary runoff, if needed, will be held Sept. 1.

MONTGOMERY, Ala, (AP) — Alabama lawmakers have agreed to give Gov. Kay Ivey a large amount of control over the state’s $1.8 billion in coronavirus relief funds. 

Lawmakers approved an executive amendment on a spending bill that deposits the money into several broad categories such as $300 million to reimburse state agencies for coronavirus expenses and $250 million to local governments.  

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is urging state residents to be smart and vigilant about the threat of the coronavirus even as the state takes steps to reopen. 

Alabama on Monday allowed restaurants to resume on-site dining and hair salons, gyms and bars to reopen. State Health Officer Scott Harris said it will take two to three weeks to know the effects of loosening public gathering restrictions.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s administration is inching forward with a plan to lease three mega-prisons built by private companies. 

The Department of Corrections opened bids from two companies seeking the contracts. Ivey’s office said they are now in a “confidential proposal evaluation period.”

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is asking lawmakers to change a spending bill to detail how the state will spend more than  $1.8 billion in federal coronavirus relief fund. 

The Republican governor and Republican-controlled Legislature have been in a tug-of-war over control of the funds. Ivey wrote to legislators and told them she is returning the spending bill with an executive amendment to detail where the COVID-19 funds should be used.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama’s dine-in restaurants, bars, salons and gyms are allowed to reopen Monday as the state eases restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Gov. Kay Ivey announced the loosening of restrictions last week. Businesses including restaurants, hair salons, bars, breweries and gymnasiums can reopen Monday with rules including crowd limits and cleaning requirements. Theaters, bowling alleys and other entertainment venues remain closed.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama's dine-in restaurants, bars, salons and gyms are being allowed to reopen with limits as the state eases restrictions during the continuing coronavirus pandemic. 

Gov. Kay Ivey announced the new rules aimed at helping restart the state economy Friday. New guidelines require that social distancing rules remain in place, and businesses are being required to limit crowds based on capacity.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers on Thursday approved a $1.25 billion bond issue for school construction in the largest capital improvement project in more than a decade. 

The House of Representatives voted 68-5 for the bond issue to fund capital improvement projects at public schools, universities and two-year colleges. 

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is blasting legislators for seizing control of the state’s coronavirus relief money.  

The governor challenged them to spend it wisely and said she won’t call a needed special session until they disclose their plans.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers have advanced pared down state budgets because of the coronavirus outbreak. 

The House Ways and Means Education Committee advanced a $7.2 billion education budget that skips a 3% pay raise lawmakers had hoped to give teachers and public school employees.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama’s number of coronavirus cases have continued to rise as some cities eased the restrictions that had been in place since the global crisis began. 

As of Saturday evening, more than 7,600 cases of COVID-19 had been reported in the state according to state health data. Alabama’s death toll from the virus was at least 288.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabamians filed onto beaches and into previously shuttered retail stores as a state stay-home order expired. 

A state stay-home order expired at 5 p.m. Thursday and retail stores and beaches were allowed to open with occupancy limits.  Elective and non-emergency medical procedures are also being allowed to resume.

Alabama's stay-at-home order is expiring April 30 at 5 p.m., but the state isn't allowing businesses to throw open doors for residents just yet.

In an announcement at 11 a.m. this morning, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said the state can begin reopening, but it’s important to do so slowly and maintain current Alabama Department of Public Health guidelines.

Restaurants and hair salons are remaining closed, but retail stores can open and elective medical procedures can continue.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is expected to make an announcement regarding the future of state closure orders because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Ivey and State Health Officer Scott Harris have scheduled a Tuesday morning news conference along with members of the governor’s coronavirus task force. Alabama is under a stay-home order through April 30.