Pro-Life, Higher Ed Bills Gain Traction Days Into The Legislative Session

| February 13, 2017 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/03/legislature-close-up.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1030;s:6:"height";i:453;s:4:"file";s:32:"2016/03/legislature-close-up.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-336x148.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:148;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-771x339.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:339;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-768x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:30:"legislature-close-up-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-600x453.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:453;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-707x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:707;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-470x207.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:207;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-600x453.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:453;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"legislature-close-up-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:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Alabama Legislature
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

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

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:353549;s:14:"optimized_size";i:182389;s:7:"percent";d:48.409999999999997;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:60:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/03/legislature-close-up.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:170761;s:14:"optimized_size";i:62660;s:7:"percent";d:63.310000000000002;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:68:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/03/legislature-close-up-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:6505;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4827;s:7:"percent";d:25.800000000000001;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:68:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/03/legislature-close-up-336x148.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:14401;s:14:"optimized_size";i:10736;s:7:"percent";d:25.449999999999999;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:68:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/03/legislature-close-up-771x339.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:46876;s:14:"optimized_size";i:28653;s:7:"percent";d:38.869999999999997;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:68:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/03/legislature-close-up-600x264.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:32536;s:14:"optimized_size";i:21458;s:7:"percent";d:34.049999999999997;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:68:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/03/legislature-close-up-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:18471;s:14:"optimized_size";i:12150;s:7:"percent";d:34.219999999999999;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:68:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/03/legislature-close-up-707x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:41319;s:14:"optimized_size";i:26730;s:7:"percent";d:35.310000000000002;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:68:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/03/legislature-close-up-470x207.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:22680;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15175;s:7:"percent";d:33.090000000000003;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:22:"Unknown error occurred";}}}
        )

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

)
1669232018 
1486975967

Funding cuts for public colleges and universities that don’t follow federal and state immigration law, and an amendment declaring Alabama a pro-life state were among the issues quickly making their way through the Alabama legislature this week. It mirrors a trend we’re seeing in other states where Republican lawmakers are acting quickly to approve legislation that bolsters the conservative agenda. The New York Times reports that other Republican-controlled state legislatures are already passing laws that erode union powers and abortion rights, relax gun regulations, and expand school choice programs.

WBHM’s Gigi Douban spoke with Alabama Public Television’s Don Dailey about the legislature’s first week back in session.

 

Scorching Saturdays: The rising heat threat inside football stadiums

Excessive heat and more frequent medical incidents in Southern college football stadiums could be a warning sign for universities across the country.

The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor

The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor to join our award-winning team covering important regional stories across Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

Judge orders new Alabama Senate map after ruling found racial gerrymandering

U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco, appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term, issued the ruling Monday putting a new court-selected map in place for the 2026 and 2030 elections.

Construction on Meta’s largest data center brings 600% crash spike, chaos to rural Louisiana

An investigation from the Gulf States Newsroom found that trucks contracted to work at the Meta facility are causing delays and dangerous roads in Holly Ridge.

Bessemer City Council approves rezoning for a massive data center, dividing a community

After the Bessemer City Council voted 5-2 to rezone nearly 700 acres of agricultural land for the “hyperscale” server farm, a dissenting council member said city officials who signed non-disclosure agreements weren’t being transparent with citizens.

Alabama Public Television meeting draws protesters in Birmingham over discussion of disaffiliating from PBS

Some members of the Alabama Educational Television Commission, which oversees APT, said disaffiliation is needed because the network has to cut costs after the Trump administration eliminated all funding for public media this summer.

More Front Page Coverage