State Legislature Cuts Taxes for Families, Approves Raise for Teachers in 2018 Session
The 2018 session of the state Legislature ended on March 29th, and it was a productive one for the people of Alabama. The state Legislature, under the leadership of conservative Republicans, continued to stand strong for our students, teachers, and schools. The $6.6 billion education budget – the largest education budget since the Great Recession […]
By Tim Melson
State Legislature Approves a Tax Cut for Alabama Families
As we enter the home stretch of the 2018 legislative session and wrap up the final months of this quadrennium, I wanted to take a moment and look back. While things have been moving along very smoothly this session, there have certainly been bumps in the road over the past four years, but now we […]
By Larry Stutts
Shining a Light on the Darkness of Human Trafficking
This week, the Alabama Senate passed Senate Bill 179, which establishes severe penalties for those found guilty of obstructing an investigation into child trafficking. This legislation enhances the penalties already in place, increasing the offense to a Class A felony, with a minimum jail sentence of ten years. Under current law, the obstruction of an […]
By Cam Ward
Career Technical Education is a Strength of Alabama’s School System
What kind of K-12 education model does Alabama need to prepare our young people for the jobs of the twenty-first century? Like you, I have read story after story in the media of how the global economy increasingly relies on automated jobs. There is no doubt that the digital economy is causing a shift […]
By Clyde Chambliss
Great Teachers Make Great Students
Over the past few years, I have made it a point to visit elementary classrooms and high schools across Senate District 14. The passion of the teachers I meet never fails to inspire me: for many teachers, education is both a career and a calling to shape the lives of young people. Most educators […]
By Cam Ward
Healthy Eats for Students & Economic Growth for Alabama Farmers
The beginning of the school year is an energizing and sometimes challenging time for families, teachers, and students. My wife and I have three children, and I know how excited my kids always are for the first day of school. This past spring, I had the opportunity to work across the aisle in the Legislature […]
By Clyde Chambliss
Time to Fight the Opioid Crisis in Alabama
In 2016, more Americans died from drug overdoses than were killed in the entire Vietnam War. Two-thirds of those overdoses were linked to opioids, a class of drugs that includes illegal substances like heroin, but which is primarily composed of legal painkillers like oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone. Unfortunately, Alabama is center stage in the opioid […]
By Cam Ward
The Legislative Offseason – What’s a Legislator to Do?
I am often asked what I do when the State Legislature is not in session. Well, when the Legislature is out-of-session, there are still many ongoing state government issues. For instance, in just the first two weeks of July, I was contacted by dozens of constituents with issues, problems, or concerns regarding the following: […]
By Clyde Chambliss
Despite Headwinds, a Successful Legislative Session
The possible impeachment and eventual resignation of a governor create a gale wind that can quickly transform into a hurricane. Such a tempest was the setting for the 2017 session of the Alabama Legislature. The outcome – resignation, and now, a fresh start at the Capitol under Governor Kay Ivey – has been extensively […]
By Clyde Chambliss
The Legislature Kept Its Focus in the 2017 Session
This has been a tumultuous year in Alabama state politics. The embarrassing scandal involving our former governor catapulted our state into the headlines of the New York Times and the Washington Post. In conversations with friends and neighbors, I could hear the frustration in their voices: is positive, character-driven leadership too much to ask […]