Alabama Politics

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Two Alabama legislative committees approved a bill that would ban gender therapies for minors.

Rep. Wes Allen of Troy and Sen. Shay Shelnutt of Trussville are the sponsors of the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act. Allen says children with gender dysphoria should receive mental health counseling and not medications or surgeries that cause physical changes.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The chairman of the Democratic National Committee said state Democrats should follow their recently adopted bylaws and urged the state party chair to get on board with them.

DNC Chair Tom Perez delivered the message in a letter Saturday to Alabama Democratic Party Chair Nancy Worley. Perez told Worley that a set of bylaws adopted Oct. 5 by a group of state committee members was properly called and is "binding on the party." Worley has contended the Oct. 5 meeting was illegitimate.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — It would be a hate crime to target someone because of their sexual orientation or employment as a law enforcement officer, under a bill a legislative committee approved Wednesday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-2 for legislation to add law enforcement to other categories, such as race and religion, already included in the hate crime statute. But a divided committee also amended the bill to add crimes motivated by the victim's sexual orientation.

The bill now moves to the full Alabama Senate.

The four Republicans running for Alabama attorney general are slugging  

their way toward an anticipated runoff. Attorney General Steve Marshall faces challenges from former U.S. Attorney Alice Martin, former Attorney General Troy King, and lawyer Chess Bedsole. The contest has become heated as the four vie for the two runoff spots.

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is running for the U.S. Senate.

Moore made the announcement on the steps of the Alabama Capitol this afternoon.

Speculation has swirled that Moore might run for another office after being suspended from the bench.

Moore will run in what is expected to be a crowded GOP primary to fill the seat vacated by now U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

      State lawmakers return from spring break Tuesday to a full plate of issues. State budgets, prison construction and action on the proposed impeachment of Governor Robert Bentley are among the matters set to be decided before the session ends in late May.   

   The State House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to end Alabama's practice that allows a judge to impose a death sentence when a jury has recommended life imprisonment. Alabama is the last state to still allow a judge to override a jury's sentencing recommendation in capital murder cases. 

Lawmakers are attempting to define what criminal convictions should disqualify a person from voting.    The House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday for the bill.  

 The Alabama Constitution says people convicted of felonies involving "moral turpitude" are no longer able to vote, although politicians have disagreed through the years on what crimes should be on that list.

Alabama's state auditor is suing Governor Robert Bentley over his appointment of Luther Strange to the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Jim Zeigler filed suit in Montgomery County on Sunday claiming Bentley is wrong in waiting until 2018 to hold an election for the position.

Governor Robert Bentley is naming six finalists for the U.S. Senate seat now held by attorney general nominee Jeff Sessions.  

Bentley's list includes U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt of Haleyville and the pro tem of the State Senate, Del Marsh of Anniston.

Others include State Attorney General Luther Strange; Bentley appointee Jim Byard; state Representative Connie Rowe of Jasper; and former state legislator Perry Hooper Jr. of Montgomery.

An impeachment committee is demanding that Gov. Robert Bentley testify under oath.

The House Judiciary Committee sent a formal demand for the governor to provide deposition-like testimony to the committee's special counsel on Nov. 9.

Committee Chairman Mike Jones says the committee wants a, "clear, truthful record from the governor and his staff" and he looked forward to the governor's cooperation.

Alabama's House Judiciary Committee is issuing subpoenas to Gov. Robert Bentley and others in an ongoing impeachment investigation.

The subpoenas being delivered today come after special counsel Jack Sharman said he wasn't securing voluntarily cooperation.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley signs a compromise bill to use the state's oil spill settlement funds for debts, Medicaid and roads.

The Alabama Legislature gave final approval to the bill last night after lawmakers agreed to a compromise on how to use the money.

The plan sends $400 million to repay money borrowed during past budget shortfalls. It will also steer $120 million to the state's Medicaid program and $120 million to build roads in two coastal counties.