Chris Elliott
Alabama senator criticizes Board of Pharmacy lobbyist contract
Members of the Legislative Contract Review Committee Thursday criticized the Alabama Board of Pharmacy for hiring a private lobbyist. The board has hired the Montgomery-based Southern Group as a legislative consultant. The contract is worth $160,000 and runs through September 2025. “I will have a piece of legislation coming up here in February that says […]
Transportation contracts still on hold amid West Alabama Corridor dispute
Several road construction contracts remain on hold amid a dispute between two legislators about funding the West Alabama Highway Corridor. The 13 contracts, totaling $83 million, stalled last month amid arguments between lawmakers over the cost of the project and whether infrastructure projects in the Black Belt received a proper amount of attention. Sen. Chris […]
ALDOT contracts put on hold amid dispute over West Alabama Corridor funding
The Legislative Contract Review Committee Thursday put holds on Alabama Department of Transportation contracts as disputes erupted between lawmakers over the cost of the West Alabama Highway Corridor project. The arguments began after Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, began asking Clay McBrien, the assistant chief engineer of policy and planning with the Alabama Department of Transportation, […]
Amid political attacks, Archives board chair says department is for ‘all Alabamians’
It’s not often a state archive can predict an exciting year ahead. But it’s not often that a state archive becomes a political target. And so the Alabama Department of Archives and History is inviting anyone with concerns about their institution to speak with them. “It’s going to probably be a really interesting regular legislative […]
How the Alabama Department of Archives and History plans to spend $5 million
The $5 million that the Alabama Department of Archives and History got in a supplemental appropriation this spring – which faced threats in the special session last week – will allow the Department to expand and create new projects, including those for their “youngest visitors.” The money will go toward expansion and new programming, including […]
Bill slashing Alabama Archives funding over LGBTQ History program dead for session
A bill that would have removed $5 million from the Alabama Department of History and Archives died in committee during last week’s special session. The bill, SB 1, sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Daphne, would have moved the $5 million from the Archives budget to the University of South Alabama in retaliation for the department […]
Alabama politicians want you to live in a political ad
Imagine living your life in a political ad. Not the sort of spot where the world is monochrome; the air is filled with ominous bass notes and a guttural voice accuses you of kicking puppies or flipping off military widows. No, the kind where the candidate tries to come across as a normal Alabamian. You’d […]
Montgomery law firm getting millions of dollars for Corrections’ legal work
Lawmakers Thursday expressed concerns about the cost of litigation involving the Alabama Department of Corrections. DOC made up 31 of the 43 legal services agreements listed on Thursday’s Contract Review Committee agenda. Those contracts amounted to almost $16 million, or about 88% of the total $18.2 million that were awarded to vendors by different state […]
LGBTQ history program part of recommitment effort, says Archives and History
Alabama Department of Archives and History Director Steve Murray said Monday that the department is working to not repeat their early mistakes of excluding the stories of marginalized people. “As a taxpayer-supported institution, it is appropriate for us to provide opportunities for the public to learn about and discuss topics that have some connection to […]
Alabama Senate committee approves bill regulating ride-share programs
An Alabama Senate committee Wednesday approved a bill that would regulate ride-sharing in the state. SB 232 sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Daphne, would subject peer-to-peer car sharing program, like Uber and Lyft, to requirements for insurance, liability and reporting. “This is something that is very popular in my area of the world where we […]
Voting restriction bill moves in the Alabama Legislature as voting access legislation stalls
The Alabama Legislature is on course to finish the 2023 regular session with more restrictions on voting and a number of stalled attempts to make casting a ballot easier. A bill that would make it a felony for most people and organizations to assist people with filling out absentee ballots is moving quickly through the […]
Alabama senators fear state might miss ARPA deadlines
Several legislators said Tuesday they feared the state might not spend money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in time to meet key deadlines. The concerns came at a meeting of the Joint Legislative Committee on American Rescue Plan Act State Funds, after speakers said some projects remain in the preconstruction stage. Much of […]