You from our state House studio in Montgomery?

I'm Todd Stacy, welcome to Capitol Journal.

Today was committee day here in the state House as several legislative panels met to consider bills.

We'll start our coverage in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where lawmakers took up legislation that would limit when police can engage in high speed chases with suspects.

State Senator Arthur Awe of Decatur is sponsoring Senate Bill 120.

Known as the Tristan Hollis Memorial Act.

The proposal would requir Alabama law enforcement agencies to adopt written pursuit policies and limit high speed chases to situations involving violent felonies or immediate threats to public safety.

The legislation follows a September of last year high speed chase in Hartzell that reached speeds of mor than 100 miles an hour and ended when a fleeing suspect crashed into a vehicle caring for teenagers, killing 17 year old Tristan Hollis.

Hollis was not involved in that pursuit.

Today his mother, Rachel Moore, gave an emotional testimony urging lawmakers to pass the bill.

Tristan is friends for typical wholesome teenager hanging out on a Saturday night.

Plans of eating at Taco Bell and on to a bonfire before curfew at 1030.

Tristan never made it home.

Tristan sustained internal bleeding and a broken pelvis.

He had never broken a bone in his love.

A statement made by Officer Wood, traffic homicide investigator, was that the vehicle was hit so hard that Tristan's pants were not open, his body.

Can you imagine?

What a horrific image fo all of our soul police officers.

Hey, it's so sad to think of my only child in pain, clinging for his love.

Yes, we need to have policies in place to be able to stop pursuits when they get reckless and you're in danger to the public.

So I think if we come together and come up with a solution instead of something that's going to say, no, we need to be able to come up with a solution.

I urge you all to work with us.

And, will we as far as law enforcement, sheriffs and police chiefs will come to the table to at least be able to come up with a something that's going to work for all of us in law enforcement.

No vote was taken on that bill following today's public hearing, bu it's expected to go back before committee members next week, perhaps with an amendment.

The Senate Education Policy Committee today considered a proposal that would require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in Alabama public schools.

Senate Bill 99, sponsored by State Senator Keith Kelly of Anniston, would mandate a display in classrooms that includes not only the Ten Commandment themselves, but also references to their historical context and influence.

Well, thankfully, we've had an omitted from our cultur and from our historical facts, and it's, the Ten Commandments as a basis for how our laws came abou in the history of this country.

And it's just a simple displa of, of them in the school rooms, in fact, grades five through 12, to let kids know about our history and how we got to where we're at.

It also includes quotes from the Constitution and, the Alabama, Constitution as well.

And it doesn't give it's not advocating for you to be a certain religion.

It's not preaching religion.

It's just telling that the Ten Commandments are a basis and the foundation of our country's history.

That bill passed out of committee with bipartisan support and now heads to the full Senate.

The State Senate Governmental Affairs Committee took up legislation today aimed at clearing up what would happen if there were a vacancy in the lieutenant governor's office.

Senate Bill 271 from State Senator Sam Gauvin of Huntsville, propose an amendment to the Constitution that would make it so that a new lieutenant governo be elected to fill any vacancy that occurs 60 days before the next general election.

Dealing with the, the governor's offic is one of the ways that we work in the Senate.

In, I realize that we have a provision in the office of lieutenant governor and governor are both vacant for a special election, basicall during the presidential cycle.

But we have, you know, theoretically, any you know, something can happen to the governor, the first day of the term.

And the lieutenant governor obviously would become, governor at that at that point.

And then there's no provision, you know to go to the governor's office would basically be vacan for possibly up to four years.

And so this, constitutional amendment would just go ahead and say, hey, if that vacancy happens in the first two years of a quatrieme, then, we would have a special election at the same time, we have the.

So we call see what can still do a presidential election, but we would hav a special election for someone to be elected with tw last two years of the governor.

Sure.

Who went through the menta gymnastics with those interviews and nobody else.

And I like where he winds up because some of us were here when, Pro Tem Marsh and you assume the chair for almost two full years, and it is a real problem, to run the Senat if they're going to have a pro tem ad in the governor had so admit in for.

That bill was advanced by the committee and now goes to the full Senate.

The Senate fiscal responsibility and Economic Development Committee took up a bill today aimed at increasing transparency in campaign finance.

Senate Bill 220 from Stat Senator Arthur Awe of Decatur, would require certain nonprofit organizations that contribute to political campaigns disclose their sources of money, or says the proposal does not prohibit these nonprofits from participating in the political process, but instead ensures greater reporting and accountability when money is directed towards campaigns They're going to give to candidates, they would have to report the money that they are using to give to candidates, so they can still do it.

It's not prohibited $100 or more.

It's s the donations aren't prohibited.

If they're going to get into the supporting campaigns now, they can do advocacy all day long like they have been, but they're goin to give to campaigns that have set up a separate account.

And out of that comes money that donors would know.

We're going to candidates an principal campaign committees, and they would have to report where the money came from.

So it's treating them if they're going to engage in electioneering and campaigning or giving the candidates, then they would just have to report the sources of their money.

Under current law, they don't.

So I call it a loophole or whatever, an avenue where if you just want to give to somebody but not know, nobody knows.

If you want to give to a candidate and you don't want anybody to know, will you just give it a 500 1C4 and nobody will know.

That bill passed out of committee with unanimous suppor and now heads to the full Senate over to the House Education Budget Committee, which today took up legislation offering scholarships for family members of law enforcement officers.

House Bill 98 is sponsored by State Senate State Representative Alan Treadaway of Birmingham, who said the groundwor is already laid for the proposal and it would help recruit more law enforcement officers to the profession.

Alabama Law Enforcement Scholarship Fund and provide scholarships for children and spouses of law enforcement officers in the state of Alabama.

The bill came out of the House unanimous, I believe, last year was up out of committee of the Senate was the last bill for a died.

The funding has already been put in it last year.

The money's waiting there, the rules.

And I don't want to speak for Mr.

Purcell higher education.

But the rule have already been promulgated.

They're ready to go, and we just need to get the bill passed, through the House and Senate and, but the funding is already there.

And Representative Baker, so, the money that's already there, then, is there then that same amoun then being placed in the budget, this year, or is there another way, I'm wondering, is there sort of layered duplicate money?

That's a discussion.

We're, we're that's part of the budget process.

So we're very good.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you so much.

That bill also passed committe and now goes to the full House.

House Democrats held a press conference today urging the passage of legislation that would call for a state referendum on a lottery and measures that rein in the proliferation of data centers throughout the state.

Right now, Alabama has a has the third highest residential utility rate in the nation, with the average bill coming in at about 108 bucks a month.

But this freezing cold winter that we've just endured will likely see many families getting an even higher electricity bills as they were struggling to keep their homes warm for their families.

Although Alabama Power has temporarily frozen rates, we will likely see them try to offset the cost of the additional power plants in mid 2027.

This is and will continue to put a strain on household budgets, disproportionately affecting families and underserved members of our community.

As big tech billionaires look to Alabama to build their massive data centers, this will increase the demand for electricity and water.

These huge data centers com and add an enormous amount of, but consume an enormous amount of power.

And this will drive up utility prices for working familie and Alabama's small businesses.

That is why this is part of the urgency of why I dropped HB 403, requiring data center to pay the full cost of any grid or infrastructure upgrades needed for their operations, and prohibitin those costs from being passed on to Alabama familie and Alabama's small businesses.

This bill puts Alabama families first, and will ensur that billionaire tech companies pay their own way for their own data centers.

This is an important, proactive step to ensuring that these data centers don' drive up your electricity bill.

And I'l speak with State Representative Phillip Ensler about the lottery proposal later in the show.

Physicians assistant or AI's from throughout Alabama, gathered today at the state House to call for passage of legislation aimed at bringing more health care workers to rural parts of the state.

They support House Bill 156 from State Representative Paul Lee of Dothan, which would allow Alabama to join a PA licensure compact.

Alabama is currently facing a significant access to care crisis, ranking near the bottom, near the bottom nationally and the number of positions available per patient.

The Alabam Office of Health Care Workforce 2024 data shows that 57 out of 78 population centers have a primary care provider deficit.

Now, more than ever, our state needs policies that support a strong, flexible and accessible health care workforce.

House Bill 156 provides a meaningful solution through participation in the PA Licensure Compact.

This legislation offers Alabama the opportunity to join Tennessee in 20 other states already participating in the compact, expanding access to care, providing flexibility for health care providers, and strengthening Alabama's health care system.

About 200 students students great for a per year out of the state of Alabama.

Obviously, we want them to stay here.

So what our goal is to make sure that you can have a career here for a long, long time.

That legislation is in the House Health Committee.

We'll take a short break and be right back.

You can watch past episodes of Capital Journal online any time at Alabama Public Television's website.

aptv.. org.

Click on the online video tab on the main page.

You can also connect with Capital Journal and link to past episodes on Capital Journal's Facebook page.

The quilters of G span are world renowned for their traditional quilt designs.

The inhabitant of the small Alabama River town are mostly descendant of enslaved African Americans.

Gee's bend has demonstrated a persistent cultural wealth in the vibrant style of its quilts.

Quilt making has a long history in Alabama, and there are no finer examples of this art form, and the motifs and craftsmanship of the quilts of G spanned.

Welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Joining me next is state representative Philip Ensler from Montgomery representative.

Thanks for coming in.

Thanks for having me.

Well, it's timely.

You've got some legislation you're working on.

Y'all announced it in a press conference today.

State lottery.

You know, it wouldn't be a session if we're not talking about lottery.

Even a no, no matter the circumstances.

But tell me what your bill does.

Is it any different from what Senator Coleman has been introduced in the Senate?

So it is different in the sense that it is just a lottery.

So it does not deal with gaming in any other aspects of it.

And it it allows voters this November to vote to, if they want to have a state lottery.

And then we put in there how the revenue could be use and happy to get more into that.

Sure.

And glad that Senator Coleman is bringing her bill and I'll work on mine.

Is on the House side.

Yeah.

And so that's important to differentiate because, there is a big difference between just lottery.

And then when you add in sports betting, the casino part.

And of course there's some very weedy issue.

It's very complicated.

But if you look at polling going back decades, really the just the lottery stands ou as the most popular among them.

And I' sure you've got plenty of that.

So you mentioned revenue.

Let's just say this goes forward and gets voted on and all that.

What is your bill call for?

Well, first of all, how much revenue are you expecting?

And and where where were those pots of money go.

Yeah.

So and to your point, I hear from alphabet, you know, residents all over the state who are doesn't matter Democrat or Republican.

Independent.

They want a lottery.

And I get that question so much because we're surrounded by them.

Right?

We are.

And we all know people that are crossing state lines to to buy lotto tickets.

And it's just a no brainer to people that we should be bringing that revenue in to Alabama.

So there are three buckets.

We are projected from the bill that I have in the ballpark of 300 million annually, and it could be used for any of three categories.

One would be rebate checks for residents to help pay their bills and that certainly we would work out the details of who gets those and how much.

But right now, people are struggling to pay their utility bill, their mortgage, their rent, their grocery bills.

So just putting a little bit more money in their pockets.

So that's one bucket.

second one would be health care.

We know that so many people are having to drive even farther to get to a hospital.

That hospital closures is a major issue.

So money that could go towards helping struggling hospitals, particularly in rural areas.

And then third would be public education related needs.

So it could be college scholarships, technical trade scholarships, pay and benefits for education employees or retirees.

So those are the three buckets things related to public education, health care and then putting more money in the pockets of Alabamians.

That's different than previous proposals, right.

I mean, 20 years ago if you just said anything except education, people wouldn't have accepted that.

But I think it's maybe a realization that a recognition that there are greater needs out there.

And, you know especially in the general fund and things like that.

But let me ask you, just practically, because we've had, Speaker Ledbetter, we've had, Senate President Pro tem both say they'd rather not deal with gambling this year.

We had the thing last year and the year before, really the year before was the big blow u where the House passed a plan.

It went to the Senate, kind of died, and obviously so the plan never got off the ground last year.

So with that being the case with those top leaders saying, hey, we'd rather wait till after the election.

Is there any real path forward for this bill?

Yeah, and I understand where they're coming from.

I hear, though, from people all ove who want they don't want to wait another year.

They think it has been way too many years that that we've gone without giving them a chance to vote on it.

So from the purposes of being responsive to what residents want, it's really important to at least file this legislation.

And I hope it moves forward.

And certainly I'm going to do everything that I can.

I know, though, it's a session where people are trying to get in and out and there's only so much time, but I'm going to do everything I can to get it through.

And at a minimum, just having that conversation and making sure that we are raising awareness about where the funds could go, because people are concerned about putting more money in their pockets, they're concerne about hospitals, are concerned about public education to at least continuing to let people kno we're trying to bring in revenue for those things is really important.

Well, people do ask all the time, why in the world we don't have a lottery.

And in fact, you're going to get asked if if this, you know, status quo holds and it doesn't go forward explaining that, well, you got lots of different gambling interests between casinos and sports.

Sports betting has really become more powerful these days.

So I'm sure you'll have fun answering those questions.

But yeah, but you mentioned, you know putting money back into people's pockets and everything.

And that's an interesting I've never heard that before from a gambling proposal.

But the other side of that is, you know, even with state lottery, it can be regressive in taking money out of the pockets of state residents.

So how do you square that in terms of, you know, where the revenue comes from and where it goes?

Yeah.

So it's it's not a tax.

It's it's voluntary tha if and it should be free choice if people want to go spend their money that they earn, if they want to go use that on a lotto ticket, that's their choice.

So the government is not telling them to to do that.

And the way people are able t go buy cigarets or alcohol or, you know, all sorts of different things, that it's just giving people another choic of how they spend their money.

And if it's going to help the state, then it's what we say is the reality is that people are spending it already.

They're just going to other places.

So we are foolish not to take advantage of that and say, let' bring that revenue into Alabama.

Gotcha.

Switching gears.

Well, pardon the pun, I wanted to ask you about your Glock switch ban for the past last year.

You worked on this for a couple of years, finally got over the finish line.

So I guess it's been enacted, I guess since October.

No.

So it went into effect immediately because that law enforcement wanted it so badly and said it was a no brainer.

So it actually went into effect back in April, when the legislation was signed into law.

Well, even better, because I wanted to ask you what's been the impact, and I'm wondering what you've heard from here, Montgomery MPD, but it applies statewide.

Obviously.

So what is the law enforcement community told you about the application of this law?

Because it was already federal law, but it was these local officers who now get to apply it.

Yeah.

So I cannot tell you how many police officers, sheriffs, district attorneys thank me for the effort leading it and say that it is it is such an important tool for them to be able to help keep communities safe.

And the last number I've seen in Montgomery alone, hundreds of these devices were confiscated.

So if you add in other cities and other places around the state, I think it's fair to say it is probably at least a thousand, if not more, of these devices that law enforcement have been able to get before someone use them in a crime, before they use them to take someone's life.

So I can't tell you again how often I hear from from people in the law enforcement community that are grateful for it.

And it's an example of legislation where Democrats and Republicans can come together, that it doesn't have to be that everything is so contentious, that it shows that when there are things that are affecting the community, we can work together and pass things that are reasonable and smart and going to help enhance public safety.

Well, it's a really great point because if you have, I don't know, not too long, not too many years ago just said any kind of gun bill any kind of bill that mentions the word gun, you know, uses a synonym for the word gun, then a lot of people o the right would have just said no, you know, kind of Second Amendment absolutist and all that.

But that began to change, I think, with the crime and, testimony from officers, your efforts, Senator Barfoot, right alongside of you to to talk about this isn't a Second Amendment issue.

This is turning a weapon into machine gun, which are already illegal.

And it took many, many conversations.

And as you said several years to get it through.

But for for good legislation, you have to put in that time and put in that effort.

And this does show when you're willing to wor well with others and sit down.

I give a lot of credit o the House side to the speaker, and a lot of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for willin to work through the legislation.

But again, it was a great coalition of law enforcement of community groups.

We heard from mothers and families who lost their children and loved ones to gun violence using these Glock switches.

So to your point, people sa this is not some just gun issue, but they saw it as a matter of public safety, a matter of saving lives, and something that just made sense all around to do.

Yeah, I hope you'll keep us updated on those statistics, because that's really good to hear.

I wanted to ask you about Claudette Colter.

Obviously we lost this civil rights icon last month.

You've got a House resolution honoring her memory.

I'm not sure it is that already passed.

It did?

Yeah.

I thought that was really meaningful.

You told a lot of her story.

And, of course, you know we've talked about this before, but she was the on who was the first one arrested, for not refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus five months before, even more nine months before.

Okay, we'll talk about, that legacy, because you're part of it.

You, as her attorney, were able to get her record expunged to talk about what a what a meaningful life she lived and and how that must have been working with her.

So in 1955, when she was arrested, she was put on indefinite probation.

And legally, once she became an adult, she technically was no longer on probation.

But the court never informed her that, and certainly at that time in particular, her family was afraid that anything could lead to her violating probation.

And so they assumed for all of these decades, ever since her arrest that she was still on probation.

So in 2021, we went back to court, along with attorney Gar Bloom and a dear colleagu and friend of mine, Leah Nelson.

And we filed a motion to clear her record.

So to take her essentially off of this indefinite probation, attorney Fred Gray, who represented her in 1955, was also there.

It was an incredible moment t go back into a Montgomery court and do that.

And her record was expunged and she shared that she was able to then live her final year as truly feeling and being free, knowing that that was lifted off of her.

So it was a tremendous honor to be a part of it.

And her story is just an example of young people that can make a difference.

And anybody can stand up for what's right.

It's not just about something that happened in the distant past.

It really applies to today that people should have the courage to stand up for what's right, to speak up for what's right, and they can make a difference no matter their age, their title, their position.

Anybody has that that ability absolutely.

And I thought that wa very moving the way you put it.

And it's also a, a testament to how, you know, originally she wasn't credited with anything.

It took decades for her to get the credit that she really deserved.

And, how fitting for that was.

I mean, I can't imagine the chills you must have felt in that, environment.

Well, thank you for doing that.

And I thank you for sharing with us.

We're out of time, so we don't have time to talk about your campaign.

You'r running for lieutenant governor.

I want to have you back o if we can.

We have more time to.

Absolutely.

To that, on a different capital journal.

But thank you for your time this time.

Thank you.

Chad, we'll be right back.

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Coretta Scott King was born April 27th, 1927, in Alabama.

Most widely known as the wife and widow of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, she carried on his visio of nonviolent protest to effect social change, creating programs that have trained thousands of people in the philosophy.

Throughout her life.

She was a tireless advocate for social liberty, economic justice, and peace.

That's our show for tonight.

Thanks for watching or listening for everybody tuning in to the podcast.

We'll be back tomorrow night at the same time, right here on Alabama Public Television for our Capital Journal team.

I'm Todd Stacey.

We'll see you next time.