From our state house studio and Montgomery.

Welcome to Capitol Journal.

I'm Jeff Sanders in tonight for Todd.

Stacey thanks so much for joining us.

When lawmakers retur to the state House on Tuesday, it will be a sprint to the finish line with just 14 meeting days left in the session.

The biggest lift of the session will be the passage of both the education and general fund budgets, the only legislation actually required by law that lawmakers pass.

But we have learned that a perennial session topic will be returning as early as this week.

And that's gambling.

Republican Senato Greg Albritton, who has carried gambling bills in the past, says he may file a new bill as early as this week.

It would ask voters to weigh in this September on a constitutional amendment to legalize a state lottery, electronic gambling and sports betting.

Here's what the proposal includes a state lottery overseen by new Alabama Lottery corporation.

Sports betting, including mobile apps and electronic gambling at six racetrack and bingo locations across the state.

According to All Britain, there will be a 24% tax on gambling revenue a $2,500 privilege tax on each electronic game, a new gamin commission and law enforcement unit, and $100 million in revenue each year for roads, bridges, health care and education.

Now, the legislation would repeal all local gambling amendments and create uniform rules statewide.

It also includes funding for law enforcement and health care access across Alabama and Britain, says the bill was written with input from Senat leadership and includes specific funding for road projects, a top priority for Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth.

Still, Albritton admit he's a few votes short and says political hesitation in an election cycle could make it even harder if the bill passes.

Voters would head to the poll September 16th, and a new gaming commission could be up and running by December, before lawmakers left for their spring break.

This past week, Capito Journal caught up with members of both the Senat and the House to gauge interest in any potential gambling legislation.

This session, Senate Minorit Leader Bobby Singleton said he's hear talk of that gambling proposal, and so far he likes what he's hearing.

Meanwhile, in the House Representative Chris Blackshear was quick to point out that the House did the heav lifting on gambling last year.

And now he says, the lott ball is in the Senate's court.

I'm hearing it may be coming back.

And, I have not seen a bill.

I've been hearing some concepts the concepts that I'm hearing, I could support it, but yet it's still I have not seen the bill.

And I think the speake in his bar, in his leadership, has really laid out since the end of the 2024 legislative session that any gaming legislation that we will would actually look into here in the House would have to start in past the Senate.

And then and only then when we actually dig into it, see what an if anything, the Senate passed and then make a timetable and decisions of how we move forward.

And while House members are putting the gambling pressure on the Senate this year, there's still plenty of work to do in their chamber.

Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter says both chambers will see long hours as they work on the budgets and other issues, including that pharmacy management proposal, legislation.

I think will probabl slow it down just a little bit.

I the Senate asked for three day week is what it calls it puts much into that PBM there.

And so that was why we did it is to try to help them with that and give them time, and they need to get the appropriate ratings.

And so, as part of the reason for that this week, there's been certainly across the state and I'm sure across the nation, a lot of small town pharmacies have shut down because the cost of the medicatio and because of the regulations they have by the large PBM.

So, a lot of those mom and pop businesses are shut down.

We're losing more every day.

And so this is kind of something to try to help save those job and help save those businesses.

So the Senate moved you that pretty strong Mother's Day in I think it was 31 to 1 or something like that.

So, they they say that.

Yeah.

The thing I guess it's, important to recognize some of these organizations are making a ton of money.

The PDMs, I'd sa I'd read something not long ago where they profited over $40 billion.

And the.

The mom and pops try to survive is the ones that's happene to pay the local little league teams uniforms.

They're the ones that's happened to by the the church, you know, Sunday school class equipment and things like that.

So, they do play a vital part in our state.

And not only that, they are some counties in the state where they'r the only health care provider, because they don't have a doctor, maybe in Occlusive County or some of those counties.

And, and the independent pharmacy is the only one that provides any health care.

So I think there's a lot, emotion around this bill, and certainly, a lot of people that's been affected by, in other news, a bill that could allow heavier axle loads and Alabama logging trucks could come up for debate in the Senate this week.

Senate Bill 110 would raise the tandem axle weight limit from 34,000 to 44,000 pounds, although it would not change the overall maximum truck weight of 80,000 pounds.

Industry leaders say the change is long overdue, arguing the current limit are unnecessarily restrictive, leading to delays, costly tickets and more trucks on the road.

But a new report from th Alabama Transportation Institute is backing up concerns from the Department of Transportation and others, warning that heavier axles would cause significant long term damag to Alabama's roads and bridges.

The report says older bridges could face added stress that exceeds design limits.

It also warns of cracking an concrete and steel components.

The institute also says that pavement damage is more closely tied to axle weight than total vehicle weight.

Senator Clyde Chambliss, who chairs the Joint Transportation Committee, says he plans to propose changes to the current bill.

He says he supports the timber industry, but believes the state has to be mindful of the long term impacts on roads and bridges.

Governor Kay Ivey is reminding Alabama families that the clock is ticking if they want to apply for the state's new educatio savings account, the Choose act.

The application window for the Choose act, which stands for creating Hope and opportunity for Our Students education, officially closes at midnight next Monday, April 7th.

Governor Ivey, who signed the law last March, says the program is designed to offer families more choices when it comes t how their children are educated.

Here's what the Choose Act provides $7,000 for eligible students attending a participating school, 2000 per homeschooled student, up to $4,000 per family.

Now that money can be used for things like tuition tutoring, educational therapies and other approved education related cost.

More than 27,000 students across all 67 counties have already applied since the application period opened in January in the first year.

That's for the 20 2526 school year.

The first 500 accounts will g to students with special needs, followed by children of active duty service members at priority schools.

After that, the awards will be will be based on income with a cap of 300% of the federal poverty level.

Now, for a family of four that's about $93,000 per year.

Applications must be submitted online through the Choose Act website by April 7th.

As we said, to apply or learn more, visit choose act.alabama.gov.

Well, whether you're a seasoned turkey hunter, a proud parent snapping pictures on a first hunt, or just someone who loves Alabama's great outdoors, there's a photo contest just for you.

The Alabama Black Belt Adventures has officially launched its 13th annual Big Gobbler Photo Contest, and entries are now open.

Hunters across the stat can submit a photo of a turkey harvested during this year's spring season, as long as it was taken in one of the 23 counties that make up Alabama's Black Belt region.

The winner selected through online voting will be taking home a prize packag of about $275, including hunting gear like a shotgun sid turkey call and a gun care cat.

That contest runs through May 15th, giving folks plenty of time to submi a snap shot and rally some votes even towards the end of Turkey season, which wraps up on May 8th.

All while it's about celebrating the thrill of the hunt, organizers say it's also showcasing the natural beauty traditions and family memories that the Black Belt region and all of Alabama make this time of year.

For contest rules, visit Alabama Black Belt adventures.org and stay with us.

Coming up after the break, I'll sit down with Representativ Ginny Shaver to discuss her work on the Alzheimer's Task Force and more.

We'll be right back.

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My son's name is Nathan.

Nathan is a welder.

He enjoys it.

Loves it.

So my plan is that he would graduate from private high schoo and go on to Auburn University, which is where everyon on his dad's side of the family goes to college.

It was very obvious now tha I have the ability to step back.

He does much better hands on learning.

Nathan had taken a tour at a local career technical school and was very interested in the welding program.

My initial reactio about a career technical school was probably the farthest from the truth.

You know, I was projecting my thoughts onto him and my expectations onto him, and it really took a lot of mom maturity to step back and just step up and be there for him.

After high school, Nathan found a welding job very quickly.

I would say within three weeks of graduation, he was working for a local contractor.

I remember having a conversation with my own mother and she said, is there really any money in welding?

What exactly do welders do?

So as an 18 year old, he's making $47 an hour, right?

So I thought I was raising a CEO.

And as it turned out, I was raising a welder.

Who knew?

Nathan knew?

And welcome back to Capitol Journal.

I'm joined now by State Representative Ginny Shaver, representing district 39 which includes parts of Cherokee and DeKalb counties u in beautiful northeast Alabama.

Great to have you with us today.

We appreciate it so much.

Well, thank you for having me.

We're getting back to the second half of the session.

We'll talk a little bit about some of the big items coming up here in a few minutes.

But let's start out with something that I know you're involved with that you co-chair.

There was a meeting this week and that is the Alzheimer's Task Force Tell us a little bit about that.

Kind of what's the mission of the task force and how you came to be a part of it?

Well, the state of Alabama has, state plan for Alzheimer's care, bu that was last updated in 2014.

So it's been a good whil and there was a need to update the state plan.

And so we, had a new task force, in in place to, to work on that.

And it just so happens that, we found out that the Department of Public Health and senio Services were working together.

They had received some grant money for the Bold Coalition, which is building our largest amount that dementia infrastructure and is part of that.

We had a common goal and a mission.

So instead of us, bot working on it, we got together and and utilized the task force for the committee work for the bold coalition to update the state plan, to look at the resources that we have available and what we're currently doing in the state and what we need to do for the future and to work on that.

You talk about what to do a the baby boomer generation ages.

We see Alzheimer's cases rising and in many instances, Gen X folks like my folk getting a little older as well.

How serious of an issu is this for the state right now?

And what are we looking at possibly getting worse as time goes by?

Well, it is, as you say, a growing population, at the end of the baby boomer baby boomers, and there's currently over 100,000 people that have been diagnosed tha are suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other related dementias, Alzheimer's being the most common form of dementia.

But there's only 33 geriatricians in this state.

And so it's very difficult for those who need those services to, number one, get a diagnosis early on.

You know, prevention is key.

Also early detection.

Getting that diagnosis early and getting the treatments that are available.

So there's not enough services to meet the current need that we have.

And it's currently growing.

Geriatrician not not a term.

Many folks probably are aware of it, but I'm obviously it's a physician that deals with, people with suffering from these.

But these dementia disorders, 33 is not a large number.

It's not.

And actually the, special teams that work in this field that it covers a large range of special taste because you need neurologist in addition to like your, your primary physician which is usually where it gets called first and then getting referred on to, neurologist and other tests.

And it takes a long time, you know, it takes a long time to get those appointments and, and long periods of tim between those appointments and a person's condition can deteriorate very quickly during those waiting times.

And I think we've all in our life have known someone or will know someone who either has Alzheimer's or another type of dementia.

But when it comes to the state, when it comes to the resources the state spends, what kind of drain could this be on the state if not handled properly in the coming years?

Well, it's a quality of life issue, certainly, certainly for Alabamians.

But you know those as the disease progresses, i becomes more expensive to treat.

You know, that's why it's not only for the person suffering, but as you say, and in the cost of it, getting it detected early, getting those treatments, prolonging the life of those who suffer with it and their better quality of life, getting that treatment early.

So and and also we have the situation like with every other kind of health care, it's centralized to our major cities.

And so we've got to decentralize those services and, and get access to the rura communities to the entire state.

And rural health care is something I know many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are really championing, especially as we see these number of rural hospitals closed.

I would imagine that that's another interest for you.

And another worry for you on this.

This task force is how do you get to those folks who maybe an hour or two hour away from a doctor or hospital?

Not everyone has that access.

And like I said, it takes a long time.

But, you know, the number on just to get those appointments, traveling to them.

So, you know, i we can focus on, getting access in the rural areas and als using telemedicine where we can, I was actually encouraged by something.

I found out tha the state of Georgia is doing.

They partnered the state partnership with Emory University and has that public private partnership to, have clinics all over the state.

They started with five.

And these are assessment clinics.

So, people are getting diagnosed earlier and getting a treatment plan.

And the access to the othe of the, tests that are needed.

And so I think they're up to seven now, and they're all over the state.

So they they contracts with the employees, they use students and, and doctors.

So they have, you know somebody in all of these clinics that that helps them and, and training health care providers in this area.

And so they do this and they fund it by a check off on the, on the income tax.

And that really is a true example of how as you mentioned, that private public partnership really the two coming together because we hear this so many times, the state can't handle everything, the state can't resource out everything.

And getting those private partnerships in there I know are important, as you said in Georgia, but I imagine that's part of your goal here in the state as well.

Well, when I was really excited when I found out about this, because I thought, you know that's the perfect model for us and we have the same capabilities with the University of Alabama system that that we may be able to do the same as well.

So I'm looking forward to having conversations about that in the futur and see if that could work out for the state of Alabama.

Let's move on to something.

I know you're very proud of.

You and I were having a conversation earlier, and I asked you if this was off camera and you were like, you know, you haven't been this far to the session and something you're so you're so passionate about has done so well in this session.

Let let's talk about this.

The state employee paid paternal leave act.

We're waiting on the governor's signature.

That will happen sometime.

Very soon.

What drove you about this?

And, and just the bipartisan support.

You got to get this over the line.

Well, I've, I'm all about mothers and babies and and families and seniors, too.

And so just seeing the need to seeing, what can we do to support families and to help young people and, to attract and retain employee to the state and also teachers.

You know, we're trying to, attract and retain teachers in the state of Alabama, and they usually leave us in the early years.

And it usually they usually leave us whenever they're, they're having babies.

So if we can help the support their families and, and, you know, nobody should have t risk their financial stability to start a famil and break it down for quickly.

For those who are maybe just hearing about it for the first time, what exactly, in basic terms does it do?

It's aide with eight weeks paid leave for the mother.

And it also is not just for the birth, but in case of a miscarriage or a stillbirth and adoption, because we also want to promote adoption of eight weeks for the mother and two weeks for the father.

And this gives time for not only recovery.

You know, for the mom but also time to properly bond with with the baby and the family together.

And, you know that gives us happier, healthy, more well-adjusted babies, happier moms.

And they'll be better employees because of it.

Another bill that's going through right now is HB 152.

That's Representative Neil Rafferty's bill.

Talk about that.

And, how you two kind of work together to, add a few things through this to hopefully it's through the house, if I'm correct for it, to kind of get it through the Senate.

Well, just like the, working with Senator figures, on the paid Parental Leave Act, I'm all about, you know, working together when we can agree.

And so, Representative Rafferty has this bill to make baby products, baby, formula, diapers.

I think, maternity clothes, feminine products, diapers are all included in that to make them tax exempt.

And as part of the Alzheimer's Task Force, we were discussing ways to help familie and people who suffer with that because diapers are very expensive.

I don't care if they're for a baby or an adult, you know, they're very, very expensive.

And when you've got to hav them, you've got to have them.

And so I approached Representative Rafferty and asked him if if I coul bring a friendly amendment to, make the diapers for, for anyone who had that need an adult diapers and adult diapers included.

And he was agreeable.

And then, just lo and behold, it was on the calendar for the next day.

So it all worked out.

You don't get those wins so easy all the time.

Now it goes to the Senate.

Feel confident about it going through the Senate, I think there's a good chance he's been working the bill very hard.

And this is no I think this is like year three.

So sometimes it takes a little while, but hopefully it'll get across the finish line and help, help folks out.

You mentioned a little while, you all are back in sessio on Tuesday, 72 Legislative day.

So there's 14 to go out of 30.

And I know you don't dea directly with the budgets, but, what kind of what are you expecting as we head throughout these last, well, it's funny, you know, we have one constitutional mandate and that's to pass the budget, and it's usually the last thing we do.

We do everything else first.

So.

And I know work is is increasing this week, getting those budgets ready you know, for the members and, and so we'll be seeing those soon and having more discussions and talk on on that I won't ask you about gambling even though we know that's probably going to going to come back up.

So I'll save you for that for today.

But we got about a minute or so left here.

What do you tell your average constituent.

And I like to ask this of lawmakers what they probably don't understan about the Alabama State House, and whether you're a senator or whether you're a House member, and kind of how the process works, that' a positive thing to take away.

And because we hear so much negativity about politics, what would you tell that constituent?

Well, you know, there's there's more good than bad.

You know, usually just the bad makes the news.

Except for Capitol Journal.

Y'all tell all the good days.

But, you know, there's more good than bad.

There's more that we agree on than we disagree on.

And and we're, you know happy to work across the aisle with each other when we can.

I think that's the most positive message.

And you mentioned that earlier with Senator figures and with Representative Rafferty, both Democrats.

Yes, they are and and personal friends.

Yeah.

And so we all you know, we have our philosophical differences and, and our opinions about things that will not change.

And that's fine.

You know, that's why some of us have in bar name, some have a dick.

But at the end of the day when when that's all over, we're friends and I'm happy to work across the aisle whenever we can.

Agree.

I think that's a good thing.

Maybe you can get the folks up in Washington to pay attentio to a little bit of that as well.

Representative Ginny Shaver, really appreciate your time today and what you're doing with the Alzheimer's Task Forc and know that's important work.

And I know you're excited about it.

And I and really some of the fruition that it could come to in the coming years.

Thank you for having me.

We appreciate you being here.

And stay with us.

Capitol Journal.

We'll be right back after these messages.

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 on Capital Journal's Facebook page.

Former basketball player and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is one of Alabama' most recognizable sports stars.

Nicknamed the Round Mound of Rebound, and Sir Charles, the Leeds native had a remarkable basketball career with the Auburn University Tigers before embarking on a career in the NBA.

Barkley also played for the U.S. Olympic basketball team i the 1992 and 1996 Summer games.

Since his retirement in 2000, Barkley has carved out a niche as a basketball analyst, author, and commentato on political and social issues.

Since 2001, Auburn University, the Philadelphia 70 Sixers, and the Phoenix Suns have retired Barkley's number 34 jersey in 2006.

Barkley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fam in Springfield, Massachusetts.

And that's our show tonight for March 31st, 2025.

Join us again tomorrow for the latest on what' happening in Alabama politics.

Until then, for everyone here at Alabama Public Television, I'm Jeff Sanders.

And for Todd Stacey, we'll see you again next time.

Thank you.