7 Things: Alabama passes another historically large budget, hot-button bills advance, Alabama vs. Biden and more …

7. Hot fire test successful

• The Space Launch System (SLS) had a successful hot fire test for the core stage. This is one step closer to going back to the moon as the rocket for Artemis 1 is scheduled to launch later this year. 
• The hot fire test is the final stage in the Green Run, and the SLS program is managed through NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) said this is “another important milestone in our return to the moon.”

6. Lawsuit to prevent Biden from killing jobs

• President Joe Biden has taken action to shut down the Keystone XL pipeline, but now Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined a lawsuit with 20 other states that seeks to block this action by Biden. 
• Marshall argued that Biden “is not constitutionally empowered to cancel the international contract,” noting the jobs Alabama and the United States will lose. The lawsuit clearly argues that shutting down the Keystone pipeline must be done through Congress, rather than an executive order. 

5. Born alive bill passes

• The legislation sponsored by State Representative Ginny Shaver (R-Leesburg) requires proper medical attention be given to babies born alive after an attempted abortion has passed the State House. 
• Some have argued that the practice of neglecting a baby born alive is already illegal, as stated by State Representative Neil Rafferty (D-Birmingham). 

4. Female sports need to be played by female athletes

• In response to the concern over male-to-female athletes dominating female sports, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill that would require athletes to play sports in the division that suits their biological gender listed on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity.
• All Republican members voted in favor of the legislation, and Rep. Dexter Grimsley (D-Newville) joined the majority in supporting the bill. Other Democrats, like State Representative Laura Hall (D-Huntsville) and Neil Rafferty (D-Birmingham) disingenuously tried (and failed) to argue that such a ban would hurt Alabama’s economy because tournaments won’t come to Alabama as a result of the law.

3. Anti-rioting bill is through the House

• The anti-rioting bill sponsored by State Representative Allen Treadaway (R-Morris) that’s seen pushback from Democrats has officially passed the State House and will go to the State Senate for a vote. 
• The bill would increase the penalties for rioting, inciting a riot, looting and attacking first responders. It was revealed that State Representative Mary Moore (D-Birmingham) called Treadaway a racist and white supremacist in the State House hallways over this legislation. 

2. Ban curbside voting

• The Alabama House of Representatives has voted to ban curbside voting throughout the state; the vote followed party lines 74-25. 
• The purpose of the bill is to prevent voter fraud since with curbside voting there’s an issue of the chain of custody with the ballot being broken. The arguments for curbside voting were mostly centered around making voting more accessible to those with disabilities. 

1. Alabama seems to be OK financially

• A week after the Alabama House of Representatives passed the largest General Fund budget in Alabama history, the Alabama State Senate followed up with the largest Education Trust Fund budget ever, at $7.67 billion. The bill passed unanimously.
• State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) said a focus of the budget was keeping good teachers, adding that “over $200 million is being allocated toward salary increases.” He stated, “[S]ubstantial step raise increases are being provided for educators in order to retain these individuals in their midyears. Our greatest priority right now is to attract and keep quality educators.”