Ditch the Marriage Licenses? Senate Says ‘I Do’
The roads were treacherous in many parts of the state, but Alabama lawmakers still managed to get to the State House this week to hammer out a few bills.
One bill the Senate passed this week would do away with marriage licenses. The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Greg Albritton, said this would take the state out of marriages. Under the proposed bill, couples wouldn’t need a probate judge to decide whether to issue a marriage license. And no ceremony would be required to make it official. Instead, a couple would submit documents to the judge stating that they aren’t currently married or related. Albritton first proposed similar bills in 2015 when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage.
Another bill the Senate passed, proposed by Democratic Sen. Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham, aims to curb racial profiling. Smitherman says he has been the victim of racial profiling by police. His bill would require police to record the race and ethnicity of people pulled over, as well as their own race.
And that’s where WBHM’s Gigi Douban begins this week’s legislative wrap-up with Don Dailey, host of Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal.
Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones announces run for Alabama governor
Jones announced his campaign Monday afternoon, hours after filing campaign paperwork with the Secretary of State's Office. His gubernatorial bid could set up a rematch with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican who defeated Jones in 2020 and is now running for governor.
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.
