From ou statehouse studio in Montgomery.

I'm Todd Stacey, welcome to Capitol Journal.

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

That means we have 26 days left to go between now and April.

Before we get to the legislative action, a special treat for Capitol Journal viewers.

We got a sneak peek today at the new statehouse under construction just next door.

As we've previously reported, the new building is schedule to be completed later this year and be up and running as th home of the Alabama Legislature in time for the organization's organizational session in January of 2027.

House Speaker Pro Tem Chri Pringle invited Capitol Journal along for a quick tour of the site to see how things are progressing, particularly the House and Senate chambers and the large committee room that the building will feature.

The current state house was retrofitted from the old highwa building in the 1980s to serve as a temporary home to the legislature, while the Capitol was restored.

Well, the Capitol was restored, but the legislature never returned there for various reasons, and this building has fa outlived its intended lifespan.

Legislative leader are counting on the new building to be more accessible for those visiting the legislature and meeting to interact with state government.

Which here is how the Senate handles people going through the eight.

My time the God of war.

Now, like we always believed, God's going to be right here.

That's Mr.

Pringle himself right there, kind of guiding the tour.

And here's a look at the architectural renderings of the House chamber up top there.

And the Senate chamber at the bottom.

That' what it's supposed to look like when they're all completed.

And so you can kind of take from that what they were just touring, which is really like a shell of the building, but you can see how, you know, those chambers will be on the top floor.

Right now, you know, the House chambers on five, the Senate chambers on six, right on top of one another.

Instead, they'll actually share the same floor.

What he was talking about there is the atrium will be right in between them.

So the House and Senate, lobby, if you will, and atrium will be on the same floor.

It's going to make for an interesting, new kind of landscape to the to the state House.

And again, that tour was put on by, House Speaker Pro Tem Chris Pringle of Mobile.

He was the leader of the Legislative Council, as this, state Hous project was really envisioned, several years ago.

Thank you to Representative Pringle for taking us along.

And we'll have more, this weekend on Capitol Journal's Week in Review.

Moving no to the House of Representatives, which today took up a bill that would allow county commissions across the state more flexibility and less red tape when it comes to simple purchases.

House Bill 117 from State Representative Jim Hill would allow counties to adopt Picard's short for purchasing cards or procurement cards.

The idea is to allow counties to control spending on a on tangible property or services by limiting how much is available on those cards.

Representative Hill and the Association of County Commissions argue that allowing peak cards would increase accountability and transparency in the spending, but right now, state law does not allow for it.

In our count commissions, the only individual that can have our credit card is our county administrator.

Because clearly, when we when our county commissioner go to meetings or conferences, they are not allowed to carry the county credit car because the county credit card can only be handled by the administrator.

So in order to I mean, you know we send our county commissioners to meetings and different things all over the place.

What this does is i allows the county administrator to load a card, which they call a p card or a payment card, a procurement card, so that that individual can carry that card is loaded with certain amounts of mone to be spent for certain things to the particular meeting that they go to.

They still must bring back a receipt for those.

Those funds that they have expended was still is there a cap?

No.

So they can put what they want to own there.

They got t determine where the revenue go.

You could say that.

But they got they've got the credit card right now.

The county writer has the credit card.

Now they can just go spend.

So again they could just go spend with the credit card.

They have the county administer out o is in charge of the credit card.

And then they still have to bring back the receipts.

Absolutely.

They still if they spend, use the credit card on something that's not allowable.

But we're not.

And they have to pay that back.

Yes.

But they're not giving him this county credit card.

We're loading a certain amount of funds.

Oh yeah.

It ought to be dependent upon what event or activity they go into.

It ought to be a limit, based upon where are they going and what the event is.

That bill passed 90 to 5, with eight abstentions, and now goes to the Senate in committee today, House members advance legislation aimed to help hospitals raise local funds to stay afloat in these troubled times.

Last year, the legislature passed a law establishing the Rural Hospital Investment Program, which provides dollar to dollar tax credits to individuals and corporations that make donations to rural hospitals.

But as often as necessary, that law needs an update to make sure the proper procedures are in place to make it work.

State Representative Terry Collins of Decatur authored the bill.

It is located in Brevard.

They are not treasurer.

We kind of knew that the last day, but we also wanted it to pass and not send it back to the Senate.

So we make that change.

It's in the department, the Department of Revenue.

And then we put the utility tax which is how our rural utilities can support the hospital tax.

We knew it was in there, but we had it in a row.

Wrong part of the code.

So those were just some technical changes, mainly to let our rural utility companies, participate.

We've always known that this incentive tax incentive will affect both the ETF and the general fund.

So I believe I'm correct.

When this bill was first passed, it passed our committee that would prefer to general fund i passed out the general fund.

Now with this technical amendments come to our committee.

Chairman Reynolds, there's no need for us to refer this.

You know, you're he's happy.

You're happy.

If the committee said so.

This is a bil that went through two committees before this change would just be, as you described, kind of a reallocation where you can participate.

Again, that bill advanced to the committee and now goes to the House floor.

In Senate committe today, lawmakers advanced a bill aimed at expanding public access to local government finances.

Senate Bill 105, sponsored by State Senator Keith Kelly, took center stage in the Senate, County and Municipal Government Committee today.

The bill would require counties and municipalities to publish their financial statements, audits, monthly expenditures and budgets online each year.

The proposal applies to all local governments, with documents posted either on official local websites or through statewide municipal and county associations for those counties and cities without a website.

During a publi hearing on the bill, it received pushback from the Alabama League of Municipalities, which argued the measure would be burdensome for local governments.

For large cities, with a 40 staff and finance staff, maintaining an online archive of financial documents may be straightforward.

However more than half of Alabama's 466 Mississippi cities have fewer than 2000 residents, and many, perhaps most, do not employ a full time clerk, much less than IT staff.

A lot of times, the department is the part time clerk.

Because of this resource restriction, our smaller municipalities might lack the technical expertise or staff to frequently format and upload these types of financial documents.

The more cumbersome requirements mandated by the state, the more difficult it is to retain city clerks.

This is the basic info, and I don't see numbers that this should would qualify as a hardship on anybody that's doing anything correctly.

Now this requires just basics.

If you keep any financial records at all you know, monthly expenditures, small cities don't spend that much.

They don't have that much money.

They may be operating on less than $100,000.

It doesn't take that much to to do this in sunset.

We're seeing a lot of boards and commissions that there's issues, and they keep coming back over and over again.

So this is another way of providing transparency so that if there is an issue, the public knows it and it's, somebody can't make an accusation without no one.

And being able to researc to see if it's factual or not.

Now, I don't know how, widespread it is, as far as I don't think we have a huge problem.

And I think the league was concerned with maybe somebody making a mistake and that sort of thing.

But, you know, people are going to make mistakes and the auditors are going to catch it anyway.

So it doesn't hurt to have them have it out there with everybody, put their hands on it.

And it's not asking them to do anything other than what they've already done is just making it public.

And that bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

House Democrats toda gathered for a news conference announcing their legislative agenda for this session, they focused on a number of different topics, from health care to taxes.

But it all came down to one overarching theme.

Affordability.

Since last session, our members have been working extremely hard in their districts, responding to a lot of the crises that have been brought on by the federal level, all the cuts that have been brought on whether it's to Snap benefits, whether it's healt care, subsidies and other areas, our members, since the legislative session have been partnering with have been partner with the communit on food drives to help families that, was out of, work during the shutdown, as well as families that had their snap benefits put on hold.

And so they've been working in their districts, and we certainly applaud them for the work that they've been doing to ensure that families are not going hungry.

We're not going home.

And we're doing that particularly, time, but also for the work that they've been doing throughout the entire year, all these years.

But it was just very different to see working families.

Out of work, for a long period of time during the, during the actual shutdown.

But these members have they stood on the front line to ensure that those families, were where were heard and ensure that those families were receiving the benefi and the support that they need?

We'll take a short break and be back with our guest, Greg Davis, presiden and CEO of the Alabama Citizens Action Program.

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.

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

The World War Two era Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American pilots in U.S.

military service.

Because Tuskegee was the only training facility for black pilots in the United States during World War II.

Potential pilot came from all over the country.

The first African-American flying unit was the 99th Fighter Squadron, which deployed in the spring of 1943.

The 99th earned a Distinguished Unit Citation, flying missions against enemy targets over Italy.

The second flying unit, the 332nd fighter Group, flew several successful bomber escort missions throughout the war.

Its P-51 fighters ha distinctively painted red tails, earning the unit and its planes the nickname Red tails.

In 1948, Presiden Truman issued an executive order mandating the racial integration of all military services.

The way was paved by the Tuskegee Airmen of Worl War Two, and in 2007, President Bush collectively awarded them a Congressional Gold Medal.

My son's name is Nathan.

Nathan is a welder.

He enjoys it.

Loves it.

So my plan is that he would graduate from private high schoo and go on to Auburn University, which is where everyon on his dad's side of the family goes to college.

It was very obvious now tha I have the ability to step back.

He does much better hands on learning.

Nathan had taken a tour at a local career technical school and was very interested in the welding program.

My initial reactio about a career technical school was probably the farthest from the truth.

You know, I was projecting my thoughts onto him and my expectations onto him, and it really took a lot of mom maturity to step back and just step up and be there for him.

After high school, Nathan found a welding job very quickly.

I would say within three weeks of graduation, he was working for a local contractor.

I remember having a conversation with my own mother and she said, is there really any money in welding?

What exactly do welders do?

So as an 18 year old, he's making $47 an hour, right?

So I thought I was raising a CEO.

And as it turned out, I was raising a welder.

Who knew?

Nathan knew?

Welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Joining me next is Greg Davis, president and CEO of Alcoa, the Alabama Citizens Action Program.

Greg, thanks for coming on the show.

Todd.

Always good to see you.

Thank you.

Absolutely.

Well, I'm familiar with Alcoa.

Most people in this building are.

But can you remind our audience about Alcoa and its role here in the state?

Sure.

Yeah.

Our caps have been around a long time.

Founded under a little different name back in 1937.

Most people don't realize that a long time, in the late 70s, early 80s, Doctor Dan Ireland became a very active, here at the Alabama statehouse, working on issues representing churches from all across the state of Alabama.

And that's what we still do.

So we're supported and, and represent churches here at the Alabama Statehouse on issues that our churches really care about.

Religious liberty, pro-life, what I cal destructive addictive behaviors, you know, things like that.

So our churches have a real interest, our pastors have a real interest on what's going on in Montgomery because, so often, well, we don't think that the, the decisions that are made here, a lot of times our churches are the ones that feel it because they're the one that are ministering to families and individuals that sometimes, might get caught up in, and things that are normalized or legalized, by law.

And, they get caught up in those things.

And so, sometimes our churche really feel the effects of it.

All right, I appreciate that.

And yeah, God bless Dan Ireland, Doctor Ireland.

And is his memory a legend for sure.

And then, Docto Joe Godfrey.

Right.

Absolutely.

To replace Doctor Godfrey back in, came on in 2021.

A presence here in the state House.

It has been felt for decades, for sure.

Well, look, what reason I want to have you on is y'all have your annual prayer rally tomorrow.

This Wednesday on the statehouse steps.

Tell me everything we need to know.

Yeah, well, we started doing this, in, in 22, you know, still kind of during Covid.

And so we were looking for something we could do a prayer activity and it was outside.

So it kind of worked.

Well, there you go.

And it kind of stuck.

So, since 22 we've been gathering every year, typically the second week of the legislative session.

So like you said, that'd be tomorrow on Wednesday at 11:15 a.m.. And we just meet right on th front steps of the statehouse.

I tell everybody, not the Capitol, but the statehouse steps.

At 1115, we were out there for about 30 minutes.

It's not really a it's not a political event that we don't give any speeches or talk about, really any specific issues.

We just simply pray and, we, we praise God, for his blessings on our state.

We pray for all three branches of government.

And, we invite, a lot of the law.

The legislators will step out and be with us.

So it gives us a chance to pray for them.

You know, really very specifically when they step out and join us.

Yeah.

I've noticed that over the years.

You certainly have lawmakers coming out of committee meetings and things like that, maybe at the front end of the back end.

But what I wanted to ask you is if I'm just, you know, a citizen who wants to is interested in this event.

You know, maybe I have an RSVP or something like that.

Who can come?

Yeah, anyone can come.

No RSVP needed.

Just show up.

I'd say around 11 a.m.

on the statehouse steps and you'll see that, that's where it's going to happen.

And, we'll start at 1115.

All you have to do is just come join us.

So if, if you work in Montgomery or if you're close enough to drive over, maybe a lunch break or something, just come by and join us.

We'd love to have anyone, we just say all Christians who want to come and pray and maybe folks from other parts of the state who find themselves in Montgomery and they're welcome to anybody.

Anybody can come.

Well, I know y'al also have the prayer lunch hour.

I'm sorry.

Breakfast.

That's the prayer breakfast the next day.

That's Thursday.

Right.

And that's for lawmakers specifically, where you'll have them there in person for a breakfast.

Where are you physicall and in person?

Pray over there.

That's right.

Yeah.

Doctor Ireland, has aforementioned he started doing that best I can ascertain in 1981.

Wow.

He started the weekly, prayer breakfast before this building was a state house.

Yes.

And, been going on ever since, minus the two Covid years.

And so we were able to relaunch that coming out of Covid, and it's very well attended.

You know, I think it's encouraging for people to know that you've got a lot of, House members and you've got a lot of senators, that gather on Thursday mornings and we pray for them, but they pray for each other.

You know, we gather around round tables and share prayer requests and a lot of personal issues or family issues or pressures they may be under.

And, they pray a lot for each other.

You know, we just have a room full of people praying, and then we share our devotion as well.

But it's a great time of, Christian fellowship and prayer and encouragement.

And, a lot of the legislator come through during the session, you know, they can't make it every week, usually, but they come through and are part of it.

And I think it's pretty meaningful to a lot of them.

Yeah, I can only imagine.

And, you know, the same thing is true in Washington.

Congressman Aderholt from Alabama has been chairman of that.

There's like a joint chairmanship of that prayer caucus for maybe a decade or more.

And it always was interesting.

It would almost surprise you who would you know who would come in and all that.

So Alabama, certainly, making up a presence felt there.

Greg, let me ask you.

Every day we hear a prayer on the Hous floor as they're going to start.

We hear prayer on the Senate floor as they're getting started, different types of ministers from different types of denominations and things like that, and different types of prayers.

Honestly.

Yeah.

But let me ask you, if you don't mind, how when you pray for lawmakers, as you said, through branches of government, the governor, Supreme Court, our leaders, what do you typically how do you typically pray?

I mean, what is whether it's in public, like tomorrow will be or just your daily routine, what are the some of the things that you pray about?

Yeah.

Well, first of all, I mentioned it earlier.

We I pray specifically you know, we call their names.

I do, and we'll call their names tomorrow, especially the leadership you know, and those the justices, th members of the executive branch, we call their names, and pray for them specifically, you know, I also because I got to know a lot of them, you know, sometimes I know things that they are hurting over or things that are troubling them.

You know, a lot of them have, you know, spouses maybe that are ill or or parents that are aging or, you know, just the same issues that all of us face.

And so, so I pray fo those things for them as well.

And then I also pray that they would, always stand for what's righ and stand against what's wrong.

And, you know, I'm just simple enough to think there's right and there's wrong.

And most of us have enough common sense to know that.

And the Lord you know, can guide us in that, through knowledge of his word and, communion with him, with the Holy Spirit, and that they would have the wisdom to know and that they would have the courage to stand for what's right and to stand against what's wrong.

Wow.

Powerful stuff.

Well, again, want to remind everybody 11 well, it starts at 1115, but you might want to get there at 11 for the prayer rally tomorrow, Wednesday, on the state House steps.

Well, look, Greg, thanks so much for coming in here, sharing this with us.

And we'll be at the rally tomorrow.

We'll share footage of that But good luck with everything.

Thank you.

Looks like you got some pretty good weather.

Aside from the cold.

Looks good.

Thank you.

All right.

We'll be right back.

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The USS Alabama is a World War Two era battleship that first served in the Atlantic theater, but was better known for helping to take Japanese held islands in the Pacific between 1943 and 1945.

During the battle of the Philippine Sea, the Alabama State of the Art radar alerted the fleet to incoming aircraft, providing the American enough time to scramble fighters and decimate the attacking force.

Later, the Alabama serve during the Battle of Lady Gulf and anchored in Tokyo Bay t unload Allied occupation forces.

In 1964, the state of Alabama took possession of the battleship Alabama.

School children raised $100,000 in nickels and dimes to help bring the ship to mobile an create battleship memorial Park.

The park features the Alabama, the World War II era submarine USS Strom, and an American military aircraft collection battleship memorial Park as one of the state's most visited attractions.

Getting my hands dirty is the best part of my job.

My name is Hannah Rogers and I am an app mechanic, which is an airframe and powerplant mechanic.

I can work on anything fro general aviation to helicopters.

I was a young mother.

I was 18 when I became pregnant.

I never thought that I could finish school, work and raise my son.

But with the government's assistance with food stamps section, a child care.

All of those programs have helped me achieve this goal.

To where I don't hav to live off assistance anymore.

I was able to graduate debt free by the Pell Grant, the pilot program, and also the scholarship.

I actually had friend tell me about the program, the pilot program.

And so then also spoke with the SST, an instructor at our school, and she told me to contact the cruise center, and I was able to set up an appointmen and fill out their location and all the prereqs for that, with the following program providing for my scholarship to school along with the Pilgrim.

That all gave me opportunities that I wouldn't have been able to reach my goals and be where I am today without these programs.

You don't just have to stay in povert because you was born in poverty.

You can move up in life.

Just because you don't have the money doesn't mean that you can't get there.

There's a lot of opportunities out there.

There's scholarships, there's programs, there's people.

You just have to show that you're willing to do the hard work.

I was determined.

I refused to allow anything to stop me.

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 o Capital Journal's Facebook page.

That's our show for tonight.

Thanks for watching.

Or for listening.

If you're tuning in via 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.