From our state House studio in Montgomery.

I'm Todd Stacy.

Welcome to Capitol Journal.

Today was the 10th day of the Alabama Legislature's 2026 regular session.

That means we are one thir of the way through this session, at least in terms of legislative days.

We'll start our coverage tonight in the Senate, which took up multiple high profile bills today.

Senators took up House Bill 41, known as the Child Predator Death Penalty Act.

The bill was sponsored in the House by state Representative Mat Simpson of Daphne, and carried in the Senate by State Senator April Weaver of Brierfield.

The legislatio would make certain sexual crimes against children under the age of 12 capital offense eligible for the death penalty.

The lone no vote came from State Senator Vivian Figures of Mobile, who made it clear on the Senate floor that her opposition was based on her lifelong stance against the death penalty.

Not a lack of support for protecting children.

I don't believe that the death penalty, actually, the tears.

Anyone from cried.

Committing certain crimes, it does not deter.

And two, I think it's a worse penalty for that perso to have to sit in jail every day and think about what they've done.

So, I will have to vote no on.

I will be about in.

I want this bill, but I wanted it to be know why I was voting on this bill.

Voting no on this bill.

Because, you know, protecting our children means everything to me.

Once we do, the death penalty is over.

It's not like, we got the wrong man.

I looked at this bill and I said, well, I know tha sometimes there are prosecutors that does malicious prosecution who just wanna get a case and say I think I got the right person.

I'm going to go on and do what I'm going to do and prosecute them without sometimes.

And we'll see evidenc come up later on in years later.

That's why we pay in restitution to some people who have been locked up, some for life, because of evidence that came along later.

I feel for sur they will do the right things.

The prosecutors will look at it on a case by case basis.

It means your death eligible.

It does not mean it' an automatic sentence for you.

Prosecutors will look at that on a case by case basis.

And I've stated before, I believ there's a special place in hell for people who do this to our children.

And today we're one step closer to having a special place for them in Alabama.

And that's on death row in the death chamber, at home, in prison.

That bill now heads to Governor Cosby's desk.

Although it is likely to face legal challenges over its constitutionality.

Alabama is one of six states that now have passed similar measures.

A bill aimed at giving parents more control over what their children see online cleared the Alabama Senate today in a unanimous vote.

Senators passed House Bill 161, which would require App Store providers like Apple and Google to implement age verification for minors, along with parental notification and data protection measures.

The bill was sponsored into the House by State Representative Chri Sales of Greenville, and carried in the Senate by State Senato Clyde Chambliss of Prattville.

Democratic lawmakers praised Chambliss, who has spent the last three years working on the similar legislation, for him working with them on the changes they believe make the bill stronger.

I think I had some concerns beyond what we are looking at here in terms of where we are in terms of really protecting families.

You heard me.

You went back.

You work through it.

You work with the different groups, came up with these amendments.

Everybody's not going to be happy with what we have.

I think we have a product that we can put out there to start protecting families and our children.

And if we have to come back next year to be able to tighten it up, we can do that.

I've heard the firsthand stories fro from the citizens of our state, not some other state, but our state where they've had an accidental exposure to these pictures, videos, scenes that have devastated those children, those families and, we think this bill will be a good, good ste to prevent that from happening.

That bill now also goes to the governor's desk, down to the House of Representatives, which took up legislation that would prohibit the state from selling voters phone numbers for commercial purposes.

House Bill 67 is sponsored by State Representative Jamie Kiel of Russellville.

You may remember he came on Capitol Journal on Monday to discuss that bill.

It would remove phone numbers from being automatically included in the voter rolls and prohibit their sale for commercial purposes.

Gill said he brought the bill because his constituents complained about the excessive robocalls and spam texts they are receiving.

That drops the cost of the state voter rolls to $1,000, does not allow the publication of Social Security numbers, emails or phone numbers, and it cannot be used for commercial purposes.

You've told me that e-mail addresses are going to be gone too, right?

Yes.

So I just don't know how am supposed to contact these folks?

Tell me, what do I do?

You walk me through the process of what I'm going to do.

You.

I'm going to buy this voter list.

And you tell me, what am I supposed to do with it?

How do I contact those constituents?

Well, we don't give our email addresses now.

And so if you're getting the email, their phone numbers on their well, you said you email you.

I do.

I'm just telling you I do it in everything to communicate with them.

Even I send text messages to you.

I love text message.

You said you get the voter roll and send emails.

I said no, no emails aren't on there.

But but I can have phone numbers where I can text them.

I told yo the mode of which I communicate, whatever mode is out there, I take advantage of it.

So tell me what's on there now and what you're going to take off.

How am I to commute?

Walk me through the process.

We're going to take off the phone number.

Tell me, wha good is that going to do for us?

Because me and you in this boat together, are we not?

Yeah.

I'm.

I'm not in this for me, though.

But are we in this boat together?

I'm in it for.

Do you not want to hear from your constituents?

I want to hear from them.

But tell me how you communicate with them.

I communicate with them often The same way you just mentioned.

You just went out.

I communicate with them often.

How?

Because I'm in.

You are.

You do it often, I say.

How?

How do you tell me the mode of medium that you communicate with?

I'm in my district all the time, working in the community.

I work a regular job.

People know where I work.

They show up there.

They contact me on social media.

My email address, my phone number is is on my website.

It's on my Facebook page.

Which would you say in the span of a wee and using all of those mediums.

How many of your constituents do you reach?

Multiple, I don't know, give me a number I want.

No, I don't I don't have it because we have thousands.

I don't have oh give me a number.

I don't have a number.

That bill now heads to the Senate.

Also of note in that bill for those who work on campaigns, it would set a $1,000 ceiling on how much the secretary of State's offic can charge for the voter roll.

Right now, people pay tens of thousands of dollars for that voter roll.

And here's a look at other notable bills moving in the legislature today.

House Bill 101 from State Representative Lee Hulsey of Helena, would allow those with invisible conditions, like autism, to have it distinctly noted on their car tag to make officers aware that Bill goes to the Senate.

House Bill seven from State Representative James Lomax of Huntsville would increase penaltie for making a terrorist threat.

It goes to the Senate.

House Bill 274 from State Representative Matt Simpson of Mobile would further restrict the use of unmanned aircraf or drones near Alabama prisons.

It goes to the Senate and Senate.

Bill 62 from State Senator Arthur or of Decatur would establish the Alabama Charter School Finance Authority and allow it to issue bonds to provide funding for public charter schools.

It now goes to the House.

Another bil moving this week is House Bill 71 from State Representative Chris England of Tuscaloosa.

It would impose penaltie for removing deceased inmate's organs without the family's notice and consent.

This has become a problem in recent years and was widely reported in the media and for what we've gone through.

We have gone through hell and on a daily basis, just to think of someone, I had to drive to UAB and I don't want to tell a personal story today because it's about the bill and retrieving my brother organs and drive from Birmingham to Mobile.

Supposedl with his organs in the vehicle.

And I don't know if they're in it or not, but they never should have been taken as his body.

And that's not a person's story.

It can be any of you.

And we don't know how deep it runs, but is is the most egregious, barbaric situation that can confront mankind.

It's already difficult enough to have a loved one incarcerated in the Department of Corrections, knowing what they're going through.

And then ultimately, whe they pass away in their custody, then having to do something as awful as drive to go get their own family's organs to retrieve them so they can bury them with some dignity.

And, you know, I know it's already against the law, but since there is no penalt associated with it, I'm assuming that the Department of Corrections and UAB and many others who were involve in this process felt like since there were no consequences, tha they didn't know the families, the basic decency and the respect to respect their loved one, even into death.

So with this legislation, what we're hoping is that it never happens again.

They'll never get any justice because of the statute of limitations.

I would like Mr.

England for y'all to look at that.

And maybe change the statute on that if possible.

We're talking several, several families that just missed it by months.

Just months.

It is just doesn't seem right.

And it's somethin I can't sleep or anything else.

And when I talked to him it was nothing wrong with them.

And about two hours time they call and say he was dead.

How can you be dead that quick?

It hurts.

It really does.

And my whole family is doing counseling.

Is.

And we'll take a short break and be back with tonight's guest.

Director of Alabama Pardons and Paroles Bureau, Cam Ward.

Stay with us.

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.

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We have a labor gap.

We have the laborers that from the past, or they're getting ready to retire and there's nobody to take their place.

That's why friendship's important today, is because if we don't do that, this contract is already hurting.

To find qualified people to work for.

It's only going to get worse as these men retire.

It's really critical.

Just that we just some trained craftsmen out there.

And it's not just an electrical, it's in every field.

Tony is.

Mike started an apprenticeship program.

He was my teacher, an alum.

Thornton.

On the first, first two years in an apprenticeship program while I was in high school.

And I'm finishing the last two at art school.

And Mitchell Talbot, apparently an electrician.

My dad always done it.

I always wanted to do this.

And then he did my last grade year in an apprenticeship program, I went, I did like the core classes the second year teach about bab can't do it like learning stuff, and the third year is a lot more and lot mechanical.

My name is Tony Brown and I work at Allen Point Career Center, where I teach electricity.

With m teaching the kids during the day and on the high school level, I like Mitchell Talbot.

He completed his first year with me in high school.

So when he when he graduated high school, went into work.

He actually started at second year level.

I went to high school at 7:0 in the morning, got out of 1145, and I went to work from 1145 to 230, and I went to class.

The apprenticeship program at five, and then I wouldn't leave at about 8:00 at night.

It's basically you get paid to work, and I was going to save time and learn what you're doing for your trade.

Like in graduate already with one year of internship under their belt.

That's what you need to look at if you're looking to start.

You really need to get the local career to get involved in it and see if you can't work out a deal to where they can get credit for the work that they've done in high school.

Welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Joining me next is Cam Ward, director of the Alabam Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.

Cam, thanks for coming on the show.

Thanks for having me back, Todd.

Absolutely.

Well, there was some big news out of the reentry task force this week having to do with the US Navy and some of their plans in mobile.

Can you kind of walk us through what happened?

We really appreciated, the U Navy speaking up at the meeting and talking to us about their plans for what they want to do in Alabama.

Previously we had had meetings.

I know Commerce has had meetings, workforce developments, had meetings, and they actually came to our site and participated in a tou of our Perry County Prep Center and looked at our rehabilitation efforts.

Most importantly, they were impressed with our job training projects that we do in conjunction with Ingram State Technical College.

They were so impressed to the point they said, we need welders to do, parts for some of their projects are doing down the coast.

And they said, we can hire as many as you can produce.

Wow.

This is the they're going to be building submarines or parts for submarine.

Just what they've discussed.

And I think it's wonderful for my side being personally selfish.

What that means is we're going to increase the classes we have at our prep center right now.

So far in the last few years, we've graduated about 498 people, and of that 498, only we had one perso recidivist and go back to jail.

So it's a very productive program but we're going to increase now.

We're going to doubl that capacity starting this year and going forward.

So instead of 60 people, the 9 day class will go to 100 people in the 90 day class and have that opportunity for welding to get your certificate in welding so that you can participate in these jobs.

I was going to ask, is welding something that is currently taught up there at the Prep Center?

Oh, the skids, the skid training, Hvac repair, do some carpentry, some plumbing.

But yes, welding is there, but it's not.

Hasn't been at the prep center.

We'v we've used it before the Ingram but we've not used it.

The prep center, there's a new warehouse coming in 30 to 35,000ft that will be able to house some of these programs, such as welding.

But we want to go where the market is.

And if the market says they need more welders and we want to provide them more welder for good paying jobs, stability, and I can tell you, I've seen it every time, every time we put someone in a program like this with a privat employer, they never come back.

And so that's Public Safety 101 in my book.

Well, yeah.

And I will say this.

I mean, it's kind of encouraging because, obviously they need workers there.

It's massive plants down there, at the port shipbuilding and submarine building and all that.

And so they need new workers.

There's period.

But the fact that they are interested, the US Navy is interested, and previously incarcerated people that speaks of the work y'all are doing because, I mean, I would understand anybody kind of having a hesitation about that, but the fact that y'all been so successful at the Prep Center, I mean, that just really says a lot.

I think it does, too.

And our staff is remarkable.

They've really worked hard t make that a successful program.

And I would say, hands down, for me it's the biggest success that we've had.

My six years there, I want, you know, the problem is Alabama has a good problem.

Our unemployment is so low that all these companies that are coming here are having a hard time finding the skilled labor they need.

But because our unemployment is so low, this is a potential populatio to help fill part of that gap.

What we can d is, is train them, certify them, and some of these people be the most money they've ever made in their lives, good paying job benefits.

And then you can establish a home, you know, take care of your family.

That being selfish, that reduces the recidivism rate greatly.

And I think it's a win win for everybody.

It's a win for the state that you have more people in the workforce that can participate in these jobs, but it's also a win for m because public safety is helped tremendously by these people get into a stable place.

They get their addiction under control.

They get their mental healt under control, get a good job.

They don't commit crimes.

It's that simple.

And that's what we got to strive for.

Yeah.

And we've been up there a couple of times, most recently to one of y'all's graduation ceremonies, which is really cool because you had the cap and gown, they get their certificate, their families are there.

I remember, seeing video of, you know, like children, being proud of dad and being proud of mom for, you know, completing that program.

That's a difference maker.

But I was hoping you could kind of enlighten us to who's the type of inmate that gets to go through the prep center.

What's the what's the basic profile of someone who, gets to go through that program?

We do a risk assessment, and I can tell you there's a there's a belief out there that's wrong.

They say, well, the ones we worry about the mos are the murderers and rapists.

And don't get me wrong, those are the worst of the worst crimes.

The person that's most likely to recidivism, however, is the person has a drug addictio and or to feed that addiction.

They typically go start off stealing low level stuff to buy their drugs.

Then they move their way up to murder and robbery.

Nine times out of ten, they have an underlying mental health issue, and they're basically self-medicating to solve their mental health issues.

So they steal to do.

That's the person, in my opinion, that has the highest recidivism risk.

Those are the ones we typically put out there to make sure they're goin to get the treatment they need.

They typically have drug issues.

They typically have mental health issues, usually both and a very low education level.

So we try to if you can get in and intervene with them, that keeps them from coming out being something worse, like a murderer or something like that.

Yeah.

I'll see.

We'll zoom out a little bit and talk about you mentioned recidivism.

It's been I mean, you've been working on this since for for a long time, even going back to your time in the legislature.

And so how are we doing?

There's a lot of talk about the Alabama's prison problems and things like that.

They're obviously building new prisons and everything.

But in terms of the bureau and y'all's work to try to reduce the folks from coming back.

Yeah.

Re-offending.

How are we doing?

You know, at a high level.

And, you know, recidivism is just what you said.

Our job is on the bac and making sure once you're out, whether it be probation, which is the bulk of our population or parole, that you don't go back into the system, what do we do?

What have you put all these barriers in place?

Guess what.

They're you're you're cut them short.

You cheat them There's no way they'll make it.

That's why we passed occupational licensing reform last session, to make sure peopl had a better chance to get jobs if the employer won't hire them.

But second, when it comes to recidivism, when I came in, we were at 34% recidivism rate, which put us 25th in the country, the worst being Alaska at 70%, Delaware at 68%.

But southeast wise, we were in the bottom five states today, there are only three states better than us, and recidivis rates, the worst being Alaska.

I mean, Arkansas, Arkansas right now has close to a 50% recidivism rate.

Ours has gone from 34% to 27% in the last six years.

We are now the 12th best in the country, and my goal is to have us down in the top five before I leave office or leave this position.

And I will tell you the recidivism has dramatically dropped in Alabama to the poin that we now have other states.

Arkansas comes to mind saying, hey, we really want to come see what you do at this Perry County Center, because we've got to d something different in Arkansas.

So other states are now looking to u about the recidivism reduction.

Yeah, I mean, 34% to 27%.

That's real movement.

I'd like to see us get under 15%, though.

I really think by the end of this decade, which is why we joined the reentry 2030 initiative, I want to see us reduce that under 15% by the end of this decade.

If we do that, we would b in the top three in the country.

Well, how do we get there?

I was thinking, you know, all right, whether we're in this building, talking to lawmakers, when you're talking to the governor, when they ask, you know, what do we need to do?

Well, how do we get to that 15%?

What how do we need to continue that that progress?

What do you say?

What's your answer about how do we get there?

The tools are there already.

And you know what I asked for the last two years level funding budget.

Because what I've started doing is reaching out to other agencies to say, hey, how can we partner up in providing these services?

We know what the magic sauce is.

And obviously the Prep Center and Perry County has shown what it is.

But if we can replicate that, we can do it.

But you can't do it by yourself.

Pardon?

Parole can't do it alone.

It has to be us.

We have to work with DFC, mental health.

We have to work with Veterans Affairs.

By partner with these other agencies, we're able to combine resources, combine our efforts, and if we do tha and keep building on these day reporting centers, keep building on the Perry County type centers.

What that means is you're going to have a tremendous drop because we're using our resources smarter and not just throwing money at a problem and hope it gets fixed.

I know, Chairman Reynolds and Chairman Albritton like that level funding and working with other agencies instead of, you know, not trying to throw mor and more money at the problem.

Well, and and they spared m the budget hearings this time.

So the first time in my, my new role here, I don't have come from the Budget Committe and I am very grateful for that, after watching the budget hearings.

But I would say, yeah, there's a way to get there.

We know what the way to how to get there.

We know the mental health three legged stool, the mental health drug addictio intervention and the job fair.

And we know that's the way to get there.

The key is making sure you're smart about how you use your resources.

And I think we are.

It's going to take time.

It doesn't happen overnight, but I think we can get there as long as we continue the collaboration with the othe agencies and state government.

Yeah.

Well, look, congratulations on the recent success.

It's really exciting to think about this maritime thing.

And I'd love as y'all expand into that welding at your welding program, I'd love to come up there and take a look and just kind of help tell the story of when it opens, y'all come up and, well, and also to our partners Ingram State Technical College, president of Foundation Board.

I love the work they do, an they have been great partners.

So sometime please, y'all come up, we go take a tour and look at all the new equipment and the programing they're going through.

Absolutely.

Plan on the camera.

Thank you for your time.

Thanks, Todd.

We'll be right back.

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The 1961 Freedom Rides were a protest against segregation o interstate busses and terminals in the American South.

They began on May 4th an continued throughout the summer.

The Freedom Riders small, racially integrated teams were met with violence in a number of states, and they encountered some of the worst violence in Alabama and Anniston.

A bus was attacke by a white mob and firebombed, and Birmingham riders were beaten badly.

In Montgomery, police stood, I have a mile and more than 200 gathered outside the bus terminal and attacked the riders, reporters and others.

Federal marshals were set to restore order.

Four days later, the Freedom Riders departed for Jackson, Mississippi escorted by the National Guard.

The direct action led to a 1961 order by the Interstate Commerce Commission prohibiting segregation in bus transportation and stations nationwide.

That's our show for tonight.

Thanks for watching.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow night for our Capital Journal Week in review.

That's 730 right here on Alabama Public Television for our Capital Journal team.

I'm Todd Stacey.

We'll see you next time.