Matt Simpson
Alabama House committee expects draft of ethics law changes in January
An Alabama House committee plans to have a draft of proposed changes to the state’s ethics laws ready in January, ahead of the February start of the 2024 legislative session. Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, the chair of the House Ethics and Campaign Committee, said at a meeting Thursday he wants the members of the committee […]
Alabama House Rules Chair: Legislators to look at gambling, vouchers, workforce
The chair of the powerful Alabama House Rules Committee Wednesday said legislators would look at gambling, charter and voucher programs and the labor shortage in the legislative session scheduled to begin in February. Rep. Joe Lovvorn, R-Auburn, the chair of the House Rules Committee, told county commissioners and directors at the Association of County Commissions […]
Alabama legislators study past ethics proposals ahead of planned revision bill
Members of the House Ethics and Finance Committee Thursday discussed efforts since 2010 to amend Alabama’s ethics law. The gathering was the third in a series of “work meetings” providing legislators planning to draft legislation to update the existing law after a report released in August 2019 recommending changes that included tightening language in the […]
Alabama House committee takes deep dive into state ethics law
A House committee Wednesday took a deeper dive into the current ethics laws in the state as they consider potential ethics legislation for the 2024 legislative session. Rep. Matt Simpson, R- Daphne, the chair of the House Ethics and Campaign Committee, said Wednesday they would also consider opinions from the Alabama Supreme Court and Court […]
Alabama Corrections Commissioner: Prisons still struggling to attract staff
The head of the Alabama Department of Corrections told legislators Wednesday that the department is still struggling to fill vacant positions. Commissioner John Hamm told the Joint Prison Oversight Committee that the department has 700 to 800 vacant security positions and about 200 vacant administrative jobs. Hamm said recruiting remains a key problem for the […]
Alabama House committee mulls changes to state ethics law
A House committee Wednesday heard a presentation on a 2019 report that recommended tightening language in the state ethics’ code and introducing graduated penalties for certain violations. Jimmy Entrekin, general counsel at the Legislative Services Agency, presented the report issued by the Code of Ethics Clarification and Reform Commission to the House Ethics and Campaign […]
Criminal justice reform advocates see mixed results in Alabama Legislature
For criminal justice reform advocates, the 2023 session of the Alabama Legislature was a mixed bag. Groups managed to push through a bill limiting courts’ ability to suspend driver’s licenses for missed payments or court dates. Other bills they opposed failed to pass. But few other priority measures gained traction in a year when the […]
Alabama House committee advances bill to overhaul open records law
The House Ethics and Campaign Finance committee Wednesday approved a bill that would require most public agencies to acknowledge and respond to public records requests. SB 196, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, passed the House committee on a voice vote. It goes to the House floor. There are two days left in the 2023 […]
Alabama House bill creates registration, filtering requirements for pornography companies
An Alabama House committee Wednesday approved a bill requiring companies that distribute pornography to use filters aimed at preventing minors from viewing the material. HB 441, sponsored by Rep. Ben Robbins, R-Sylacauga, mandates companies distributing material that is “harmful to minors” to have a system in place for verifying the ages and preventing people younger […]
Republican lawmaker’s bill removes sales tax from gun safes, safety devices
A Republican lawmaker has filed a bill that would exempt gun safety purchases from sales tax. The bill, HB 375, sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, would add gun safety devices and safes to the list of items exempt from sales tax. It passed the House Ways and Means Education Committee, which handles sales tax […]
Alabama House Judiciary Committee delays bill streamlining voting rights restoration
The House Judiciary Committee Wednesday delayed a decision on a bill that would streamline the process for those who have served disqualifying criminal sentences to get their voting rights back. Committee members held off a vote on HB 96, sponsored by Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, that would streamline the voter restoration process after some Republican […]
House Judiciary Committee delays bill to enhance penalties for retail theft
A bill increasing penalties for theft stalled in the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday after several members expressed concerns over potential unintended consequences. HB 288, sponsored by Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-Morris, was sent to a subcommittee to address the issues. The bill would create a new crime of retail theft, defined generally as any attempt by […]