Arise legislative recap: April 4, 2022

Arise's Jane Adams shares the good news that next year's General Fund budget includes a provision that would extend Medicaid postpartum coverage to one year after childbirth, up from the current 60 days. The budget has passed both the Alabama House and Senate and has gone to the governor.

WBHM: As Gulf South lawmakers fight over Medicaid, new moms weigh in: ‘Safety nets do save lives’

“It is a moral issue for our coalition,” Arise campaign director Jane Adams tells WBHM in Birmingham. “Our key principle is that we believe in health care for every single person in Alabama.”

WHNT: Alabama lawmaker’s push to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage

“My ability to have access to health insurance probably, like, kept me functioning.” Jane Adams opens up to WHNT 19 in Huntsville about her struggle with postpartum depression and urges lawmakers to extend Medicaid coverage for new mothers to 12 months after birth.

Alabama Political Reporter: Grassroots organizations speak out against 'divisive concepts' bill

“Alabama faces a range of real challenges like poverty, hunger and educational equity. We’re disappointed that the Legislature is focusing instead on bills that threaten to chill open discussion in classrooms,” Arise’s Robyn Hyden tells the Alabama Political Reporter. The bill has passed in the House and could come up in the Senate this week.

Capitol Journal: March 18, 2022

Alabama's federal income tax deduction overwhelmingly benefits rich households. Limiting this deduction would allow our state to untax groceries and protect public school funding, Arise's Robyn Hyden tells Capitol Journal (starts at 9:30 mark).

Dothan Eagle: End food tax

The Dothan Eagle editorial board recently voiced its support for our fight to eliminate Alabama's unfair grocery tax. The paper writes: "Alabama lawmakers should have addressed this issue years ago, and they have a reasonable piece of legislation before them now that would make it possible."

Quad Cities Daily: New poll: Most Alabamians support plan to untax groceries, protect funding for public schools

Alabama Arise released a poll last month showing that the majority of Alabamians support untaxing groceries. New proposed legislation would allow schools to maintain funding while eliminating the grocery tax.

Further Reading:

Montgomery Independent: Three in five Alabamians support a repeal of the grocery tax

Alabama Arise: LIVE BLOG: Alabama’s 2022 legislative session

Stay up to date with the 2022 legislative session. Our website has a live feed of Alabama Arise’s Twitter account, which will display information related to our 2022 issue priorities as well the latest news from our staff and members of the media.

Bills we're watching

We expect the Alabama Legislature to end its 2022 regular session this Friday. Here are some bills that still have a chance to pass during the final four days of the session:

SB 6 by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, would eliminate the application requirement to have voting rights restored and allow people who are indigent to have their rights restored without paying all fines and fees. SB 6 has passed the Senate, and the House Judiciary Committee will consider it Wednesday. Arise supports SB 6.
SB 117 by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Montgomery, would end driver’s license suspensions for failure to pay fines and fees. SB 117 has passed the Senate and cleared the House State Government Committee. The full House could vote on it as early as Tuesday. Arise supports SB 117.
SB 220 by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, would apply the current practice of counting time served for certain parole violations retroactively, thereby reducing the time served for some individuals. SB 220 has passed the Senate, and the House Judiciary Committee will consider it Wednesday. Arise supports SB 220.
SB 224 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would impose additional job search requirements as a condition of eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits. SB 224 has passed the Senate and cleared the House State Government Committee. The full House could vote on it as early as Tuesday. Arise opposes SB 224.
HB 135 by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, is the Education Trust Fund budget that funds K-12 schools, pre-K, higher education and other education-related services. HB 135 is in a conference committee to work out differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. Both chambers must approve the report from the conference committee this week before the budget can be sent to the governor for her signature. Arise is monitoring HB 135.
HB 163 by Rep. Lynn Greer, R-Rogersville, would increase the standard deduction and the income cap for the maximum dependent exemption, thereby reducing income taxes for households with low and middle incomes. HB 163 has passed the House, and the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee could consider it as soon as Wednesday. Arise supports HB 163.
HB 312 by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, would prohibit the teaching of “divisive concepts” in public schools. The House has passed HB 312, and the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee will consider it Tuesday. Arise opposes HB 312.

Alabama Arise tracks legislation related to our members' interests. You can find our Bills of Interest here.

Read Bills of Interest

Alabama Arise

P.O. Box 1188, Montgomery, Alabama 36101

(334) 832-9060 · [email protected]

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