>> FROM OUR STATE HOUSE STUDIO IN MONTGOMERY, I'M TODD STACY.

WELCOME TO "CAPITOL JOURNAL."

LEADING THE NEWS TODAY, ALABAMA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR MARCH DROPPED TO A RECORD LOW OF 2.9 PERCENT.

THAT'S DOWN JUST A TENTH OF A POINT FROM FEBRUARY'S 3 PERCENT RATE, BUT IT MATCHES THE RECORD LOW SET IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019 BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THE MARCH RATE REPRESENTS ABOUT 17,000 FEWER UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE COMPARED TO THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.

SHELBY COUNTY HAD THE STATE'S LOWEST JOBLESS RATE AT 1.7 PERCENT FOLLOWED BY CULLMAN COUNTY AT 1.8 PERCENT.

WILCOX COUNTY HAD THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, 8.8 PERCENT.

WHEN THE LEGISLATURE ADJOURNED LAST WEEK AND LAWMAKERS HEADED BACK HOME, THEY LEFT BEHIND A STACK OF LEGISLATION ON GOVERNOR IVEY'S DESK.

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN DECISION TIME FOR THE GOVERNOR ON WHETHER TO SIGN BILLS, VETO THEM OR LET THEM BECOME LAW WITHOUT HER SIGNATURE.

AMONG THE PRIORITY LEGISLATION SHE HAS SIGNED ARE THE $8.2 BILLION EDUCATION TRUST FUND, SEVERAL TAX CUT BILLS, A TELEMEDICINE MEASURE AND LEGISLATION PUTTING STRICTER JOB SEARCH REQUIREMENTS ON THOSE APPLYING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

SENATE BILL 224 FROM SENATOR ARTHUR ORR REQUIRES THOSE ON UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO CONTACT PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS AT LEAST THREE TIMES PER WEEK TO REMAIN ELIGIBLE.

SENATE BILL 272 FROM SENATOR DAN ROBERTS STARTS THE PROCESS FOR REGULATING TELEMEDICINE IN ALABAMA.

CURRENTLY THERE ARE FEW RULES OR STANDARDS FOR TELEMEDICINE, AND LEADERS HAVE WARNED THAT COULD LEAD TO SCAMS.

HOUSE BILL 435 FROM REPRESENTATIVE RICH WINGO INCREASES THE CAP FOR A STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHERS.

HOUSE BILL 220, SPONSORED BY REPRESENTATIVE TERRI COLLINS AND SENATE BILL 200 BY SENATOR RODGER SMITHERMAN MAKE CHANGES TO THE ALABAMA LITERACY ACT.

COLLINS' BILL MAKES TECHNICAL CHANGES TO THE LAW TO ENSURE IT WORKS AS INTENDED TO HELP IMPROVE THE STATE'S LAGGING READING SCORES.

SMITHERMAN'S BILL DELAYS THE LAW'S HOLDBACK PROVISION BY TWO YEARS.

AS ORIGINALLY ENACTED, THE LITERACY ACT WOULD PREVENT THIRD GRADE STUDENTS WHO CANNOT READ PROFICIENTLY FROM BEING PROMOTED TO THE FOURTH GRADE BEGINNING THIS YEAR.

AS AMENDED, THE LAW DELAYS THAT PROVISION UNTIL SPRING OF 2024.

ANOTHER BILL WE'VE BEEN TRACKING THIS SESSION IS NOW LAW.

HOUSE BILL 50, FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE ROLONDA HOLLIS IS KNOWN AS THE “PERIOD POVERTY BILL.” CAPITOL JOURNAL'S KAREN GOLDSMITH HAS THE FULL STORY.

>> IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE IS DOMINATED BY REPUBLICANS WHO HOLD SUPERMAJORITIES IN BOTH CHAMBERS.

AND WHILE PLENTY OF LEGISLATION IS BI-PARTISAN, IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR MEMBERS IN THE DEMOCRATIC MINORITY TO AFFECT LEGISLATION AND HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD.

CAPITOL JOURNAL'S RANDY SCOTT HAS MORE.

>> THIS WEEK THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE UNVEILED ITS NEWLY EXPANDED NATIONAL MEMORIAL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN DOWNTOWN MONTGOMERY.

A MAJOR NEW SCULPTURE AND NEARLY 50 MARKER MONUMENTS THAT DOCUMENT LYNCHINGS ARE NOW DISPLAY FOR VISITORS.

EJI'S BRYAN STEVENSON SAID MARKERS DOCUMENTING LYNCHINGS HAVE NOW BEEN ERECTED IN 20 STATES.

>> DR. SCOTT HARRIS, ALABAMA PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER, THIS WEEK TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

HE SAID HE'S ONLY EXPERIENCING MILD SYMPTOMS WHICH HE ATTRIBUTES TO BEING FULLY VACCINATED AND BOOSTED.

HE ENCOURAGED ALL ELIGIBLE ALABAMIANS TO DO THE SAME AS THE NEW BA2 VARIANT BEGINS TO SPREAD.

DOC, WE WISH YOU A SPEEDY RECOVERY AS YOU ISOLATE AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK ON THE SHOW SOON.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEK.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL BE BACK NEXT FRIDAY AT 7:30 PM HERE ON ALABAMA PUBLIC TELEVISION.

FOR OUR "CAPITOL JOURNAL" TEAM, I'M TODD STACY.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.