Transcript Highlights:

• Ladies and gentlemen, Alabama Senate will now come to order.
• <00:25:39.440> Ethics Pierce is confirmed to Alabama Ethics Pierce is confirmed to Alabama
• Welcome to the Alabama please stand.
• <01:14:28.960> was December of this year that Alabama was December of this year that Alabama
• state of Alabama at that time. state of Alabama at that time.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum. It adopted motions to excuse absent senators, dispense with reading the prior journal, and allow bills and committee reports to be taken up throughout the day. The chamber received multiple House messages and a gubernatorial confirmation, including House Bill 1 on motor vehicles, Senate Bill 170 on health insurance, and Senate confirmation 90 for Chenica Johnson Anom to the Alabama Cickle Cell Oversight and Regulatory Commission, all of which were referred to the appropriate committees. The Senate later concurred in the House amendment to Senate Bill 170 by a 29-0-1 vote. Committee reports covered a wide range of measures, with favorable reports and, in several cases, amendments or substitutes. Judiciary reported favorably on House Bills 228, 132, 347, 405, 86, 263, and 302, and on Senate Bills 318 and 260; State Government Affairs reported favorably on House Bills 435, 97, and 407 and Senate Bill 361; Education Policy reported favorably on Senate Bills 337 and House Bills 520 and 75; Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development reported favorably on House Bills 303 and 477 and Senate Bills 360, 325, 329, and 330; Transportation and Energy reported favorably on Senate Bills 341, 354, and 340; Veterans and Military Affairs reported favorably on House Bills 465 and 307 and Senate Bills 338 and 359; and Local Legislation reported favorably on Jefferson County Senate Bill 243 and Shelby County House Bill 532. These reports generally advanced the bills to second reading and placement on the next legislative day’s calendar. The Senate also confirmed George Pierce to the Alabama Ethics Commission by a 33-0 vote after a favorable committee report, with several senators offering brief remarks of congratulations. In motions and resolutions, the chamber adopted Senate Joint Resolution 77 honoring the Section boys basketball team and Senate Joint Resolution 78 honoring the North Sand Mountain girls basketball team for state championships. It also adopted Senate Joint Resolution 79 establishing a legislative study commission on child sexual abuse laws and policies. A senator additionally urged colleagues to support broadband expansion efforts in rural Alabama and to ask the education chair to place HB 4 on the agenda. The most substantial floor discussion concerned Senate Bill 146, the state general fund budget substitute. The sponsor explained several budget provisions, including a $12 million transfer and an additional $5 million for the judiciary to address funding for newly created judgeships, a conditional $40 million for the Department of Corrections tied to progress on the Elmore and Escambia prison projects, conditional funding for DHR tied to reducing its federal error rate and developing a SNAP-related plan, conditional mental health funding tied to reporting and data requirements, and language preserving legislative control over certain federal rural health care funds. The Senate adopted the committee substitute for SB 146 by a 32-0-1 vote and then continued with the budget explanation as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thirty-four states in the nation recognize the day in a different way or not at all, with some including Alabama
• The passage of this legislation would accelerate this planned development, giving the library and the
• The legislation would accelerate this planned development, giving the library and the city authority

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing covered a wide range of bills, with substantial testimony on commemorative days and several local development measures. Early testimony focused on competing proposals about Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Senator Comerford and others supported redesignating the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, while several Italian American legislators and advocates opposed changing Columbus Day and instead urged a separate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on August 9 or another date. Committee members noted the long-running debate, discussed the state flag and motto review process, and emphasized that any changes would require legislation. No votes were taken during the hearing. The committee also heard strong support for a Fred Korematsu Day bill, with testimony from advocates, legal organizations, community leaders, and Korematsu’s daughter. Witnesses described Korematsu’s resistance to Japanese American incarceration during World War II, argued that his story remains relevant amid current immigration and civil liberties concerns, and said the designation would help educate students and the public. A separate bill to designate September as PCOS Awareness Month drew testimony from Senator Miranda and health advocates, who described the disorder’s prevalence, frequent misdiagnosis, fertility and pregnancy risks, and the value of public awareness and education. Other bills discussed included a Domestic Workers’ Rights Day proposal, supported by Representative Garcia and Representative Sousa, who spoke about the invisibility and vulnerability of domestic workers and the importance of recognizing their labor. The committee also heard support for a veteran suicide awareness and remembrance day, a Boston branch library and affordable housing project in Dorchester, and a Fall River waterfront redevelopment bill transferring land to the local redevelopment authority for a major mixed-use project. In addition, Senator Miranda testified in favor of a memorial portrait for former Representative Doris Bunty, highlighting her pioneering role in the legislature and Boston public housing. The hearing was hybrid and lengthy, with the chair repeatedly asking witnesses to be concise and noting that testimony would be public record.

Transcript Highlights:

• We hear about the Mississippi Miracle that's now been adopted by Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee.
• partnerships between higher education and high schools, and that the deepening of those helps kind of accelerate
• You're trying to accelerate students, not just to say you've completed a college course.

Transcript Highlights:

• financial hurdles, and so we need to streamline the permitting process to get through the red tape and accelerate
• Transportation modes and accelerating the movement of commerce ports move liquid energy benefiting, Texas
• It's losing business to ports in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and along the East Coast in California.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we ask that you give us wisdom and guidance as we serve the people of Alabama. Amen.
• Anyone representing the Alabama State 911 Board here today? No. Any questions about these?
• And the Alabama State 911 Board appointees are approved. Moving.
• The Alabama State 911 Board appointees are approved. Moving on.
• I live in Tallapoosa County and I have lived in Alabama since 1995.

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Mandy Spears with the Alabama Department of Corrections. Today we have one renewal.
• <00:26:48.320> We the Geological Survey of Alabama. We the Geological Survey of Alabama.
• in the Black Belt of Alabama. Mr. in the Black Belt of Alabama. Mr.
• Afternoon, I'm James Horton with Alabama Medicaid Agency.
• Good afternoon, Patrick Samuelson with the Alabama Board of Nursing.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In Alabama, our First Class pre-K program provides funding to any of these programs.
• Department of Human Services, Alabama Department of Human Services, Alabama created<01:02:54.000
• In Alabama, different quality standards.
• Council of Alabama has shown that the Council of Alabama has shown that the academic<01:06:57.760>
• care in Alabama. care in Alabama.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee began with introductions of student guests, including an FCCLA national officer who spoke in support of career and technical education. She emphasized that CTE connects classroom learning to real careers, builds leadership and employability skills, and deserves continued state supplemental funding to keep programs current, expand offerings, and support student organizations. Members thanked her for her remarks and for representing FCCLA students. The committee then considered House Bill 67, a cleanup bill to address unintended consequences from last session’s Senate Bill 181 on traceable communication in schools. Rep. Josh Calloway explained that the substitute clarified definitions of family members, coaches, volunteers, certified/classified/contract employees, and virtual instruction; exempted group messaging, public social media posts, translation services, parent-provided phone numbers, emergency communications, and field trip/work-based learning contacts; and allowed teachers to disclose outside commercial or nonprofit involvement so they can communicate with students for those purposes. He said the bill was developed with input from school boards, administrators, KDE, school HR groups, Kentucky League of Cities, and Farm Bureau. The committee approved the substitute and passed HB 67 favorably. Next, the committee heard House Bill 759, which KDE described as a consistency bill for teacher certification pathways. The bill renames and standardizes alternative certification routes, clarifies content mastery requirements, allows teachers to add certifications more consistently, and lets educators extend certification into lower grade bands if they already hold higher-level certification and pedagogical knowledge. Members asked about chemistry majors, CTE occupational pathways, the veterans pathway, and grade-band “bandwidth”; KDE said the bill preserves the veterans route, does not create a new pathway but reorganizes existing ones, and will help make certification options easier to understand. HB 759 also passed favorably. Finally, Rep. Shane Baker presented House Bill 654, a follow-up to last year’s effort to reduce administrative burdens on schools. He said the bill would eliminate additional reporting requirements, bar KDE from requiring components of a comprehensive improvement plan not expressly required by statute or federal law, and allow EARS to temporarily authorize reports when the legislature is not in session while preserving necessary reporting tied to SEEK funding and school operations. The committee took up the substitute and began discussion of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• the great state of Alabama. the great state of Alabama.
• Uh today, cover Alabama and done.
• automotive plant in Lincoln, Alabama. automotive plant in Lincoln, Alabama.
• Alabama Mental Health Task Force. Uh we Alabama Mental Health Task Force.
• Alabama. The first law from 1978 created Alabama.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you will please call the appointees for the Alabama Family Trust Board of Trustees: Adrien Brown,
• Moving on to the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees.
• The appointees for the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees are approved.
• Moving on to the Alabama Community College System Board of...
• Moving on to the Alabama Securities Commission: Hope Marshall. I know that Ms.

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• you'll join me: Dear Lord, we thank you for this day and for the opportunity to serve the people of Alabama
• Committee today, help us all to make the best decision for the people of Alabama that we serve.
• to come tell this committee a little bit about this board and why it's important to the state of Alabama
• The people of Alabama are dependent on us to do it, those that want a good job and need good training
• The Alabama Workforce Board will be moving on to the next step.

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We thank you for the opportunity to serve the people of Alabama.
• Help us all to make the best decisions for the people of Alabama that we serve.
• Do any members have any questions for the University of Alabama Board of Trustees?
• The University of Alabama Board of Trustees confer are approved by the committee.
• Now we are down to the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Board.

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We actually have, basically, two: you got the Alabama High School Athletic Association, which is made
• You have the other, which is the AISA, the Alabama Independent School Association, and... ...Independent
• I mean, this has all been part of the original Alabama High School Athletic...
• have signed a petition asking... ...of Alabama have signed a petition asking for a religious release
• Board of Alabama that worked together with the parents and the school district to get it started.

Bills: HB298, HB342, HB332, HB344

Keywords: athletic classification, public high schools, English language learners, state education policy, athletic associations, religious instruction, elective credit, released time, public education, school policy, educational intervention, State Superintendent, local boards of education, subpoena, accountability, state control, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Whereas an extraordinary occasion exists in the state of Alabama which requires the legislature to convene
• Now, therefore, I, Kay Ivey, as Governor of the state of Alabama, do hereby proclaim and direct that
• the legislature of the state of Alabama shall convene in special session in the Alabama State House in
• Montgomery, Alabama, at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, May the 4th, 2026, to take up the following specifically
• , Alabama at 4:00 House in Montgomery, Alabama at 4:00 p.m.<00:10:29.280> on<00:10:29.440>

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, this bill does not prohibit anyone from doing business in Alabama
• Protecting Alabama from hostile foreign influence is what we title the bill. Why do we need this?
• So keep that in the back of in Alabama. So keep that in the back of your<00:02:58.319> mind.
• Uh protecting Alabama from your mind.
• They have in Alabama? >> We care about the ones where they actually own 20% of the business.

Bills: HB358, HB358

Keywords: juvenile justice, detention, age of majority, jurisdiction, child welfare, foreign influence, political activity, transparency, registration, civil penalties, hostile foreign principals, state ethics, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Alabama, it's only about 17%.
• The steps that Alabama has taken through the Florida Strengthens Alabama Homes program, adding fortified
• The steps that Alabama has taken through the Florida Strengthens Alabama Homes program, adding fortified
• The steps that Alabama has taken through the Florida Strengthens Alabama Homes program, adding fortified
• The steps that Alabama has taken through the Florida Strengthens Alabama Homes program, adding fortified

Bills: HF4881, HF4867, HF4422, HF4223

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, regulation, financial institutions, prescription drug affordability, consumer protection, restitution account, financial compensation, attorney general, distributions, property insurance, homeowners insurance, fire and allied lines, hail insurance, appraisal clause, loss adjustment, alternative dispute resolution, insurance claims, claim valuation, actual cash value

Transcript Highlights:

• math performance has long-term implications, in part due to low success rates of remediation and acceleration
• On the next slide, we see that Alabama and Louisiana have shown that strategic investments in systems-level
• So it was that T-Class funding, which stands for the Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Supports.
• So it was that T-Class funding, which stands for the Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Supports.
• Senator West, you remember when we put an ACE in Dallas, Accelerating Campus Excellence, and that was

Summary: The committee continued hearing testimony on Senate Bill 2252, which would expand early literacy and numeracy screening, parent notification, intervention supports, and teacher training, including math academies and early childhood supports. Supporters from Texas 2036, Good Reason Houston, Texas Business Leadership Council, and several parents argued that early identification of skill gaps, clearer data for families, and stronger teacher preparation would improve student outcomes, workforce readiness, and long-term earnings. They cited low math proficiency statewide, the importance of early intervention, and examples of districts using screeners and data dashboards to guide instruction and resource allocation. One witness also highlighted home visiting as a family-support model, while another urged more funding for pre-K partnerships and stronger support for parents with reading materials and guidance. A district special education administrator testified neutrally, saying the bill reflects practices already used in her district but expressing concern that it could reduce local control and teacher discretion by standardizing screening and tying it to funding. A Texas Classroom Teachers Association representative supported the intent but warned that mandatory math academies and intervention academies could burden teachers if implemented like prior reading academies, and a substitute teacher/teacher-of-the-year witness asked for clearer protections around special education information and pay for alternative certification candidates. After public testimony closed, SB 2252 was left pending. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2253, as substituted, which would phase out routine hiring of uncertified teachers over time, require parent notification when a teacher is uncertified, and expand high-quality preparation pathways such as university programs, residencies, improved alternative certification, and grow-your-own programs. Senator Creighton said the bill responds to the rise in uncertified teachers and aims to strengthen the teacher pipeline with more structured preparation, mentorship, and oversight by SBEC. Invited testimony strongly supported the measure: a Texas Tech researcher said uncertified teachers and fast-track programs are associated with significant learning losses, while year-long residencies and mentored pathways produce stronger outcomes and higher earnings for students. Leaders from Dallas College and Sam Houston State University described successful residency and grow-your-own models, high completion and retention rates, and the need for paid residencies and stipends so candidates can afford to enter the profession. Committee members asked about the difference between mentorship and residency, the cost-effectiveness of paid residencies, retention incentives, and how to scale the model statewide. The committee also adopted the substitute for SB 2253 and later paused to vote out several other bills, including SB 1191, SB 1786, SB 226, SB 326, SB 570, SB 870, SB 991, SB 60, SB 365, SB 1401, and SB 1067, all of which were reported favorably, many with unanimous votes and some placed on the local and uncontested calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• it is my prayer that they will Alabama it is my prayer that they will Alabama it is my prayer that they
• roll University of Alabama roll University of Alabama roll tide members of the Tusc Loa delegation tide
• uh and and there were where so Alabama uh and and there were where so Alabama uh and and there were
• is where current legislation in Alabama is where current legislation in Alabama is where is only really
• or Big Town you're in rural Alabama or Big Town you're in rural Alabama or Big Town Alabama or the big

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to Alabama Senate.
• In the end, God's work is going to be done in the Alabama State Senate.
• In the end, God's work is going to be done in the Alabama State Senate.
• We can make it the Alabama State Senate.
• ladies and gentlemen of the Alabama ladies and gentlemen of the Alabama State<00:42:16.319> Senate

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved excusing absent members, dispensed with the previous day’s journal, and allowed bill introductions and committee reports throughout the day. Members also recognized guests in the gallery, including Judge Smitherman and later Karen Butler, wife of Senator Tom Butler. The chamber adopted Senate Joint Resolution 11, honoring Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated on its Founders Day and 118 years of service, after reading the resolution at length and hearing brief remarks from Senator Figures. The Senate then adopted the Rules Committee’s special order calendar and took up several bills. Senate Bill 12 by Senator Gudger, repealing a prior community development districts law tied to a Coleman County project, passed. Senate Bill 19 by Senator Livingston, dealing with health insurance/prostate cancer screening, also passed. Senate Bill 89 by Senator Sessions, repealing the 1931 State Pilotage Commission statute, passed; Senate Bill 134 by Senator Beasley, concerning taxation and interstate warehousing of tobacco products, passed after a committee amendment was adopted; Senate Bill 100 by Senator Kelly, extending the State Board of Pharmacy sunset for one year with appointment changes, passed; Senate Bill 114 by Senator Bell, expanding Alabama’s handling of out-of-state warrants to additional felonies, passed; Senate Bill 122 by Senator Stewart, regarding the State Board of Registration for Foresters, passed; Senate Bill 35 by Senator Kitchens, updating vessel registration language for Coast Guard compliance, passed; and Senate Bill 127 by Senators Coleman-Madison and Stewart, continuing the Board of Examiners in Counseling for four years, passed. Senate Bill 28 by Senator Elliott, which would raise the earnings cap for retired law enforcement officers and district attorneys returning to work and address school bus driver staffing, was discussed at length but carried over at the sponsor’s request. Senators raised concerns about the bill’s impact on RSA/retirement system funding and the possibility of broader pressure for similar retiree reemployment arrangements, while supporters emphasized staffing shortages, training savings, and benefits for schools and public safety. The session concluded with the calendar completed and a new resolution introduced by Senator Orr recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States Postal Service, which was taken up for immediate consideration and adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• You guide our hands and our voices as we seek to do your will here in the legislature of Alabama.
• I've been the administrator of schools in Florida and Alabama.
• I do want to thank the folks at the Alabama Community College System.
• I want to say Alabama law is 16, where they can actually... 17? Okay, so it's 17 now.
• So, it's something that's not done in Alabama, but it's done nationally.

Bills: SB140, HB102, SB133, SB34

Keywords: Coach Safely Act, youth athletics, noncompliance penalties, Department of Public Health, youth athlete, dual enrollment, high school, community college, university, educational access, high school credit, violence prevention, conflict resolution, mediation, public education, high school graduation, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, Alabama ranks at or near... ...Alabama ranks at or near the bottom in any category where you
• They take millions of dollars a year out of the healthcare system in the state of Alabama.
• This is HB283, the Alabama Personal Data Protection Act.
• Chairman, I'm Ben Baker with the Alabama Association of Justice, and we oppose the bill in its current
• We also have a bill on the books called the Alabama... a bill on the books called the Alabama Genetic

Keywords: 923, senate, all