From our state House studio in Montgomery.

I'm Todd Stacey.

Welcome to Capitol Journal's week in review.

We'll start our coverage in the nation's capitol, where Congress ended a partial government shutdown this week.

But the clock is already ticking on a deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

Amid the controversy over immigration enforcement policies.

Alex Angle reports from Capitol Hill on how Alabama's delegation is involved.

Congress passed its final package of spending bills on Tuesday.

But the Department of Homeland Security will run out of funding and just about a week with a deadline being midnight on Friday.

But no bipartisan dea has yet to emerge, and Senator Katie Britt is leading the discussions for DHS funding for the Republicans.

With the stroke of the president's pen.

11 of the 12 annual spending bills are now law funding most of the federal government through September.

Appropriators Bret and Robert Aderholt joined the signing in the Oval Office.

Both praised the stat.

So 96% of the government being funded.

Your priorities put in place, Mr.

President, so that we can make the country safer we can make it more prosperous.

The path forward in this legislation reflects President Trump's negotiations and direction to avoid a long term partial shutdown and keep the government operating without further disruptions.

Alabama Democrats split their vote on the package to end the partial shutdown.

Congresswoman Terri Sewel and some other Democrats joined a majority of Republican to approve the spending bills, including a two week stopgap for DHS.

But she says her yes vote wasn't to support immigration enforcement.

Instead, it was for her cance screening bill that was included in the legislation.

It's all about providing access to the latest and best screening opportunities for all of us, but especially our seniors, and so doesn't plan to support another Homeland Security funding bill unless Democrats get the Ice constraints they've demanded into the legislation.

Those includ no masks, clear identification, and no roving patrols for federal agents in the wake of the fatal shootings in Minnesota.

It's got to be tough.

It's got to rain and ice in very serious ways and end the violence.

But Republicans aren't budging.

Bret, who is leading Homelan security negotiations, quickly opposed Democrats list of ten guardrails for Ice Wednesday night.

She posted on social media that the list is, quote, a ridiculous Christma list of demands for the press.

That shows just how far apart the two sides are.

Just a wee before the next funding, Cliff Britt says another stopgap bill for DHS is a likely scenario.

It would give lawmakers more time to negotiate a long term solution for funding the agency in the wake of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

Reporting on Capitol Hill, Alex Angle, Capitol Journal.

Thank you.

Alex.

Back here to the statehouse, where the Alabama legislature met for the ninth and 10th days of the 2026 regular session.

That means we are one third of the way through, at least in terms of legislative days by the calendar.

The session will likely g until the first week of April.

And this week saw some of the first major bills pass and get sent to Governor Ivey's desk.

One high profile bill would allow the death penalty for those convicted of child rape.

The legislature stemmed from the shocking child sex trafficking ring that was uncovered in Bibb County two years ago.

Capital Journal's Jeff Sanders has more.

Mr.

Allen, the Alabama Senate has given final approval to House Bill 41, known as the Child Predator Death Penalty Act.

The legislation would make rape and sexual torture of a child under the age of 12 capital offenses.

Making a person eligible for the death penalty.

The bill was sponsore in the House by Representative Matt Simpson, and carrie in the Senate by State Senator April Weaver.

I think the biggest thing that it accomplishes is it shows that we have zero tolerance for sex predators who prey on our children in the state of Alabama.

While the vote was overwhelmingly in favor for the bill some lawmakers raised concerns about the irreversible nature of capital punishment.

Democratic Minority Leader Senator Bobby Singleton warned about the risk of wrongful convictions.

Once we do, the death penalty is over.

It's not like, oh, we got the wrong man.

I know tha sometimes there are prosecutors that does malicious prosecution who just want to get a case and say I think I got the right person.

I'm going to go on and do what I'm going to do and prosecute them.

But Weave pushed back on those concerns, emphasizing that the sentence would not be automatic.

I feel for sur they will do the right things.

The prosecutors will look at it on a case by case basis.

It means your death eligible.

It does not mean it' an automatic sentence for you.

Prosecutors will look at that on a case by case basis.

The lone no vote came from Democratic Senator Vivian Figures of mobile, who said her only opposition was based on her long standing stance against the death penalty.

But I wanted it to be know why I was voting on this bill.

Voting no on this bill because, you know, protecting our children means everything to me.

But for Weaver, the possibility of a death sentence for those who abus children goes beyond punishment.

I believe there's a special place in hell for people who do this to our children.

And today, we're one step closer to having a special place for them in Alabama.

And that's on death row in the death chamber, at home, in prison.

That bill now heads to Governor Kay Ivey for her signature.

Although it's likely to face legal challenges over its constitutionality.

Alabama is now among six states who have passed similar measures.

Reporting from the state House in Montgomery.

I'm Jeff Sanders for Capitol Journal.

Thank you Jeff.

A bill aimed at giving parents more control over what their children see online is also on its way to the governor's desk.

House Bill 161 would require App Store providers like Apple and Google to implement age verification for minors and parental notifications.

The bill was sponsored in the House by State Representative Chris Sales of Greeneville, and carried in the Senate by State Senato Clyde Chambliss of Prattville.

Democratic lawmakers praised Chambliss, who has spent the last three years working on this legislation for working with them on changes they believe make the bill stronger.

I think I have some concerns beyond what we were looking at here in terms of where we are in terms of really protecting families.

You heard me.

You went back.

You work through it.

You work with the different groups, came up with these amendments.

Everybody's not going to be happy with what we have.

I think we have a product that we can put out there to start protecting families and our children.

And if we have to come back next year to be able to tighten it up, we can do that.

I've heard the firsthand stories fro from the citizens of our state, not some other state, but our state where they've had an accidental exposure to these pictures, videos, things that have devastated those children, those families.

And, we think this bill will be a good, good ste to prevent that from happening again.

That bill is on its way to the governor's desk.

The Senate also gave final passage to a measure addressing how dredged material is dumped along Alabama's Gulf Coast, particularly in mobile Bay.

House Bill 181 from State Representative Rhett Marks of Enterprise and carried in the Senate by State Senator Chris Elliott of Josephine, would requir at least 70% of dredged material to be put to beneficial use instead of dumped.

This came about after complaints were raised about where dredged material from the port's channel deepening project was being dumped.

It means that 70% of what was happening right now won't happen anymore, in the near future.

And that's a that's a big thing.

That's a big thing for our oystermen, for our shrimpers, for our commercial fishers, fishermen, and also for the recreational fishing boat captains and charter boat captains that the fish, the bay every day and it's good for it's good for me and my kids and the people that are on the bay trying to live and work on the bay and catch fish.

And it's good for submerged aquatic vegetation.

It's just better for water quality overall.

But perhaps most importantly to everyone else in the state, it's good for the huge tourism industr that we have in Baldwin County.

Remember, 8.5 million visitors come to Baldwin County every single year, and they don't come just to shop in Fairhope at the nice shops or at the Tanger Outlet Malls in Foley.

They come for the water quality at our beaches and we do not need to do anything to, to damage or threaten not just the the ecology surrounding that, but the business, the huge, booming business that is 8.5 million visitors a year.

And I'll spea in more detail about that bill with representative Marks later in the show.

Also receiving final passage this week was House Bill 245 from State Representative Terry Collins of Decatur.

It would amend last year's law creating the Rural Hospital Investment Program to allow more companie and organizations to participate in that tax credit program aime at supporting rural hospitals.

What happened?

Even at the very end, we realized we had used, finance and we should have been using revenue.

Revenue was doing the wor that was the appropriate place, and we said we would clean that up.

So we kne we needed to make that change.

They were already working on it.

The part we did not realize until after it was done.

And that happens sometimes when you pass legislation, the actual way something is implemented doesn't wor like we thought it was going to.

And that's what happened with this one.

It's a rural health care tax incentive, and we built in revenues that go both into the ETF and the general fund, because of which utility taxes and license and things that can be included that are not always included.

And so we wanted our rural utility companies to be able to support and and benefit from helping their local hospitals and the codes that we use the sections.

There was no mechanis for revenue to pull that money from them into this tax credit.

And so this bill corrects that.

And it's a $20 million cap this year.

I think we're already at 17 million.

So there's just a little bit lef for them to take advantage of.

But it was always my goal that rural people could support their own local hospitals.

And this, I think, will open up that last avenue we intended.

And one update on that cap she mentioned, the Alabama Hospital Association announced yesterday that the $20 million cap has been reached, which speaks to the deman for that rural hospital program.

Representative Collins also talked about legislation she plans to advance to improve Alabama's aid through our report card, not for students, but for schools themselves.

Collins passed a law almost 15 years ago implementing the school grading system in order to improve parental involvement and awareness, but bureaucratic delays have plagued that system, and Collins says higher standards are needed.

So I've spoken with the school board for years, really, about doing some of this, tightening it up, making i so that we're focused on growth of our student and achievement of our students.

And so I've been working on trying to do that in the legislation this time.

I am very excited about it.

I think it sets up more of a return on investment.

How are we do and are student prepared like we think they are?

It, raises the waitin of a college or career indicator so that our students really know are they prepared for college if that's the direction they're going?

Are they prepared for a career?

And then we would assess that later on to say, are we doing what we think we're doing?

I think there's a lot of that.

There is, a provision in it.

When I was first elected in ten.

Florida had passed this in 1990.

They were in the bottom 10% of schools.

Achievement, and by ten years they were in the top 10%.

But they lifted their bar o what was an A, what was a B to C, I think four different times in that decade.

We passed it in 12.

We first never had a grade till a December of 18.

It's very frustrating, very frustrating.

It was supposed to be 13 and so it was 18.

And we've never lifted our bar.

And so I just want to tighten that up so that we are truly focusing on student achievement, growth, achievement and what's best for the kids, as she promised right here on Capitol Journal a week ago, State Senator Marica Coleman of Pleasant Grove has officially dropped her gambling legislation here at the state House.

Senate Bill 257 proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow Alabama voter to decide whether to authorize a state lottery in person.

Casino gambling, and both in-person and online sports betting.

The measure would also create a statewide gaming commission to license and regulate gambling, and would allow the governor to negotiate a compact with the sports band of Creek Indians.

But the bill's path forward remains uncertain.

Senate President Pro Tem Garland governor has previously sai that he does not want the Senate to deal with gambling again this term.

House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter has said the same for the House.

That will make it tough for Coleman's legislation to advance.

When asked about that challenge this week, Coleman said the decision ultimately rests with the people.

The end of the day, we do actually serv at the pleasure of the people.

I have huge respec for leadership in both parties.

I've served in the House before as well.

But at the end of the day, we are state legislators, and we serve a constituency.

And if the public decides an folks are, you know, calling us and saying we want this chance, folks, listen to it.

If they want to continue to serve again, I'll respect for the pro tem.

We work very well together, along with my, I know Minority Leader Bobby Singleton as well.

But again, it'll be up to the people if we take the vote or not.

And look, I'm opening this conversation up.

If folks don't want to do the vote this year, let's pass somethin and we'll have a vote next year.

But we need to do something so the citizens can finally remember him 23, almost 24 years.

And a lot of those years we talked about this same issue.

And again, now with the budget deficits that we are facing, we just can't afford to wait any longer.

And that bill is being co-sponsored by Democratic Senators Stewart, Hatcher, Coleman Madison Figures and Smitherman.

And if taken up it would go through the Senate tourism and Economic Development Committee.

The House was busy this week, working to a solid agenda of bills, including one that is ver personal to one of its members.

Capitol journals Randy Scott reports.

On the current law, on the person's first DUI conviction, their driver's license is suspended for 90 days, and then they are allowed, but they are not required to have that one.

That 90 day suspension stayed.

If they install the interlock device in their in their vehicle for 90 days.

Representative Barbara Boyd introduces House Bill one to the House.

The bill seeks to strengthen guidelines for using ignition interlock devices to help fight DUI accidents.

What this means is tha the farther they get into their 90 day licens suspensions, the less incentive.

There is to have that suspension state by install and again, and on that device, the subject hits close to home for Boyd.

In 2024, she was involved in a bad car accident after being hit by someone driving under the influence.

Boyd suffered serious injuries and spen significant time in a hospital.

She says the purpose of her bill is to clear up any loopholes allowing someone charged wit DUI from repeating themselves.

An amendment was added and reaction from the House was united.

This amendment, simply explains that if a person elects to install the, interlock system into their car, into their vehicle, that the 90 day license can be stay and can be suspended for that period of time.

Thank you so much for caring about our children and bringing this back.

Children and families are what this bill is about and trying to protect and make things better for them.

I just so appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I support you.

Representative Boyd appreciates the support from the House.

As Hous Bill one is approved to be able to just stand here at all.

I cannot believe what they say to my own self.

And Shakespeare says you must be true.

And then you cannot be false to any one.

Another proposal in the lower chamber is House Bill 100.

It seeks to set up the Alabam Justice Information Commission and entity for providing a background check service.

Could you kind of explain what you're doing with this information system and background checks?

It's just, you know, a liaison background checks for a long term.

If an agency is hiring somebody and they they need a background check.

They can hire a lawyer to do the background check.

House Bill 100 is approved at the statehouse.

Randy Scott, Capitol Journal.

Thank you.

Randy.

The House also passed legislation that would prohibit the state from selling voters phone numbers for commercial purposes.

House Bill 67 is sponsored by State Representative Jamie Keel of Russellville.

The bill would remove phone numbers from automatically being included in the voter rolls and prohibit their sal for commercial, commercial use.

Keel said he brought the bill because his constituent complained about the excessive robocalls and spam text they were receiving.

Think more people will buy the voter rolls at only $1,000 apiece.

So that's going to expose more information to more people than ever has been before.

And so more people will buy the voter rolls.

Therefore, the information that's on the voter roll will be more more accessible to more people.

Well, one thing that people are typically not too happy about is that the state includes the phone number, their phone number, when someone purchases the voter rolls.

And we were discussing earlie about the number of spam calls we receive.

Oh, yeah.

And it is unbelievable.

And I think almost everybody in the state is happening too.

But I might get a dozen spam calls a day.

And what we want to make sure of is that the state is not participating in that, and not complicit in that by selling phone numbers on the voter roll.

And so we'll redact those phone numbers.

It also will not we'll never allow social Security numbers, driver' license numbers to be published.

We'll put that in cod so that going forward, the state will never do that either.

And that bill now goes to the Senate.

Here's a look at other notabl bills moving in the legislature this week.

House Bill 101 from State Representative Lee Hulsey of Helena, would allow those with invisible conditions, like autism, to have it distinctly noted on their car tag to make officers aware that goes to the Senate.

House Bill seven from State Representative James Lomax of Huntsville would increase penalties for making a terrorist threat that goes to the Senate.

House Bill 274 from State Representative Matt Simpson of Mobile would further restrict the use of unmanned aircraf or drones near Alabama prisons.

And Senate Bill 62 from State Senator Arthur Awe of Decatur would establish the Alabam Charter School Finance Authority and allow it to issue bonds to provide funding for public charter schools.

It now goes to the House.

This week also saw education budget hearings here in the state House.

Lawmakers gathered to hear funding proposals from education agency leaders.

But the biggest issue discussed was p hip that stands for the Public Education Employee Health Insurance Program.

Goin into this legislative session, the program was facing a potential shortfall of $380 million.

Governor Kay Ivey and lawmakers would like to avoid a major premium increase for teacher and other education employees.

So the talk mostly focused on a short term fix for the upcoming year, and then looking more toward long term at what needs to be done to deal with ongoing costs in the future.

You know, the biggest issue we're facing is this bill, this issue.

So I think that was discussed.

I think maybe there's som better understanding about that.

What that means.

I think we, had some really good information from the higher ed community who had some really good information on the KSAT 12 report.

So this was good.

So I think we just ge a little more informed to them.

But I think what really stood out was the impact of this.

You know, perhaps it is, but also challenge.

You know, the staff is doing a lot of work to kind of, figure out what's causing what's driving a lot of this.

What can we manage through cost saving programs that does an increased cos for employers and for members?

What are some other kind o creative things that we can do while we're using these one time funds is kind of a stopgap measure.

I mean, I think we can get through fiscal year 27.

We're obviously still very concerned about 28 because the projections for that year, it keeps going up.

And it's a it's a bigger issue than just perhaps a nationwide issue with health care costs.

And so, you know we're going to be doing our work and hopefully there's a lot of other work going on to figure out how do we make it more affordable not just for employers members, but for everybody.

A bill in a Senate committee this week drew strong reactions over how sex education is taught in public schools.

Senate Bill 209, sponsored by Senator Shell.

None of Trussville would do three things.

Establish a sexual risk avoidance as the framework for sex education in public K-12 schools require parental notificatio before any instruction, and give the Attorney General authority to enforce these standards.

Supporters say the bil strengthens parental involvement and ensures sex education is age appropriate.

Opponents argue it restricts access to comprehensive, evidence based information and could negatively affect student health and safety.

Lawmakers heard testimon from both sides during a public hearing in the Senate Education Policy Committee, including from a student who described her experience and a fifth grade sex education class.

And from advocates who oppose the bill.

This bill undermines the progress needed to address critical public health issues and pursue bodily safety for youth in our state by restricting access to comprehensive evidence based on age appropriate sex education.

This legislation compromises the ability of students to make informed, health decisions about their futures.

We know that almost 40% of Alabama high schoolers report having had at least one sexual experience.

So keeping critical sexual health information away from young people only exacerbates the sexual violence that they face.

What specifics were not mentioned?

My mom was assured it would be age appropriate.

The day of the talk, kids were divided.

Girls go into a classroom.

Boys go into the gym.

We were taugh how to put a condom on a banana and how you can turn transgender with surgeries with these lessons.

These questions made me feel uncomfortable and should not be taught in elementary school.

I feel kids should be learning ho to have a healthy relationship, and what a healthy and happy family looks like.

Ther was no vote taken on that bill.

It was simply a public hearing.

But the bill will go back before committee members next week.

The House Public Safet and Homeland Security Committee took up legislation this week aimed at stoppin disruptions at church services.

This, of course, comes on the heels of an incident in Minneapoli where two people were arrested for interrupting a place of worship as part of a protest on th immigration enforcement issue.

House Bill 363 from State Representative Greg Barnes of Jasper will create stiffer penalties for such activity.

Under existing law, the crime of riot, harassment and disorderly conduct establis and or a violation of the law.

This bill would establish the crime of disruption of church worship service an provide that crime if committed.

If during that worship service that has a scheduled time an individual entering upon the premises of the church or church property with the intent to disrupt the worship service engages in a riot.

Disorderly conduct, the harassment of a worship participant, or the obstruction of the ingress and egress of the church property or the building.

You projecting people going to go to churc in a way, but you're projecting people to go to go to church to disrupt service.

Now you got the in and you got the trustee disrupting the church service.

It's not the agitators.

This has an element of privacy.

You know, I mean, the intent.

This bill has an element of intent to g there and intentionally disrupt a service.

This is not some one that's already in the service or something.

That's, someone that attends church there.

This is someone that comes outside with the inten to go in and disrupt a service.

That was harm, harassment, disorderly conduct.

Everything that I described.

Now I'm Pentecostal.

If I came to a Baptist church and I said, Hallelujah, praise the Lord.

Run this and not.

That's disrupting the service.

That you know.

No, sir.

No, sir.

That's not that's that's not regular.

Well it is not in the Baptist church.

I don't talk over.

I'm not, I'm not.

I'm answer.

We we jump up and holler Hallelujah.

But what what what what wha about someone from the outside?

I'll be the answer.

I'm not a member of the church, but I'm visiting you.

Come visit and you jump up and, And we're going to be all right.

I'm going to tell the preacher.

Tell the police, say the true preacher.

That bill was approved by the committe and now goes to the full House.

Turning to politics for a moment, there's an update on candidate ballot challenges.

We reported last week that both Tommy Tuberville and John Wall were the subject of challenges to their candidacies over their state residency.

The Alabama Republican Party steering committee on Sunday voted to dismiss those challenges and allow the candidacies to move forward for Tuberville, who is running for governor.

The decision was unanimous.

For all the former GOP chairman who is running for lieutenant governor.

There was a split decision among committee members on whether or not to investigate further.

But that tie was eventually broke by acting Chair John Reynolds.

The decisions do not rule ou potential legal challenges down the road.

And we have an update on the two big federal races in Alabama this year on the fundraising side.

We'll start in the crowded race for the U.S.

Senate and specifically the Republican primary.

In that race, it is US Congressman Barry More leading the cash on hand battle, finishing 2025 with $842,000 in the bank.

Next, it's Attorney General Steve Marshall, finishing last year with $562,000 cash on hand.

Morgan Murphy has $530,000 and Jared Hudson has 480,000.

This is all according to the latest Federal Election Commission finance reports.

Now to the race for Congress in Alabama' first district in south Alabama, their state representative, Brett Marks, is leading the fundraising battle, finishing 2025 with $775,000 cash on hand.

Former Congressman Jerry Car finished the year with 483,000, both between his personal accoun and a joint fundraising account.

And now we'll look at fundraising numbers for state candidates.

We'll stop.

We'll start at the top of the ticket for governor.

Republican Tommy Tuberville raised another $938,000 in January, and now has $7.4 million cash on hand.

Democrat Doug Jones raised $212,000 in January, and now has $861,000 cash on hand in the race for lieutenant governor.

It's West Allen leading the cash on hand battle with 1.66 million, but John Wall raised a whopping $1.1 million in January after receiving the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

Rick Pay has 563,000 in the bank, and Nicole Wadsworth has almost 310,000.

And in the super competitive race for Attorney General, Jay Mitchell is leading the cash on hand battle with $2.45 million after raising 264,000.

In January, Captain Robertson raised more than $377,000 in January and now has $1.78 million cash on hand, and Pamela Casey has $600,000 cash on hand after raising about 4000 in January.

Some big news for the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Parole.

At a meeting of the Reentry Task Force this week, an official with the U.S.

Navy informed the state that it was interested in working with the Prep Center and Perry County to train welders for the submarine buildin project planned for mobile Bay.

Bureau Director Kim Ward sai the partnership will allow them to expand their training efforts that are making a big difference in reducing recidivism in Alabama.

We really appreciated, the US Navy speaking up at the meeting and talking to us about their plans for what they want to do in Alabama.

Previously we had had meetings.

I know Commerce has had meetings, workforce developments, had meetings, and they actually came to our site and participated in a tou of our Perry County Prep Center and looked at our rehabilitation efforts.

Mo most importantly, they were impressed with our job training projects that we do in conjunction with Ingram State Technical College.

They were so impressed to the point they said, we need welders to do, parts for some of their projects are doing down the coast.

And they said, we can hir as many as you can produce.

Wow.

For my side, being personally selfish, what that means is we're going to increase the classes we have in our prep center right now.

So far in the last few years, we've graduated about 498 people, and of that 498, only we had one perso recidivist and go back to jail.

A big honor for an Alabama sheriff.

Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham has been named the 2026 Sheriff of the year by the National Sheriffs Association.

This is a big deal and one of the highest honors in the law enforcement profession.

The award highlights Cunningham Cunningham's leadership and service among more than 3000 sheriffs nationwide.

The association says his innovative public safety initiative and strong community engagement have made a lasting impact across Montgomery County.

While maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, Sheriff Cunningham will be formally honored later this year.

Congratulations, Sheriff, and we'll be right back with this week's guest, Representative Marques and Adline Clark.

Stay with us.

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.

You're watching Alabama Public Television celebrating 70 years of service to Alabama.

Welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Joining me next is State Representative Rhett Marks from Enterprise.

Representative thanks for coming on the show.

Thank you so much for having me, Todd.

Big week for you.

It was a very big week.

You're your mud dumping.

We keep calling it mud dumping bill.

It passed the house last week.

Passed the Senate this week.

You had it back in the House?

Yes, sir.

So it's, you know, got sent to the governor.

Talk about what this bill does and why it was necessary.

Well, it's very important, to make sure that the ports are secure and and vital.

They travel to the economy of the state.

And we wanted to make sur that the ports still maintained that 50ft down that channel.

But, you know, it's important because right now they are taking that dredge material and it's called thin layer placement, mud dumping.

And they are using that dredge material and turning it, the hose into the middle of the bay and opening it up.

And, and it hits and it disperses out into the bay and it has cloudy the water, it is hurt.

The oyster farmers, the fishermen and the shrimper and everybody who live and work on the, the bay.

It's hurt them.

And the bay is important to me.

I grew up down in Baldwin County, and, I saw the I looked at the bay for the majority of my life and fish swim, boated on the bay.

And it it was important because this maintenance dredging is going to happen 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 365 days a year for perpetuity.

Is this is not going to stop because there's, sediment that's going to come down of the river system.

And it is we got to maintain, that that channel for the ports.

Port are very important to the state.

When we saw some of that video, I remember it was last year, I think it was last year when, everybody was getting ready to go down to the Grand Hotel or the BCA conference.

And, Senator Elliott who co-sponsored this with you, was saying, y'all, when y'all come down, take a look, because the deepening and widening the dredging, it was it was video of just this mud coming and really black stuff.

And, you know, which, of course, that deepening and widening project is very important.

But just the visual alone was concerning.

And so what happens now?

What do they say.

Because it's got to go somewhere.

What would you do under your bill.

Well they do that's exactly right.

It was there is beneficial uses that can be used with the for this material, whether it's marsh, restoration or land restoration.

Erosion control.

And you can even use thi to build things like concrete.

Or they could have done tha before they built Ireland.

They.

Yeah, they have Gilliard Island back in the early 2000s was built like that.

And there and there's but there's things there's, projects now that are taking place, for this, material.

It's called beneficial use.

And we just more clearly defined what the federal standards was for beneficial use.

The Corps of Engineers considered, thin layer placement, mud dumping as beneficial use because they're just replacing the sediment in the bay.

The bay is naturally, shallow across.

So, and it's not very wide, so it's a shallow bay and not wide.

So when this when this material hits it, it's going to go throughout the bay.

And, we have allowed 30% of the material to still be use until thin layer replacements.

But we felt like Senator Elliott, I felt like it would be better used to build up, more of the marshlands in the delta and help erosion control.

Okay.

What's been the reaction locally?

Because I know people take the bay pretty seriously because it's not just like you mentioned boating.

It's not just it's it's people's livelihoods.

Yes.

It's a an a really importan estuary, for the Gulf of Mexico.

So just a big deal.

It is.

And, you know, people, when I went down to, campaign in the, in that area in mobile, Bong County, it was the only thing that people wanted to talk about.

It was the most important issue.

And, you know, again, livin there and growing up on the bay, it was one of those things where it started.

I saw it, and I felt like this is something that we need to take care of because the bay is so important to so many people.

Or you mentioned campaigning, you are campaigning, you're running for the for Congress in the first district, that new first district, we're still kind of getting used to this new district, but it's basically the botto of the south part of the state all the wa to where your current district is an enterprise, all the way over, to mobile.

So let me just start there.

Like I ask all candidates, why are you running for Congress?

Well, great question.

Thank you for asking me.

I'm running for Congress to take our values and our priorities and our needs in Alabama to Washington, DC.

We have done a very good job here in the state of Alabama to put money back in the pockets of, of our citizens.

And I'm going to take that same idea, just like President Trump di with the working family tax cut.

Give working families money back in their pocket.

We did that here in Alabama with the with the cutting the grocery tax in half.

But we've also protected our children.

We protected our families.

We supported our military, our law enforcement and our veterans.

And it is is vital to make sure that we continue to grow this state.

And I know I can do that because I've done it right here in the state of Alabama.

Now it's an open seat because the current occupant, Barrymore's running for the Senate.

So and but you've also got a former member of Congress who used to serve in that seat.

So pretty competitive in terms of all that, what issues are you trying to focus on?

Because, I mean, I know it's February, but May's coming that promise swimming quick.

So what are you trying to impart on voters.

Yeah I think it goes back to my voting record will speak for itself.

I have proven that I have, voted to cut taxes for families, like I said, and we have proven that we have stood strong to make sure that children are protected, not, you know, boys don't play in girls sports, etcetera.

And we're going to take that same value system to Washington, D.C., you know, and this is it is a unique district.

I want to touch on this for a second.

It is a unique district.

It does stretch acros two distinctly different areas the coast mobile Baldwin, Escambia and the Wiregrass.

With, that group of counties, that I currently live in.

I grew up in Baldwin County, graduated from Fairhope High School and lived there for the majority of my life before buying a business in the Wiregrass and, you know, raising m two daughters in the Wiregrass.

So I understand both sides of this district.

I can uniquely, understand the differences, but also the needs that we need to take to Washington to take care of our Alabama citizens.

It's interesting you put it like that, because any way you draw the district, I remember the old second district was the Wiregrass and Montgomery, and those are also two very different places and things like that.

And I've always felt like the Wiregrass, I don't know, felt a little short shifted, you know, saying, come on, we you know, we want to and so do you think it's a little bit of the best of both worlds in terms of, you know, yeah, you you lived there, now you have roots.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's right.

My family still lives in Baldwin County, in Mobile County.

And and of course now we live and serve in Coffee County.

But, you know, I think it's it's important those distinctions.

What makes us better?

We Alabama is a great cultural, has a great culture of diversity, but we we do have different areas of the state that are not just like the river regions, not like the wiregrass, like you said.

But, I think with the way this district, which we did not draw like this, that was a three judge panel that decided this but it is uniquely set for me.

Okay.

Now, look, it goes without saying.

You look at Washington right now, and there's just a lot of chaos.

There is, the matter of fact, I think the margin of majority in the House is like one at this point.

Who knows what it's going to be?

I mean, it could very likely, go, Democratic, and then you'd be in the minority.

But let's say that happens.

You end up serving in the minority, which is not a lot of fun.

How would you want to work, to get things that get important things done for the district, even though you might be in the minority?

Well, I think, in.

Todd, you've known me for a while.

I think, my, ability to work across party lines.

But even though I'm very conservative, still respect.

And there is or and I think Senator Britt has proven that it works, even though she has, different ideals, as some o the people that her colleagues, she has been able to work and bring those, what problem or whatever they are together.

And just like what she did with, helping open up the government after 42 days.

And I know I can do the same thing because I've done that right here in Alabama.

I have worke with the Democratic Party here.

Even though we are a supermajority, you still have to, at times work with the, other parties.

And I think we've been able to respect each other and get things done.

And I know I can do the same thing in Washington.

Well, look we'll be following the campaign.

Thank you.

Certainly we'll have, other candidates on it as well.

But again, congratulations on this.

Well it was very important to the Bay, very important to those who love the Bay like I do and those who live and work and, and use that bay for their living.

It's very important for them.

And I'm sure we'll be talking to Senator Elliott about it.

Oh thanks again.

Thank you.

Todd, we'll be right back.

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Welcome back to Capitol Journal.

Joining me next is state Representative Adline Clarke of Mobilel.

Representative thanks for coming on the show.

Thank you for giving m the opportunity to talk to you today.

Absolutely.

Well, look, we're one third of the way through session costs of processing.

You believe it is fine?

Here we are in the first week of February, one third of the way through.

Y'all moving pretty fast.

So, given your perception, of the session so far, especially from the Democratic caucus.

Well, so far, so good.

Of course, we haven't gotten as many bills, voted out of committee yet, but we hope that that's going to happen soon.

We have had some, but we'd look forward to having more of our bills get vetted in committee and come to the House floor for a vote.

You mentioned kind of.

So far, so good.

It's kind of been smooth sailing.

No knock down drag out fights and everything.

Sometimes that happens.

Usually that happens later in the session.

Do you expect something?

You know, the last sessio was got pretty rocky at times.

Do you expect any of that or do you expect it to be more of the same?

I really think it's going to be more of the same.

As you well know, it's an election year.

Many of us have opponents, and I think many of us are eager to get back hom and get on the campaign trail.

Sure.

And no giant issues like there's not a it's not likely to be like a big gambling bill or a big bills where it's just, you know, it takes up all the time.

So I think you're right about that.

I wanted to get to some of your legislation specifically on the issue of voting.

Yes.

You mentione we're in an election year.

Yeah.

So there's always a focus on voting.

But you've had, bills in the past.

You've brought them back up.

I want to start with your early voting bill.

You know, a lot of states have had early voting for decades.

And indeed, in fact 47 states in these United States have some form of guaranteed early voting.

Only Alabama, Mississippi, an I think the third state is New Hampshire, do not have some form of guaranteed early voting.

So what would your bill specifically do?

And so my bill, let me say to you that, I keep bringing this bill because I keep getting, motivated to do so by my constituents next to request for a lottery in Alabama.

The request that I get most often is for early voting.

And so that's why I continue to bring this bil in, in hopes that at some point, it will get a favorable report in committee and then will be voted upon by the House and the Senate.

But the bill proposes, six days of early voting, beginning a Saturday, ten days from the election through a Thursday.

And so there's one weekend of early voting plus several weekdays six total days of early voting.

And the process will work the same as it does when you go to your precinct to vote.

You would have a paper ballot.

There would be tabulators, tabulator machines at the early voting centers so that you would vote.

Same as you would if you went to your polling place on Election Day.

Now, I have to say six days is pretty modest because there are states out there that have weeks and weeks and weeks.

And that's exactly that's part of the opposition to this and saying, okay, do do we really need to have a month of early voting but six days.

That's that's really you probably made up your mind, you know, with six days out.

So what are you hearing from your colleagues?

I know there's been resistance on the Republican side for a while.

Is thi is that resistance still there?

It is still there, in fact, in Constitution campaigns and election committee on yesterday, there were a group of students there from Representative Mooney's district and Shelby County.

And so while we were waiting to, have a quorum at that committee meeting, I asked the students if they were in favor of early voting.

And I think, they didn' quite understand, what I meant.

But, after I asked if they would not be in favor of early voting and, and explain wh I am several of my colleagues, Republican colleagues on the committee then weighed in and said, no everybody is in favor of that, right?

Yeah.

And I understand some opposition.

And like I've heard, Secretary of State West Allen say, well, we already have the absentee voting process, but it's not really it's not really the same thing as early voting.

It is not the same thing.

In fact, when you vote absentee, by absentee ballot, when you complete the application, you have to check one of seven boxes indicating what your reason for voting is.

Voting by absentee ballot is.

And those excuses include, being out of town, your work schedule, a disability that you're in the military.

So if you are unable to check one of those boxes, then you're not eligible to vote by absentee ballot.

Right.

And I'm thinking about the practicalities because I used to vot by absentee while I lived in DC.

And but again, it was a process.

You had to go through it and everything.

Do you think early voting.

I'm thinking about that Saturday you mentioned.

Yes, it's that folks are on a kind of a normal work schedule and they just can't make it to the polls.

Maybe.

Do you think it would increase turnout by folks who just they're not going to go through the the process, the rigmarole of, an absentee ballot.

But but they may be more more inclined to vote if there's that Saturday voting or a, a day where they're off work.

In fact, in my original absentee, rather in my original earl voting bill, I had two weekends of early voting because I agre that I think having the ability to vote on a Saturda gives people more flexibility.

But I compromise.

Representative Thomas Jackson of Thomasville, has introduced earl voting bills longer than I have, but we compromise.

And so, instead of 17 days of early voting, I agree to six days of early voting, which, as you said, is modest, but it's better than just having one day of early voting.

And peopl things happen to things happen.

People miss voting, because of transportation issues.

They may be, they just wake up sick, you know, and not feeling well on a particular day.

I have about 5 or 6 senior apartment complexes in my district.

If it rains on election day, many of those seniors will not go to vote.

They have mobility issues.

You know, they're using walking canes, and they will just tell you that if it's raining, my arthritis is bothering me and they don't feel like going to vote.

But these are people wh typically vote in every election unless it rains.

And so I feel like if they are monitoring the weather and think that it' going to rain on Election day, if they had six days to choose from, they would probably go on another day on a fair weather day to vote.

Now, even if this passed thi year, it would not impact this current election.

It would not it would not impact this current election.

Gotcha.

Well, we'll be watching that.

And that thing is probably a topic of discussion down the line.

You mentioned absentee voting.

You those seniors, you have another bill having to do with disabled voters.

Yes.

Those with disabilities blind and things like that, having access to absentee ballots.

You know, when you told me about this, I was a little surprised.

I thought this would already be a part of the law.

It is a part of the federal law.

Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act.

And even in our own Senate bill, one that passed several years ago, it states that, individuals who are disabled, blind or have, and who are intellectually challenged may receiv assistance with absentee voting.

I think the bill needs to be I think the law needs to be more explicit.

And so my House Bill 45 states that individuals in those categories may receive assistance from an individual of their choice with the entire absentee voting process, be that completing the application o hand delivering the application into the absentee electio manager's office or mailing it.

Right now, the problem is that a the bottom of the application, it states in rare writing that only the voter may hand-deliver or mail his absentee ballot application.

You've got one right here.

We have shown.

Yes, indeed.

Yes, indeed.

So okay, so the according to the law it's it's the way it should be.

But this, this clause a the very bottom, only the voter.

And you're saying that is, is like a message to the registrar or, or the absentee election manager or that person staff.

And so I know of individuals and I personally have tried to hand deliver an applicatio for an invalid in my district, and the absentee election manager would not take the application.

So your bill would edit this language or what?

I hope it would edit that language.

Yes.

Now every time I hear about, you know, absente it changes to absentee ballots and things like that that what would you hear from the other side is we don't want to proliferate fraud.

We want to prevent any kind of ballot harvesting and things like that.

In fact there was just some indictments announced over in Russell County not too long ago.

So how do we make sure that people can vote?

Thos those folks you're talking about that have a disability can vote without opening the doo to the kind of ballot harvesting that has gone on in other places.

Our our Secretary of state, current and past, have always said tha Alabama has one of the most safe and secure election processes in the nation.

And so I they have my confidence.

I know that our Secretar of State's office is going to do what is necessary to make sure that that proces continues to be safe and secure.

But in the meantime, we have to make sure that every registered voter has the opportunity to exercise their right, their privilege to vote.

And right now, we're not doing that.

One of my constituent is, former state Representative Joseph Mitchell, who is is bedridden.

But he there's he votes in every election.

And so what his late wife has had to d when they would not take her is they would accept her, absentee ballot application at the absentee election manager's office.

She checked the bo saying that she was a caregiver.

And but then they would no take his application from her.

And so what she would do is go home and turn around an put the application in the mail.

Doctor Mitchell cannot get to the mailbox.

Well someone has to do that for him.

And there are people out there doing these things.

Not in good conscience, because they know it's the right thing to do, but they should not have to break the law in the process.

Wow, what an idiot.

Don't worry about it, because they know it would be hard to police that.

Sure.

And what an example of of th issue that you're talking about.

Yes.

And the lawmaker, yes, I know wants to vote.

Yes indeed.

No question.

Yes, indeed.

Well, we will be following these.

I appreciat you bring them to our attention.

And like I said, it's we're one third of the way through, moving fast.

I nobody wants to get home.

I know you want to get home today.

Back to mobile.

Yeah.

Safe travels.

And thanks for coming on and sharing some of this.

My pleasure.

Thank you for the time.

We'll be right back.

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That's our show for this week.

Thanks for watching.

We'll be back on Monday with more coverage of the Alabama legislature right here on Alabama Public Television.

For our Capital Journal team, I'm Todd Stacey.

We'll see you next time.