This Week in Montgomery: PREP Act, Bentley’s Bond for Building New Prisons and More

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/05/16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-e1432243455740.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:337;s:4:"file";s:73:"2015/05/16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-e1432243455740.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:6:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:73:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-e1432243455740-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:73:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-e1432243455740-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:71:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-e1432243455740-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:73:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-e1432243455740-554x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:554;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:73:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-e1432243455740-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:73:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-e1432243455740-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:8:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:640;s:4:"file";s:50:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:58:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:58:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-169x169.jpg";s:5:"width";i:169;s:6:"height";i:169;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:58:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-338x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:338;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:58:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-338x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:338;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:58:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-311x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:311;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:58:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-265x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:265;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:58:"16737852894_0be8ba8bb6_b_alabama-state-capital-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => already_optimized
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

)
1667981236 
1457101383

This week in the Alabama Legislature, senator Del Marsh’s introduced the PREP Act. If it becomes law, Alabama teachers would be evaluated by student test scores and have to work longer before they get tenure. WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley spoke to Don Dailey for more on that bill and the rest of the action from Montgomery. Dailey is the host of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public Television. To start, he tells WBHM’s Rachel Lindley about the PREP act.

Related: Grading Teachers on Student Test Scores? Trisha Crain on “PREP Act”

 

How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country

In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.

No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS

The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.

Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue

Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.

Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book

Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.

Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games

The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.

In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out

Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.

More Capitol Journal Coverage