7. Biden extending student loan moratorium

• After the announcement that student loan payments would resume in January 2022, it’s now been announced that payments will be stalled until May 1, 2022. President Joe Biden said this is due to the burden of financial recovery from the pandemic.
• Biden declared, “We know that millions of student loan borrowers are still coping with the impacts of the pandemic and need some more time before resuming payments.” Among the 36 million Americans that have student loan debt, this totals over $1.37 trillion. The push for wiping out student loans in totality will continue as college graduates demand their employees pay for the degrees they received.

6. State Rep. Greer continues pushing to eliminate ‘good time’ releases

• State Representative Lynn Greer (R-Rogersville) has spoken more about his bill that would do away with prisoners convicted of manslaughter being released early from prison for “good time,” which comes after Sheffield Police Sgt. Nick Risner was shot and killed allegedly by a man released early on manslaughter charges, Brian Lansing Martin.
• Greer explained that in Alabama, a sentence can be dramatically reduced by not getting into trouble while a person is in prison. Sometimes this means that people who already got a plea deal for murder to manslaughter are released early. Greer advised, “It’s getting a little tough in the Alabama Legislature to pass anything that toughens up on crime, but we’re going to work extra hard on it, and I hope we can.”

5. Mobile likely to vote against constitutional carry

• While the idea of constitutional carry has been supported by some in the state, it’s expected that the Mobile County commissioners will vote against constitutional carry by supporting a resolution to maintain current law. This is also supported by Sheriff Sam Cochran.
• Constitutional carry would be the ability to carry a concealed firearm without first getting a permit. Legislation for constitutional carry will be presented to the Alabama Legislature in the upcoming session.

4. Club for Growth endorses another congressman in Alabama

• The pro-business/anti-tax organization founded by Grover Norquist, Club for Growth, has endorsed U.S. Representative Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) for reelection in Alabama’s second congressional district. Moore accepted the endorsement, saying, “I appreciate Club for Growth for their endorsement and for recognizing that I am already doing the job the people I serve elected me to do.”
• In its endorsement of Moore, Club for Growth PAC president David McIntosh said, “In his first year in the House, Rep. Barry Moore has proven to be a true economic conservative who has fought against the Establishment to support lower taxes, fewer regulations, and term limits.” In Alabama, Club for Growth has also endorsed U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) in his run for U.S. Senate.

3. AG Marshall filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration

• President Joe Biden recently issued a mask mandate for students and mask and vaccine mandate for employees, but Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed a lawsuit against the mandate.
• Marshall outlined, “The Biden administration clearly has no plans to back down from its errant pursuit of nationwide vaccination. Likewise, the State of Alabama has no plans to back down from its righteous pursuit of nationwide injunctions.” Marshall added, “[T]he harm will be felt by the rural pre-school children who will be left with no place to go if their centers shut down. A program that the federal government created is at risk of being destroyed by those who claim to care most about its participants.”

2. Alabama could lose the College Football Playoff without playing a game

• The surging Omicron variant and regular testing of asymptomatic players could throw the College Football Playoff into chaos. Even though the University of Alabama Crimson Tide has a high vaccination and booster rate, the team could still face a situation where it would be forced to forfeit its first-round game and miss out on the championship.
• Alabama recently implemented its COVID-19 safety protocols (masks and social distancing) after Nick Saban announced multiple coaches tested positive. Under the new plan announced by the College Football Playoff management committee, there are multiple scenarios where a team or multiple teams could be disqualified. Then, depending on how this plays out, a national champion could be declared without a game being played. There is even a scenario where there is no national champion at all.

1. First at-home treatment for coronavirus approved

• As government officials around the country call to cancel your Christmas, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a pill form of coronavirus treatment created by Pfizer. The medication is called Paxlovid and can be used in the early stages of the coronavirus at home. Supplies are still limited, but it’s viewed as a step in the right direction for treatment and Pfizer could make 65,000 pills available this week.
• It’s likely that there could be another treatment approved soon from Merck. Dr. Gregory Poland from the Mayo Clinic said of Paxlovid, “The efficacy is high, the side effects are low and it’s oral. It checks all the boxes. You’re looking at a 90% decreased risk of hospitalization and death in a high-risk group—that’s stunning.”