From our state House studio in Montgomery.

I'm Todd Stacy, welcome to Capitol Journal.

Today was the 14th day of the Alabama Legislature's 2026 regular session.

So by this time next week, we'll be more than halfway through this last session of the term.

New tonight, Governor Kay Ivey has signed two of the session's most high profile bills into law.

First is House Bill 16 from State Representative Chris Sales of Greenville and State Senator Clyde Chambliss of Prattville, known as the App Store Accountability Act.

The new law will requir App Store companies like Apple and Google to have age verification for users.

Those under 18 would have their accounts linked to a parent who would have approval for any downloads.

The goal is to protect children from inappropriate content online.

And Senate Bill 71 from State Senator Donny Stein of Geneva known as the Sound Science Bill.

It will prohibit the state from adopting environmental regulations more stringent than those imposed by the federal government.

And in the case wher federal regulations don't exist, any new state regulations would only be allowed after demonstrating a direct causal lin between exposure to a substance that threatens, quote manifest bodily harm to humans.

Debate over how sex education should be taught in Alabama's public school moved to the Senate floor today.

Senate Bill 209 from State Senator Shay Shelnutt of Trussville, would establish sexual risk avoidance as the framework for sex education in public K-12 schools.

It would require parenta notification before instruction, and it would give the Attorney General authority to enforce the law.

The measure passed the full Senate 26 to 3 with some bipartisan support.

But some lawmakers warned that limiting instruction to a sexual risk avoidance model could lead students, especially those in low income and inner city communities, without comprehensive information, to help prevent unintended pregnancies and sexual transmitted infections.

It was a cycle because the mother was on the air and she was saying, you know, well, you know, I got pregnant when I was 16 or whatever.

Father was in jail or whatever.

She had to raise a child alone.

Question in my mind was, why did you not tell your child about this?

But this is a cycle is being repeated.

It it's not being taught in school.

And if they're no getting somewhere, I understand.

We we would like to live and die in this world.

With the rainbo over the rainbow and everything.

Sky blue is not the way it is.

There's some inappropriat things being taught our students that we don't want to talk.

We want it to be scientifically based.

We want it to be based on what's best for our students.

Sexual abstinence is the best and only 100% way to avoid unwanted pregnancies or STDs.

And that's the main focus of what we want to talk to our students.

And the bill allows patients to opt out.

They have a 14 day notice if they want to opt out and their kids not not take the course.

They do.

That bill now heads to the House for consideration.

The House took u an agenda of sunset bills today.

This is the annual tas of reauthorizing various boards and commissions.

While normally a non-controversial process.

One such bill sparke some debate on the House floor.

Senate Bill 113 from Stat Senator Chris Elliott of Baldwin County, would shift the Behavioral Health Licensing Board to an advisory only role and make the Alabama Department of Mental Health responsible for regulating and licensing therapists.

Some lawmakers said they had heard some concerns from parents of children with autism and others with similar disorders.

What are we doing here?

This board is being pulled back into the Department of Mental Health.

Should I go?

Yes.

Yeah.

Okay.

And they will do the administrative function for them.

But tell me what out.

And I guess I'm concerned.

I'm.

My question is more along the line of the context of what they do.

Because mental health is such a huge issue here in the state of Alabama.

And I said, I think two days ago in speaking to a group that we need to do mor in this area as we move about.

I think it may have been on Faulkner's, bill, as we, recapitulated the, matter of the, non-disclosure agreements.

And I just think that we need to focus more and put more in the budget, or that, because we have so many families this this disease impacts families, and they are more people in and families that are impacted than not.

You know, so I guess my confusion about autism, is that right?

Yes.

And so my thing is, you know, exactly what this board does and is it a seat it board?

Now, are we receiving them?

Do they operate at all?

That's what I'm trying to get.

So we are not changing the board make up, no the ones who are on the board.

They just will go from a standing independent board to an advisory board.

The same people are on it.

They're pulled unde the Department of Mental Health who handles all of the administrative functions, and they will continue to do the advising part of what they're designed to do.

And I know autism is one thing.

I don't think that's everything, but they still will be the ones that are overseeing the advising mental health about what they should do.

In that regard, mental health is just going to cover the administrative functions that bill passed with an amendment and now must go back to the Senate.

Also in the House today Minority Leader Anthony Daniels took to the floor to send a warning about a bill currently in the Senate.

Senate Bill 289 from State Senator Will Barfoot of Montgomery, would allow the Alabam law Enforcement agency to take operational control of a clas three city's police department if they don't meet certain officer staffing quotas.

Montgomery and Huntsville are the only class three cities in Alabama.

Daniels who represents Huntsville, said if the bill comes to the House as currently written, it will face strong opposition from Democrats.

There's a piece of legislation, that has been introduced that have brought my commute, my city, into it, that deals with police powers.

Now, if this bill was meant for Montgomery, then it needs to be with Montgomery.

But when Huntsville get brought in to something, then it gets my attention and know that this legislation, things are going to change.

If this legislation moves out of the Senate, I will be on this floor every single day fighting against everything that this city that the city, the, the senator that's bringing this legislation, everything in my city.

I will be a one man wrecking crew in this chamber fo the remainder of this session.

And so I am not going to put up with anyone doing anything to impact my community, bringing my community into something wher we don't have the same issues.

So you pick your poison, but you just start a fight.

Today was Highe Ed Day here at the state House.

The annual event brings hundreds of college students and administrators to the Capitol comple to meet with lawmakers and rally in support of funding for public colleges and universities.

The day always kicks off with a parade with mascots and marching bands and dance teams through the streets of downtown Montgomery, ending on the statehouse steps.

You see them turning the corner.

They're right by the statehouse.

The SGA president from each school sign a pledge saying they'll work together to support higher ed.

There you see the band from ASU.

All the student gathered there at the statehouse with the mascots.

There's T Roy from Troy ther with Gordon Stone and Troy's SGA president, signing a pledge saying they'll be they'll work together.

There's a students from University of North Alabama, and there's all me with Auburn's attitude UAB.

State leaders from the governor to budget chairman talked about the importance of investing in higher education.

Higher education is Alabama's future.

Alabama's public universitie returned 27 million for the made dollars to the state's economy every year.

But more than that, they improve our quality of life while generating new leaders in every field imaginable.

With over 180,000 students under the umbrella, Alabama's public colleges and universities elevate Alabama's students and frankly many students from other states and countries as well, to achieve one and greater career success.

Overall, every university has its own value to add to this great state I by education, because of the knowledge that have gained that I couldn't have attained anywhere else, but to also gain the kind of character that no man can take away from higher education taught me to keep trying to collaborate and critically think about the things tha the rest of the world may leave.

On the surface, I speak for all students at the 14 public universities in Alabama as we pledge to make daily choices to pursue an education that will set ourselves and those that come behind us up for success for a better tomorrow.

Thank you for your help i turning our dreams into reality.

The legislature has been so kind to offer us the chance of extension partnership to for four years now and we hope for many more to be spearheading a group calle the Student Retention Council.

And we want to say to each member of of our group today and all of our student leaders and campus representatives, we are committed to being a voice in this process, to doing what we can, to sharing your perspective of what it means to think about being a part of Alabama long term your career choices in Alabama.

We'll take a shor break and be back with tonight's guests, State Representative Laura Hall of Huntsville.

Stay with us.

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aptv.org.

Click on the online video tab on the main page.

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Alabama Public Television is your place for quality educational services.

Free professional development for educators and childcare providers with access to free, curriculum aligned videos, lesson plans and instructional resources with PBS Learning Media and all the PBS kids programs, parents know and trust.

Learn something new every da with Alabama Public Television.

Visit us at AP tv.org/education to learn more.

Mother Angelica was the founde of the Eternal Word Television network, located in Irondale and founder of the shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament and Handbill.

Born Rita Antoinette Rizzo in Ohio.

She joined the Poor Clares order of nuns and was inspired by the early Civil Rights movement to establish a religious community for southern African Americans.

She established the Franciscan Order in Birmingham, where she initiated a successful series of parlor talks that led to a regular Sunday morning radio broadcas called journey into Scripture.

In 1981, Mother Angelica spearheaded a movement to form the nonprofi Eternal Word Television Network.

Wheaton brought Mother Angelica to a global audience as the host of the highly successful televisio program Mother Angelica Alive.

She also served as chair and CEO of the network.

Mother Angelica died on March 27th, 2016, and is buried in a crypt and a shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Joining me next is State Representative Laura Hall of Huntsville.

Representative thanks for coming on the show.

Thanks for having me.

It's higher Ed Day.

Yes.

You had some students down from Huntsville, Alabama A&M your age?

Yes.

We were honored to see them.

Great turnout.

It looked like it.

And they have a pretty long trip to make.

Probably longer than anybody else.

So that's good to hear.

It's good to see.

Yes.

Got lots of things to talk about, but I want to started.

Start with your bill.

House Bil 437 has to do with parole.

Yes.

And the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

What they can consider when a decision comes to revoke a parole or no to tell me what your bill does.

So the basically, if that's what we are trying to do, is to make sure that that there is a bill in place that would allow pardons and paroles to have an opportunity, with all of the evidenc to be able to look at the cases and make sure that individual is not penalized.

And this specifically comes from a case that happened in my area where a young man had an encounter with the police, and during the process he it was foun the case was finally dismissed.

And when it went before the parole board, there were no options for th parole board to look at his case and give him an opportunity to continue to go back home or to do a shorter sentence, as opposed to revoking his entire parole and making sure tha he serves out the entire term.

Okay, so this incident happens.

The case is eventually dismissed.

So he's right, not guilty of anything.

And yet his friend Mary.

Ma'am, I'll have to say that based on the evidence information I've received.

And but his parole was revoked anyway, right?

And so your bill would allow the board to consider more more than just the current current, right?

It would take all of the evidence in place.

They would take.

They have an opportunit to look at all of the evidence and then have the opportunity to decide.

The other part of the bill is that I understand that the administrative rules that they use versus the bill itself does.

The bill doesn' allow the administrative rules or the administrative rules are not able to do what they think they may be able to do based on the way to Bill.

This law is written for president kind of sinking those, Yes, sir.

Well, look, anytime you talk about pardons and parole, this kind of stuff, it' going to be controversial.

Sure.

Where are you in the process?

I'm imagining it has to g through the Judiciary Committee.

Things like that.

Where?

Where are you in the process?

So in the past, in the Senate, it has gone through the judiciary and has come ou of the committee in the Senate.

What I am doing in this process is having meetings with those individuals that I think would have some issue of concern, such as the, the DA's office, the Appleseed, the parole board, Kim Ward.

So having all of those individuals at the table, hopefully we can fill that exact.

What's the best approach and get this bill moving.

Okay.

Well, what would you say its chances are?

I mean, like I said, things like this can be pretty controversial, but you've got Senator Givhan in the Senate as a sponsor.

So it is a bipartisan.

But I think it's well one of the things that I think is important in any bill we have is open and candid communication.

And that's what I'm looking for.

And so next week, we will pull all of those groups together to make sure we have an opportunity to sit together.

And hopefully that when it gets to the floor, all of those issues have been worked out and we'll move forward.

So I am saying I'm looking forward to getting the bill passed Yeah, well that's the process.

That's how it's supposed to work.

Look, I, I watch you sometime in committee and on the floor.

You're always asking questions to dig into bills, especially when it comes to education.

And it seems to me that this year, really the past 4 or 5 years, there are there are more education policy bills than I've ever seen having to do with, you know, what we do in the classroom, what teachers get to say, don't get to say what we teach and things like that.

Things that maybe normally the school board does.

So as a former educator what are your thoughts on that?

I mean, is the legislature, doing to much to influence the classroom?

Is that the appropriate role?

What are your thoughts on.

Well, first, I think many times many of the bills that we've had educators have not had any input until after the bill has been introduced or even passed.

So I think one of the things that we miss, from my perspective, is including the voice of the educators, the individuals that are doing the work.

What is the school board?

What is the classroom teacher?

Whoever it is, and they shoul have some input in what we do.

But many times that is not the case.

And at the same time, you know, there are some reforms that have passed there in the legislature that are doing really well.

I'm thinking of the Literacy Act, the numeracy.

We got some real national accolades going on about that but that's like more high level driving the department and driving some of that.

So I guess it's a balance.

There it is.

But the other side of that story is that let's see if there there are probably still some concerns you would get from classroom teacher about the paperwork.

And I understand we've been working on that.

So classroom teachers who had concerns about the paperwork, their voices have been heard.

There's been an attempt since that bill was passed to make sure that that is decreased.

So I'm saying if on the front end, we deal with some of those issues and being more inclusive of the individuals that are, teaching our children, and who are the ones that's doing the work, I think we will find ourselves even in a much better place.

Interesting.

What about the budgets?

We are almost halfway through session, and it's just about time to pick up the budget.

Specifically the education trust fund budgets.

A budget I've heard, Senator.

Or talk about it.

I've heard, Representative Garrett talk about it in terms of you know, it's not going to be the rosy days of record budgets and things like that may be coming to an end.

It's still going to be a healthy budget where the conversations have been.

What are we?

What are the conversations internally in the House about what we're looking at in terms of this education trust fund?

Well, there I serve on Ways and Means general fund.

So the conversation is being for each one of us individually that are serving on that committee to make sur we look very closely at the meet the budget that has come from the governor's office, have a meeting or indicate what we see that that may be missing or we need to add have that conversatio with the chair of the committee.

And then when it's brought to the committee, we will have a discussion on that and determine which the best move I see.

Well, how's general fund looking, y'all?

I mean, because that's the there's some concern there about things just no being quite, as, you know, rosy.

Well.

And the other side of that, I'm not sure if we have a clear picture of exactly how the big beautiful Bill is really impacting.

And so I'm looking forward to really see and we've heard some short, presentations from the agencies like Dr.. You know those boots net.

But in terms of how what direction we headed, how are we going to address those concerns?

I have not heard an even from the department heads saying this is what we think should happen.

The federal government givet and the federal government take it away.

But while I have you, I wante to ask you about Jesse Jackson.

He obviously, his passing on Tuesday has brought back a lot of memories.

Folks speaking on the floor.

I understand you were a delegate for his presidential campaign.

What year was that?

That was 1988.

Okay, 1988.

I was a delegat when he announced in the to run the very first year in 84 I traveled to Greenville, South Carolina, to the Greenville Spartanburg Airport to make sure I was a part of that because I grew up in Sout Carolina, only 30 miles from so, as did he.

Right?

Yes.

And so I, felt what a loss.

And I had the opportunity last year doing the Selma to Montgomery march to be in his presence and have a picture with them.

So I'm honored for that opportunity.

But more importantly I want to say that he has quite a legacy that he's given left to us in terms of his work, how he always gave hope, such as keep hope alive, how he always reminded us as African Americans, you are somebody.

And so, you know, that legacy is so important.

And I am dishonored that I had an opportunity to live through it, and also to have an opportunity to meet him personally, to talk about what that was like when he when he announces his run for president, serious run for president twice.

But that first time in 1984, I mean, I was too young to know what was going on.

But what was that like fo the African-American community?

Like, hey, this is real.

Well the African-American community had had an opportunit to hear an African-American run in, which was Shirley Chisholm in 72, 84.

There seemed to be a little more enthusiasm, a little more it wasn't I wouldn't say there was no enthusiasm for Shirley Chisholm, but that seemed to be.

She set the ball in place.

For even when Jesse ran and so from there, just the opportunity of being able to vote for someone who espoused those things that you believe could make a difference and years later, Barack Obama.

Yes, about all built on that first step by that woman, Shirley Chisholm.

There you go.

Well, look, thank you fo sharing your memories of that.

And thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Safe travels back to Huntsville.

Thank you so much.

We'll be right back.

Alabama Public Television is your place for quality educational services.

Free professional development for educators and childcare providers with access to free, curriculum aligned videos, lesson plans and instructional resources with PBS Learning Media and all the PBS kids programs, parents know and trust.

Learn something new every da with Alabama Public Television.

Visit us at AP tv.org/education to learn more.

Fred Shuttlesworth was one of the pioneering figures of the Civil Rights era and the central leade of the movement in Birmingham, as pastor of Bethel Baptist Church and founder of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights.

Shuttlesworth spearheaded civil rights actions in Birmingham throughout the 1950s and 60s.

In 1957, Shuttlesworth helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Council with Martin Luther King, Jr and Ralph Abernathy.

In 1963, he convinced King to join his efforts to desegregate businesses in Birmingham, helping to spearhead the series of protests that became known as the Birmingham Campaign.

Press coverage and public outcry over the brutal treatment of protesters pressured President John F Kennedy to introduce into Congress legislation that would eventually become the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

In 2008, the Birmingham Airport was renamed the Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport in his honor.

My name is Jacoby Taliaferro.

I'm a welder here at Arsenal.

I work on the EPO, the Expeditionary Fast Transport.

It's like a picku truck used to transfer sellers and other equipment.

When I got to this job I met a recruiter at our store.

I met him my 10th grade year.

We went through the summer internship.

It was a six week program entering my 12th grade year.

When I came back during the pre apprentice program, I went to school and I came also around 1 to 5 every day.

They paid me to come learn about what I what I love to do every day.

You had to be on time every day.

You had to show u and be accounted for every day.

After I finished, I had to go through another interview and they actually offered me a job.

I'm happ to be a part of this team now.

I can build a career and be able to live here and take care of the people I love.

When I have a passion for what I love, you know, coming to work every day.

I love working every day and I want to change it for my mental.

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.

That's our show for tonight.

Thanks for watching.

We'll be back tomorrow night for our Capita Journal Week in Review episode.

That's 730 right here on Alabama Public Television for our Capital Journal team.

I'm Todd Stacey.

We'll see you next time.