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Alabama closed primary bill dies as session ends without final Senate vote
The bill would limit voter participation to party affiliation in the next election cycle.
Alabama lawmakers finalize $12.4 billion education budget package
The final ETF budget also includes a 2% pay raise for educators as well as a one-time bonus for retired educators.
Week in Review: Historic Session Meeting in the Capitol’s Old Statehouse Chamber
One action by the Alabama House of Representatives will definitely hold a special place in 2026.
Alabama Legislature passes PSC overhaul; governor signs sweeping utility reform into law
A sweeping rewrite of how Alabama regulates utilities is now law.
Alabama Senate committee passes education budget, one-time bonus for education retirees
More than 60000 of the 100000 retired education employees have income that places them at or below the federal poverty level.
Alabama House approves religious instruction release time bill
The Alabama House on Tuesday passed a bill that clarifies how public school students can participate in off-campus religious instruction during school.
Alabama House passes bill reshaping faculty senates, tenure at public universities
The version that passed the House backed away from some of the more prescriptive language in the original bill.
U.S. Navy puts $30M in Alabama community colleges for submarine, shipbuilding training
The Navy projects a need for between 4000 and 5000 new maritime workers along the Alabama Gulf Coast over the next five years.
Alabama bill would loosen sick leave donation rules for K-12 employees
Under SB211, beginning with the 2027-28 school year, direct donation of sick leave would not be limited to catastrophic illness cases.
Alabama lawmakers head into a weeklong spring break
Lawmakers return with six legislative days remaining in the session.
Alabama bills would give neighboring school districts option to merge
House Bill 178, sponsored by House Education Budget Chairman Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, would allow contiguous city school districts to merge.
Alabama House begins negotiations on record $10.5 billion education budget this week
Lawmakers will begin negotiations on Gov. Kay Ivey's $10.5 billion Education Trust Fund spending proposal.
Lawmakers file bill tying college funding to graduation, job outcomes
Lawmakers are proposing to tie tens of millions of dollars in higher education funding to how well Alabama's public colleges and universities perform.
Lawmakers preparing to take up Alabama’s two required state budgets
In the final stretch of the 2026 regular session, lawmakers take on the State General Fund budget and the Education Trust Fund budget.
School prayer bills advance in two Alabama House committees
House Bill 43 passed the House Education Policy Committee, while House Bill 511 cleared the House State Government Committee.
Ten Commandments display bill advances in Alabama House committee
The measure would require schools to display a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in classrooms serving grades five through 12.
School prayer, grading, career tech bills set for committee vote this week
With 13 legislative days remaining, several proposals are set for committee votes this week after drawing debate in earlier hearings.
House Highlights: February 27, 2026
Two closely watched bills hit the House floor for debate. The first, House Bill 360, sets up a new Second Amendment sales tax holiday.
Alabama Senate advances bipartisan effort to expand insurance coverage for breast cancer screenings
The AL Senate unanimously approved legislation to improve early detection of breast cancer.
Lawmakers unveil career tech package, including $150M funding request
Alabama lawmakers unveiled a coordinated package of career and technical education initiatives.
Proposed changes to Alabama’s A-F school report card spark debate
The scholarship would provide up to $3000 in eligible expenses for each academic period for college and workforce training.
School prayer proposal fails to advance in House committee
Because the proposal is written as a constitutional amendment, it would require approval by Alabama voters before taking effect.
Advocates seek $14M to cover school breakfast reimbursement gap
Lawmakers allocated $7.3 million in supplemental funding this year.
Alabama lawmakers weigh state intervention in understaffed police departments
Senate Bill 298, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, would require certain towns to have at least two full-time police officers per 1,000 residents.
Senate Judiciary committee considers one-year suspension bill for school threats
This bill would require automatic one-year suspensions for students charged with making school threats and increase criminal penalties.
Alabama Senate approves bill allowing removal of local library board members
Senate Bill 26, sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, prompted more than an hour of debate on the Senate floor.
Sex education, Ten Commandments, religious released time bills advance in Senate committees
Senate committees advanced a number of education-related bills Wednesday, including several that didn’t reach final passage last year.
Alabama lawmaker proposes changes to A-F school report cards
The changes place a heavier emphasis on academic growth - especially for the lowest-performing students.
Alabama Senate approves death penalty for child rape, sends bill to Gov. Ivey
Some lawmakers raised concerns about the irreversible nature of capital punishment.
Senate approves bill requiring universities to plan for federal funding cuts
The bill directs universities to prepare a written plan for two scenarios: a 5% reduction in federal funding and a more severe 25% cut.
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