From ou statehouse studio in Montgomery.

I'm Todd Stacey.

Welcome to Capitol Journal.

Today was committee day in the Alabama legislature as the House and Senate did not meet.

But the big news of the day came from special visitors to the statehouse.

Nick and Terri Saba spent the morning in Montgomery meeting with the governor and state lawmakers.

They were talking abou the Saban Center for education expected to open in 2027.

The center is described as a first of its kind campus that will blend Stem education the arts and hands on learning.

The Saban Center aims to serv as a hub for student learning, teacher training and workforce development.

The Saban's have raised tens of millions of dollars for the project, and they are hoping from buy in from the state.

We caught up with the Saban' just as they had left meetings with lawmakers.

We just wante to promote, you know, the young people's opportunity to for career development.

We also have our Stem hub for statewide teachers, so they, they can develop better teaching skills to take back to the students so students have a better chance to be successful.

You know, it was always my goal as a coach to help, you know, players be more successful in life because they were involved in the program.

And this is going to be our legacy that lives on beyond us.

To be able to do this with young people.

And, we want state support for the teacher Stem hub, from an operational standpoint not from a building standpoint.

And, we've been looking forward to the opportunity to come here and meet with our, you know, legislators and senators in the state so that they understand exactly what our, goal is.

And, you know, doctor McKee, who's been very, very instrumental in helping us, develop the standard that we need in our state to be able to continue to improve the quality of education for our young people.

We have spent the last four years developing this plan for Saban Center, which is an educational center, focuses on all Stem subjects.

We traveled all over the United States saying what's the best way to do this?

And we've talked to peopl who have built similar projects.

We've raised $100 millio to build this fabulous building, but the heart and soul is going to come from the programing.

We need teachers to teach, we need programing, and we need the state to help us with that.

The whole thing is going to be based on the state of Alabama educational objectives.

And then we have teachers on our board as well who says, who say, you know, I can teach this, but I need help with this.

I need you to take it a step further so that our students can have hands on experiences in whatever kind of class it might be.

State Superintendent Eric Mackey accompanied the saving for their visit to Montgomery.

He said the Saban Center is exactly what Alabama and the rest of the country should be pursuing for the future of education.

We're so excited about this.

A few weeks ago, we were over in Tuscaloos and had lunch with the Saban's and talking about the Saban Center and and what it what the vision is.

Senator Gauger was there with us and the speaker was with us, and they said, would you com and explain this to our members?

It's one thing for us to say i is something for Doctor Mackey to say it.

But what we really need is fo you to come and talk about it.

And they did a great job this morning with House and Senate members really talking about the grand vision.

So what we're talking about is is ongoing teacher development.

What I keep explaining to folks is, you know, we all love the game and we watch Coach Saban on the field win big games fo a couple of hours on a Saturday.

But what we're talking about is not just the experience of students going to the museum, which is like that two hours on Saturday.

We're talking about al the prep work that goes into it and what the Saban's have made clear is they want to have this ongoing year round teacher development program.

So teachers are constantly working on the standards, working on improving improving science, mat and reading skills for students.

And then game day is a visit to the science Museum.

So we're very excited about it.

Every activity, every single activity in the science Museum will be related to one of our reading, math or science standards.

And so they've made that a goal of theirs.

And we've been working with them for about 3 or 4 years now.

And, very excited that House and Senate members today were willing to tak a break in their busy schedule and meet with the science, and we'l be following that going forward.

Back to legislative action.

A bill aimed at increasin parental control over children's access to mobile apps is now moving through the Alabama Senate, after having passed the House unanimously.

House Bill 161 from State Representative Chris Sales of Greenville would require app stores to verify a user's age and if the user is a minor, link the account to a parent for approval of downloads and purchases.

While there was no opposition to the concept of the bill and today's hearing that was in the Senate, children and Youth Health Committee, some lawmakers raised questions about how the measure would be enforced.

Supporters included a representative from meta, the parent company of Facebook, and Instagram, who testified in favor of the legislation.

App developers like meta can place younger users into age appropriate experiences on our platforms.

App store age verifications have now been introduced federally and in 27 states, which is more than half the nation.

And versions have been signed into law.

And for further, this is what parents want.

As stated, a recent poll found that 83% of Alabama parents support legislation requiring parental approval for app downloads.

I don't like, sound good, feel good bills.

If it truly can't be enforced as well to make sure that that the children are protected as well because we didn't talk about enforcement, what kind of penalty it would be, or whatever.

We've worked on this bill a long time, and those who oppose it have done everything in the world to try to stop it.

Except for come to me as the Senate sponsor the bill.

I was the Senate sponsor last year.

The bill went through the Senate.

Within the last 48 hours, I have been barraged with input on this bill.

So the people who are killing it now want me to negotiate with them.

And all I'm saying is we didn't go through all the other motions to do this and not have an enforcement issue in their element in there.

So it has an enforcement element in the bill.

And that bill passed out of th committee by a unanimous vote, with assurances to Senator figures about her concerns that they would be addressed before a vote on the Senate floor in the House Public Safet and Homeland Security Committee today, lawmakers debate a bill seeking to require that the state's driver's licens test only be given in English.

House Bill 88 is sponsored by State Representative Philip Pettus, who argues that the changes needed to crack down on foreign influence.

But others expressed concerns about the practicality of the bill and its impact on economic development.

All it does is tell a lawyer that they only give driver's license in English.

Only currently illegal.

Gives driver' tests in 11 different languages.

And our examiners, most examiners only speak English, so there' no way for them to interpret it.

Like I said, I've worked i driver's license for five years.

I was the captain over driver's license and I. Same problem after problems, after problems with our examiners not being able to communicate with the people coming in for test because they do not speak English.

What we want is we want people to have driver's license right now.

If you have, a suspended license, you've got to go to work and you've got to be able to provide a living.

But what we're doing is, is putting roadblocks u so that people can't go to work.

And if the purpose of the bill is to limi the people in the United States from or Alabama from being able to take a take a test, I think that's wrong.

I think once you're in the system and you're having the pace up and you'll never, ever get your license back, and that's not what we want.

You know, you might have legal people that, you know, that have come into the United States, and those legal people have come in and done everything they're supposed to do.

But now we're saying, well, unless you can, you know, speak English, you can't get a license.

I just think that's completely wrong.

We ought to help people get licenses.

No vote was taken on that bill.

That's expected when th committee meets again next week.

Also at the state House today, a few dozen dentists and dental students from across Alabama rallied to call attention to issues practitioners are facing with patient access to dental care.

They are urging lawmaker to pass bills designed to ensure that dental insurance premium dollars get spent directly on dental visits.

These bills establish a denta loss ratio for dental insurance.

That brings transparency and accountability, ensuring premium dollars are directed to patient care and not diverted to non care costs like administrative overhead or executive compensation.

Under these bills, at least 75% of premiums from standalone individual plans must go directly to patient care, and at least 83% of premiums from standalone group plans must go directly to patient care.

This is a measured, policy forward solution.

It does not change benefits.

It does not raise premiums, and it does not dictate how insurance run their businesses.

It simply states a clear expectation in dental insurance should work for patients.

This simply, make sure that the premium dollars go into what patients think they're going it's going for.

You know, you do not expect majority of your premium dollar to go to administrative cost and not actually providing care.

And this bill will ensure that the majority of your premium dollar goes to patient care, which is exactly where it should be going.

Coming up after the break, I'll speak with State Representative Ontario Tillman about his legislation regarding driver's licenses.

After that, State Representative Norman Crow joins me to discuss his first few weeks in the state House as one of the newest members of the Alabama Legislature.

Stay with us.

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

Appy tv.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.

Hugo Black served in the US Senate and on the US Supreme Court for 34 years.

He was appointed and confirmed to the Court in August 1937.

Shortly after his appointment, he survived a national uproar over his prior brief membership in the Ku Klux Klan.

Black explained that he abhorred racial and religious intolerance, even though he had once been a member.

He went on to be the earliest proponent of the judicial revolution that established a national bill of rights for all person subject to the US Constitution, and in 1954, black joined in the Supreme Court's unanimous opinion outlawing racial segregation in public educatio in Brown v Board of Education.

In effect destroying the legal basis of segregated America.

Today, Justice Black is remembered as one of the nation's foremost champions of the First Amendment and, in his words, the rights of the weak, helpless, and outnumbered.

Welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Joining me next is stat representative Ontario Tillman from Bessemer.

Representative, thanks for coming on.

Yeah, absolutely.

Always my pleasure.

I've got a lot to talk about.

But, you know, it strikes me that this is, you know, the last session of this your first term?

Yes.

So how would you grade it so far?

We're not finished yet.

But, I mean, you've now had, you know, three years under your belt.

You're your fourth one.

How do you say this term has gone?

Fast paced.

I can't say that.

Everything kind of been, like, hyper speed to kind of get a lot of stuff done, because I know a lot of us are still running and we got primaries, so people want to get back to the election.

But, you know, we have to still do the business of the state of Alabama.

So it's been interesting thus far.

And, a lot of work.

Yeah.

Well, you must have liked it well enough to sign up for another term you know, to run for reelection.

I do, it's been an honor to serve district 56.

And I thank the people for voting for me.

And entrusting me into this job is a big and a major responsibility for me.

So I want to take it with that type of understanding and, and really the pride of actually doing it.

So.

Absolutely.

Well let's talk about two of your bills.

You've got two bills dealing with driver's licenses in different ways.

Maybe we'll start with House Bill 66.

This is the one about invisible disabilities.

Yes.

And your companion bill in the Senate, Senator Linda Coleman Madison is sponsoring it up there.

Make a comment.

I'm sorry.

Oh, I'm going to get in trouble for that.

Yeah.

So you pass it on the floor?

Yes.

Talk about what this bill does.

It's talking about those disabilities we may not be able to see.

Yes, absolutely.

Well, this bill would create a designation that would be placed on your driver's license.

So anyone who deals with a, invisible disability.

So, such as autism, epilepsy, any type of cognitive impairment, you would actually have a, designation on your driver's license, and you would have a narrative on the back of your driver's license to explain what the disability is.

So I really would like to say, thank you to Alicia.

They were tremendous with trying to come up with the framework of this bill as well as, Representative Housel.

He, helped with the bill with his input as well.

So everything was great.

So I think is working out pretty well so far.

So what we through kin of practically how it would be.

So if I've got, you know, like you mentioned autism, there are other, you know, things that that might make interacting with an officer.

Yes difficult.

Yes.

And and obviously these officers, they don't know that walking up to your vehicle.

And so it would allow them to be aware of whatever the condition is so that they say, okay, this requires a different approach.

Yes.

And that was the impetus behind the bill to make sure tha our first responders understand if a person does not respond in the way that they are accustomed to.

Here's the reason why.

It's not as though they're trying to be defiant.

It's not as though they're trying to, you know, disobey, arrest or disobey questioning.

They may have sensory issues.

It may be an overload stimulation issue.

So we want to make sure tha we protect our first responders as well as people who deal with invisible disabilities.

Well, I remember Secretary Taylor talking about our troopers who are going through that sensory training to to make them aware of, you know, there are different types of people.

And like you said, it may not be that they're being resistant or being difficult.

They're just different folks.

And so that's interesting.

It sounds like this bill has a lot of support.

Yes.

In the House, in in the Senate.

And you mentioned the sensory training culture.

City has been doing a phenomenal job with training the officers on those sensory needs.

So also they provided inpu in support of the bill as well.

So I would like to thank them as well.

Other bill House Bill 110.

This has to do wit a digital driver's license.

Yes.

We have digital lots of things, insurance cards, things like that.

Is this sort of a similar concept?

Yes.

Similar concept that what you want is to be able to place the, you know, digital driver's license inside your Apple Walle or through and, a approved app.

So once you once it's created you would be able to say, okay, I want to be able to have my digital driver's license, because the one thing that we do know, you may leave your wallet at home, but you're not going to leave your cell phone.

I was just thinking that it's kind of sad, but it's true.

It's true.

You know, oh, I didn't bring my wallet.

But you're going to remember to remember.

This is.

We're addicted to this.

And you have Apple Pay.

You have cash.

So we do so much on our phones nowadays.

And then plus we want to keep up with technology.

And I think this is a way for Alabama to keep up with technology.

We'll also I mean it's election season.

Do you use it to vote?

Well, not not yet.

So the way this year I guess not this year in the future.

Yeah, absolutely.

So the way it is now, you still need your physical driver's license or I.D.

to actually vote.

So we're not at the stage yet to use the digital driver's license as a reason or identification to vote.

Well, but I can understand that because it comes with a whole different thing with, with, you know, fraud and all that kind of stuff.

So I understand it may take a while to get there, but this sounds like a concept that's ready to happen.

Absolutely nothing.

Like you said, the investment of technology.

So we want to make sure that we keep up with that.

And if it's if it's more convenient for the people of Alabama why not make sure that we can be across the state.

So.

Okay.

Well we'll keep up with this bill and as well as your House, Bill 66, when this companion bill from Senator Marica Coleman is in the up in the Senate.

Yeah.

She, she was very excited to carry the bill on the Senate floor.

It was near and dear to her heart because he had a family member that that suffers from that.

So she wanted to do it.

So I'm I'm very thankful of her for doing that as well.

We'll be following them.

I hope you'll you'll come back and tell m when they get signed into law.

Yes, absolutely.

We'll be excited about that.

Okay.

Thanks for your time.

We'l We'll be right back.

Alabama Public Television is your place for quality educational services.

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Florence native rhythm and blues singer and songwriter Arthur Alexander played a significant role in the developmen of North Alabama's Muscle Shoals music recording scene in 1961, Alexander recorded You Better Move On and Get a Shot of Rhyth and Blues, produced by recall.

You Better Move On became the first chart hit out of Muscle Shoals.

Alexander's records were particularly influential in Great Britain, where both the Rolling Stones and the Beatles covered his songs.

Welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Joining me next is State Representative Norman Crow of Tuscaloosa.

Representative thanks for coming on the show.

Thank you so much, Todd I appreciate you having me on.

I should have said one of the newest representative in the House of Representatives recently won a special election.

So welcome to the to the show.

Thank you.

It's been a whirlwind.

Crazy.

Two weeks, I bet.

I can only imagine.

Well, we love to have new members of legislature on to kind of introduce you to our audience.

Just find out more about your background because you can you start there.

What is your background and what led you to run for state House?

Well, I've been fortunat members of Small Business Guy.

I was in the trucking business in Tuscaloosa for almost, 10 to 20 years.

So I've been a small business guy, and I got involved in local politics.

I was on the Tuscaloosa City School board, for four years, representing district three.

And then I ran for for council, city council on the, in my fifth year.

I just won a second term there.

So I've always believed in public service.

I love our communit and with us, opportunity opened.

I thought it was a great, opportunity for me to, to really, help my community even more.

So I decided to run after Cynthia, resigne to become president of the PSC.

It was a little surprising probably to everybody at home.

And and I'm excited that the people elected me on January the 13th.

Right now, I get to turn around and run again, right?

Absolutely.

I've qualified again to run.

And, I do.

I'm a opponent in the first race in the specials running against me again.

Yeah.

Well you know, it's interesting you mentioned, Cynthia Almond, that seat over the years, it has so many influential folks and going on to higher office and things like that.

So is it obviously a very important seat in the legislature?

Well, I know one of the things that is so important is what committee you pursue and get assigned to.

Have your committees been assigned?

Yes, sir.

The speaker appointed me to the Education Trust Fund and also to Ed policy.

So I'm a member of both of those, committees.

So I'm excited about that.

The opportunities are great.

Committee assignments.

Oh, absolutely.

So like okay, that's education budget.

So I mean, that's really a key, key committee.

I mean, that' the biggest budget, obviously, you know, billions of dollars flowing but not just for K through 12, but for higher ed and you representing the University of Alabama.

That's a big part of that, right.

Absolutely.

And I mean, education is a huge part I mean, to everybody in our state, but it's real and key to, district 63 to the city of Tuscaloosa.

I mean, with the University o Alabama there and Shelton State.

And we also have Stillman College Group.

But, you know, it's education is important in our, in our community, in our economy.

So I'm looking forward to serving in this capacity.

But you also said and policy, you know, and we don't focus on that enough.

Of course, it's been a very busy committe over the last couple of terms.

But, you know, I would think that your experience on the school board, on that at the local level would really give you a valuable perspective for that education policy committee.

Absolutely.

It's already come into play on a couple things and bills that were before us because, I spent four years on that.

And, it was a great, a great term.

But it was also a time when we were kind of transitioning some things and got a new superintendent Tuscaloosa.

And, and, it's, it's I think it's going to serve me well.

I think my background in municipal government is going to serve me well in Montgomery.

Well, yeah.

Because it's so eas for the legislature to pass laws without thinking about how it's going to affect the local school board, the local schools, absorb the local governments and things like that.

And having that perspective can be valuable through a range of differen issues.

Sure.

I agree with you.

I think that's it.

That's important.

I mean, that perspective will serve me well.

I believe in the committees I've been appointed to.

Well, what, besides education, what other issues did you run on?

Do you want to focus on, here in the legislature?

You know, education is huge, of course.

I mean, workforce development is a big deal, for all businesses and people really across the state.

Are we educating our students and adults, even, you know, for the jobs of tomorrow?

And I think we've made progress.

The Republicans have over th last, you know, ten plus years.

And I think we hopefully can continue to do that and increase, and help the quality of life to keep improving for, you know, just average citizens in Alabama.

And I think workforc development is a is a big thing.

And economic development, making sure our state is competitive, making sure that we're open for business, not just in district 63 but we also have to put on that, that look for the whole state.

So I think it's important to be a pro-business state.

And also we want to be, pro-family and trying to help our, our citizens.

Get ahead.

It's interesting.

I was talking to your colleague, Representative Travis, the other day and he was talking about, like, that statewide perspective with the poor and how the poor is not just mobile, but really the whole state.

And y'all has some inland things, going on up there.

So it is interesting how folks come to governor, come to the legislature focused on local issues, but could see that larger perspective.

And that's when it's it's kind of fun to see those wheels turning.

Absolutely.

Because, you know, represent district 63 has sent me here and that's my primary mission.

But we also have the mission t serve the citizens of Alabama.

And I think that's important that we continue moving our state forward.

Absolutely.

Well, thank you for your service.

Thank you.

Thank you for your time.

It's nice to meet you.

Good luck.

With the rest of the session so far.

And I hope you'll come back whenever you get some bills and issues.

Things that you want to shar with our audience.

Absolutely.

Thank you for having me, Todd, and looking forwar to working with you.

Montgomery.

Thank you.

Thanks.

We'll 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 o Capital Journal's Facebook page.

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Visit AP tv.org/education to learn more.

That's our show for tonight.

Thanks for watching.

We'll be back tomorrow night at the same time, with more coverage of the Alabama legislature right here on Alabama Public Television for our Capital Journal team, I'm Todd Stacey.

We'll see you next time.