Alabama’s grocery tax reduction now in effect Alabama has taken an important first step toward untaxing groceries. HB 479 took effect Sept. 1, reducing the state sales tax on groceries from 4% to 3%. The law’s enactment came after decades of persistent advocacy by Alabama Arise members.  | |
Annual Meeting to chart Arise's course for 2024 Grassroots democracy will be on display when Alabama Arise members choose our 2024 legislative priorities at our Annual Meeting on Saturday, Sept. 30. There will be options to meet both in person and online via Zoom. As a member, you have the power to select the legislative priorities we will pursue in 2024. Two new proposals will compete with five current priorities for five slots on next year’s policy agenda. Click "Read More" for additional information on registration, time and location. | |
Take a look at permanent and current legislative priorities and new proposals Our latest newsletter breaks down everything you need to know about Arise's legislative priorities. This includes our permanent priorities — adequate state budgets and tax reform — as well as our current priorities and new proposals. Arise members will vote after the Annual Meeting to add five of these seven issues to our 2024 agenda: - Criminal justice reform
- Comprehensive maternal and infant health care reform
- Death penalty reform
- Fund the Alabama Housing Trust Fund
- Payday and title lending reform
- Public transportation
- Voting rights
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An Arise tradition: the member-led agenda Something interesting is happening in the world of policy organizations. After years of many think tanks working behind the scenes to set their policy agendas with little transparency or buy-in from regular people, many of our peer organizations are now realizing the best policies are those informed by the people closest to the problems. Research and data analysis have important roles to play in any new policy formulation or advocacy campaign. But they alone can’t tell us what needs to happen to improve conditions on the ground. | |
Arise thrives on its membership When you give to Alabama Arise, you join as a member. We’re grateful for your giving: A significant percentage of our financial support comes from people like you. And we’re especially grateful for your membership. Our members are important to us because, as we often say, people are our power. This month, members are coming together at our Annual Meeting to vote on our legislative priorities, approve our budget and elect our board of directors. | |
Medicaid expansion would help working Alabamians Medicaid expansion is a proven solution to help people join and stay in the workforce, a new report from Community Catalyst spotlights. States that have expanded Medicaid have seen a greater increase in labor force participation among people with incomes below 138% of the poverty line than states – like Alabama – that have not expanded. “Every Alabamian should be able to get the medical care they need to survive and thrive,” said Debbie Smith, Alabama Arise’s Cover Alabama campaign director. | |
Welcome to Arise, Adam!  Adam Keller joined Alabama Arise as our northeast Alabama organizer in August. A lifelong Southerner, he has spent more than a decade as an activist and organizer in north Alabama and has been involved in a variety of campaigns and organizations fighting for the better Alabama that is not only possible, but necessary. Adam is a former high school history teacher and spent more than five years representing educators in Huntsville. He is a union stagehand with IATSE 900 and is proud to volunteer for his local and the North Alabama Labor Council. He holds a B.S. in social science from Athens State University. Other staff moves We also celebrate two additional role changes. Jacob Smith is initiating a new role as our advancement and operations director after serving as development director since 2022. Mike Nicholson has been promoted to senior policy analyst after moving to the policy team in 2022. | |
We're hiring! Alabama Arise is hiring a hunger policy advocate to help strengthen and grow our movement for a better Alabama. The hunger policy advocate will lead our work on hunger advocacy and nutrition-related safety net programs, including expanding access to free school meals. This role is critical to sustaining and growing the Hunger Free Alabama coalition. Visit alarise.org/about/employment for more details on the position and information on how to apply. Applications will be accepted until Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. CDT. | |
