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
Gov. Ivey Signs Holley’s Bill Permitting Therapy Dogs in Courtroom
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On Tuesday at the Alabama State Capitol, Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation by Senator Jimmy Holley (R-Elba) to allow the use of therapy dogs in courtrooms. The presence of therapy dogs can help victims of crime stay calm when recounting stressful stories in the presence of the criminal. Therapy dogs, which the […]
By Jimmy Holley
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 […]
By Steve Livingston
Direct Primary Care Contracts Empower Patients and Lower Health Care Costs
A recently-released report on insurance costs nationwide shows average premiums for health insurance exchange plans sold in Alabama have increased 223 percent since 2013, more than twice the national average and the highest increase of any state in the nation. With such dramatic increases, more and more Alabama working families are being forced to forego […]
By Arthur Orr
Governor Signs Holtzclaw’s Bill to Protect Breweries & Consumers
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On May 26, a bill protecting Alabama breweries and their customers from needless government intrusion was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey. Senate Bill 234, sponsored by Senator Bill Holtzclaw (R-Madison), clarifies that the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC) may not require breweries to maintain a record of the names, […]
By Bill Holtzclaw
Senate Republicans Successfully Move “Strengthen Alabama” Agenda
In February, Alabama State Senate Republicans began the 2017 regular session of the Alabama Legislature committed to an agenda that would strengthen Alabama’s economy, schools, and families. The “Strengthen Alabama” agenda included six specific legislative items, ranging from tax cuts to religious liberty protections. During the legislative session that ended on May 19, Senate Republicans […]