Government
Getting a Driver’s License in Alabama’s Black Belt is Difficult
The closure of 31 driver’s license office leaves 28 counties in Alabama without a place you can get a driver’s license. The closings, all in mostly poor rural counties, many of them with majority African-American populations has some saying the state is making it more difficult for black Alabamians to vote. Kyle Whitmire is he state […]
Some Alabama Hospitals may Drug Test New Moms without their Consent
In Alabama, drug abuse by pregnant women is considered child abuse. The state is one of three that allows mothers to be criminally prosecuted fir. But some women appear to have been drug tested by hospitals without their consent and without being informed they could be arrested for a positive result. Those are the findings of an investigation by al.com and ProPublica.
Black Belt Residents not Happy as State Closes Satellite Driver’s License Offices
Rural Alabama residents are not happy state law enforcement closed 31 satellite driver's license offices Wednesday. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says the closures were due to an eleven million dollar cut in the new budget that went into effect Thursday. While drivers can still renew their license in most counties, they’ll have to travel further to get a new one. Particularly hard hit is the Black Belt, which is one of the poorest regions in the state.
Driver’s License Offices Closures Could Affect Voting
Governor Robert Bentley warned there would be cuts to state services if lawmakers didn’t pass enough new revenue measures for the budget that goes into effect Thursday. The budget includes some new money but still cuts many agencies about 6-percent. As a result state law enforcement announced Wednesday examiners will no longer travel to 31 part-time satellite driver’s license offices. It’s a move that some worry could affect voting. We talk about it with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Federal Judge: Police Pepper-Spraying Birmingham Students for Discipline Is Unconstitutional
Between 2006 and 2011, police officers patrolling Birmingham City Schools pepper-sprayed students more than a hundred times. But late Thursday, U.S. District Judge Abdul Kallon ruled the practice unconstitutional.
Law Enforcement Agency Pulls Examiners out of Drivers License Offices
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said it is pulling examiners out of 31 part-time satellite drivers license offices because of budget cuts. The agency made the announcement Wednesday. The examiners currently travel to the locations during some days of the week. The agency said the change will save money on travel costs. Secretary Spencer Collier says the impact on citizens will be lessened because of online renewals and other options.
Court Fees Increasingly a Bad Deal for Alabama
If you don't pay a traffic ticket on time – or you lose in court – you may end up paying a hefty court fee in addition to the fine. In some cases, those fees in Birmingham bring the bill to up 10 times the original ticket. Over the years, the Legislature has raised court fees to cover the costs of running the system. And many people think this is a bad idea.
NAACP Asks for Jefferson County Courthouse Murals to be Removed
Members of the Jefferson County Commission say they’ll address a petition by the local NAACP chapter and other groups calling for the removal of two murals in the courthouse. This latest push comes in the wake of the killings of nine African Americans at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, that sparked a debate over symbols of the Confederacy throughout the South.
Emails Paint House Speaker as Eager to Make Money off his Office
Political observers have been watching the lead up to Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard's corruption trial in periodic salvos tossed from both sides. Hubbard is scheduled to go on trial next year accused of using his public office for personal gain. The latest bomb blast comes from prosecutors and they're emails from Hubbard that Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald says paint the speaker as the worst kind of politician.
What Ever Happened to Artur Davis?
What ever happened to former Congressman Artur Davis? Once seen as a rising star in the Democratic party, he’s now struggling to get back to the Democratic party itself, after briefly defecting to the Republican party. Also, is the Alabama Ethics Commission relevant anymore? WBHM’s Michael Krall talked about all this with Kyle Whitmire, state political columnist […]
Dissecting Alabama’s General Fund Budget
The state’s new budget year starts October 1 and agency leaders have to figure out how to work within the austere general fund budget passed by lawmakers in a special session last week. The budget provides level funding to key departments such as prisons, Medicaid, law enforcement, and mental health. Most others face cuts of at least 6 percent. For an overview we turn to Thomas Spencer, a senior research associate at the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. PARCA is a nonpartisan think tank focused on Alabama government.
Legislator or Lobbyist
State lawmakers wrapped up a second special session Wednesday night, one that resolves a more than $200 million shortfall in the general fund budget. Despite the extra meeting time Alabama does have a part-time legislature and sometimes a lawmaker’s professional life conflicts with his or her public service. Governing bodies draft rules to mitigate those conflicts. But Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald says the way the state is apply some of those rules makes for open season on the very idea of ethics.
Education Budget Cuts, Cigarette Tax, and Winners and Losers
The second special session of the Alabama Legislature could soon be in the books with a combination of cuts to the education budget and a cigarette tax. That combination avoids some funding cuts to state agencies — Medicaid, corrections, mental health, human resources and the court system are all expected to be level funded. But […]
Previewing Week Two of Alabama’s Second Special Session
The second week of Alabama's second special session begins today, and many questions remain. The new fiscal year starts October 1. Alabama Public Television's Don Dailey joins Troy Public Radio’s Carolyn Hutcheson to discuss the upcoming week and the possibility of a budget emerging from the Senate this Friday.
Here’s What Happened This Week During the Second Special Session
Alabama House Republicans have done something they probably never imagined they'd do — vote to raise taxes. We have an update now on the special legislative session underway. Alabama Public Television's Don Dailey tells Troy Public Radio's Carolyn Hutcheson about the most recent action in Montgomery.
House Approves 25-Cent Cigarette Tax Increase
The House of Representatives, in a series of tight votes Thursday, approved a 25-cent cigarette tax increase and other revenue bills as a plan to help close a budget gap slowly inched forward.
Land Water Conservation Fund Expiration Worries Alabamians
The Land Water Conservation Fund is a federal act that provides funding for parks that aren't a part of the state's park system. After five decades, it's set to expire in September, and Congress has yet to act on it. This has some Alabamians worried. Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD, comments on this and other stories.
Senior Advisor to Governor Paid Through Questionable Means
There are two big stories in state politics right now. There’s the special legislative session that started this week. Then there’s all the chatter around the governor’s divorce. Alabama’s First Lady Diane Bentley filed for divorce from Governor Robert Bentley last month after 50 years of marriage. That’s fueled rumors of an affair by the governor. He says this is a private matter and the legal filing has been sealed. Still the situation has drawn attention to happenings within the administration, particularly how a senior advisor is paid. We talk about that now with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
House Committee Approves Cigarette Tax, Other Revenue Bills
An Alabama budget committee has approved a cigarette tax increase and other revenue bills as lawmakers try to fill a budget shortfall. The House Ways and Means Committee voted 8-6 for a 25-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase. The increase would raise $66 million annually.
Peering Through the Fog of the Governor’s Divorce
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley says his divorce is private matter. They’re the first public comments he’s made since First Lady Diane Bentley filed for divorce Friday after 50 years of marriage. The divorce has helped fuel rumors of an extramarital affair. The personal turmoil comes as the governor prepares for a second special session aimed at resolving the state’s General Fund budget shortfall. We talk about the situation with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Governor Robert Bentley Makes First Public Appearances Since Divorce Filing
Governor Robert Bentley touted the state’s economic successes in two speeches in Birmingham Wednesday. They were his first public appearances since First Lady Diane Bentley, his wife of fifty years, filed for divorce late last week. The divorce announcement has led to speculation about the Governor’s personal life, and has at least one lawmaker questioning if he misused state […]
Governor Bentley’s Wife Seeks Divorce, Says Marriage Is Broken
Alabama first lady Dianne Bentley has filed for divorce from Gov. Robert Bentley, saying their 50-year marriage has suffered an "irretrievable breakdown." The complaint, filed Friday, says that attempts at reconciliation are futile and that the couple has been living apart since January.
Civil Rights Activist Amelia Boynton Robinson Dies At 104
Amelia Boynton Robinson, a civil rights activist who nearly died while helping lead the 1965 Selma march on "Bloody Sunday," championed voting rights for blacks and was the first black woman to run for Congress in Alabama, has died. She was 104.
Why Republican Presidential Hopefuls Need Alabama’s Support
Alabama has been in the political spotlight after GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump spoke to some 20,000 people in Mobile on Friday. But Trump isn't the only candidate visiting the state. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was in Talladega on Saturday. Today, retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson is in Montgomery and Texas Senator Ted Cruz speaks in Tuscaloosa. On Wednesday Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, is scheduled to be in Birmingham. For more on why Alabama matters to Republicans vying for the presidential nomination, WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley spoke to UAB professor Larry Powell. Powell has studied presidential campaigns since the seventies, and is co-author of a book on political campaign communication. Powell says this time around, Alabama looks very different from the way it has at this point in previous campaign seasons.
Construction Begins on I-20/59 Bridge Replacement Project
Work started this month on a major road construction project to expand one of Alabama’s busiest highways. It's the elevated portion of Interstate 20/59 that runs through downtown Birmingham. The highway is at twice designed capacity and is at the end of its useable life. The redesign will change how drivers can access the city center. WBHM’s Andrew Yeager spoke with Alabama Department of Transportation Director John Cooper about the project which generated strong pushback from some portions of the community. He asked Cooper what he anticipates when that stretch of highway is closed.
A Tale of Two Pay Raises
Some workers in Birmingham will see their paychecks rise in the coming years. The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday passed a minimum wage ordinance for the city, meaning the minimum wage will rise incrementally to $10.10 an hour by July 2017. While advocates for the poor welcome that news, it comes with a dose of deceit according to Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Birmingham City Council Approves Minimum Wage Increase To $10.10
The Birmingham City Council has passed an ordinance to increase minimum wage in the city to $10.10-an-hour by July 2017. The council passed the measure during a meeting Tuesday. Kelsey Stein of AL.com reports that the city's legal department is reviewing the ordinance. Were it to take effect, the increase is believed to be the first of its kind in the Southeast U.S. Stein talked to WBHM's Michael Krall about today's meeting.
Governor Robert Bentley Endorses Ohio Governor John Kasich
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley publicly endorsed Ohio Governor John Kasich for the Republican Presidential nomination this morning at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in Birmingham.
Controversy Over Birmingham City Council Pay Increase
Birmingham's City Council president Johnathan Austin is defending a recent vote to raise the group's salary. Last week the nine-member city council voted-1 to approve a raise for council members from fifteen thousand dollars to fifty five thousand dollars, a more than 200 percent increase. Council members say it’ll help attract top talent to city leadership. But Birmingham News & Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald tells WBHM's Rachel Osier Lindley why he's skeptical.
Kyle Whitmire Draws Parallels from Special Sessions in 1975
One special session of the Alabama legislature is in the books, another is looming. That’s because the lawmakers were unable to agree on how to fund the state’s $200 million dollar shortfall in the General Fund. Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for The Birmingham News and AL.com, and he talks about this issue and […]
Civil Rights Attorney Fred Gray On Fighting George Wallace And Segregation
In 1957, on the heals of his successful lawsuit that ended the Montgomery Bus Boycott, civil rights attorney Fred Gray represented a group of African American voters from Tuskegee who were shut out of voting in local elections when the Alabama Legislature re-drew the city limits in such a way as to remove them from the city. Gray sued the State in Federal Court. Almost four years later, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that race-based gerrymandering was unconstitutional.
“Medicaid Cuts Will Affect Everyone” Says UAB Health System CEO
Alabama Senators are approved a cut-filled general fund budget after lawmakers could not agree how to fill a more than $200 million budget hole. The proposed spending plan cuts nearly that much from mental health services, law enforcement, state agencies and Medicaid. State hospitals are especially concerned about cuts to Medicaid. Will Ferniany, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of UAB Health System, the largest academic medical center in Alabama, told WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley why Medicaid cuts have him worried.
