7. Marijuana decriminalization bill advances; Jefferson County may stop enforcing the law altogether
— An 11-0 committee vote shows this bill has bipartisan support to change the way Alabama handles pot possession arrests. But the bill does not only lower penalties for possession. It also allows those penalized for marijuana arrests to have those arrests expunged after five years. Terrible arguments were made in favor of this bill. State Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier (D-Selma) argued, “It’s the low-income people, people who are impoverished and they pay a different kind of penalty, and I think that’s unfair. So, to me it’s a matter of mercy.” Meanwhile, Jefferson County is planning to address its over-crowded jails by citing and releasing some non-violent misdemeanors, including simple marijuana possession. They are right: Not arresting criminals will lessen the burden on jails.
6. Long-shot bill that would allow municipalities to forgo grocery tax dies in an Alabama House Committee
— A relatively weak bill proposed by State Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa) that would have allowed cities and counties to reduce or eliminate their sales tax on groceries failed to pass. Outside of Tuscaloosa, it doesn’t appear the bill had much support around the state. Tuscaloosa officials recently raised their sale tax to 10 cents, and one way to offset that tax was to seek an end to the food tax in their community. The bill was stopped on Wednesday in an Alabama House Committee, so now England will have to press to have the bill approved. This whole episode seems like a convoluted attempt by city officials to push for a tax cut that seemed incredibly unlikely after they raised taxes themselves.
5. State Senator Vivian Davis Figures (D-Mobile) ignorantly accused Republicans of wanting mentally ill people to be allowed to firearms
— The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on the constitutional carry bill that would get rid of the requirement for gun owners to have a permit to carry a lawfully owned firearm. Sheriffs from all over the state oppose the bill because they say it would get rid of a source of revenue and what they consider to be a useful law enforcement tool that allows them to know about whether a suspect is allowed to carry a firearm. During the hearing, Figures said, “I just don’t understand the mentality of what you guys or – or what you guys continue to push to do. Particularly, with all the gun violence that is happening, to allow a person to be able to get a gun who has mental problems – to me that says the person who’s pushing that has some mental problems. They don’t understand why people with mental issues shouldn’t have a weapon.” Figures incorrectly implied that this bill will impact the mentally ill receiving firearms. It doesn’t. The background checks are not changed by this — just the requirement that you have a permit to carry a weapon concealed.
4. Almost three dozen doctors and other medical professionals across eight states, including eight in Alabama, have been charged for illegally prescribing and distributing opioids
— The Justice Department released a statement that specified the charges against 60 individuals including doctors, pharmacists, nurse practitioners and other licensed medical professionals. There were people arrested in Alabama, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. In Alabama, the arrests included a Dr. Marshall Plotka, who let prostitutes he would recruit as patients use heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana in his home. Police records show that police were called to him home 35 times in the last four years including for an overdose.
3. Governor Kay Ivey announces a road project as she touts the “Rebuild Alabama” gas tax increase
— On Wednesday, Governor Kay Ivey spoke to a delegation from the Huntsville/Madison Chamber of Commerce announcing plans to improve I-565. Ivey stated that I-565 would be widened to six lanes and resurfaced. There will also be an expansion of the Tanner interchange for I-65 in Limestone County, and Huntsville Brownsferry Road is going to be extended west across to U.S. Highway 31 and widened. Ivey said, “While the Huntsville and surrounding areas are booming with continual economic growth, it was imperative we make enhancements to their infrastructure system for the nearly 60,000 vehicles traveling on I-565 daily. Both improvement projects will be significant strides for this area.”
2. President Donald Trump’s job approval has remained steady nationwide — He, Ivey and Shelby are doing great in Alabama
— A new Fox News poll shows that since February, Trump’s approval rating has stayed pretty much the same. In February it was at 46 percent, March was at 46 percent, and this month his approval rating is 45 percent. A total of 65 percent of voters have said that the Mueller investigation did not change how they feel about Trump. About 10 percent of people feel better about him, and 17 percent feel worse. Much like the polling on the tax increase, this is massively impacted by a media that is skeptical of all things Trump, gets things wrong and only sometimes corrects the record after the torrent of original reporting sets the narrative in stone. In Alabama, President Trump, Governor Ivey and Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) are all polling extremely well. The only surprise is how well Ivey is doing after pushing for a gas tax increase.
1. The Mueller report released this morning
— Attorney General William Barr released the report before an 8:30 CST press conference. The report will be the redacted final-note on the investigation that has overshadowed the entire Trump presidency. The report shows no criminal collusion or obstruction of justice. The Justice Department announced that certain members of Congress will be allowed to see the report without a large number of redactions. The media and Democrats have already decided the report doesn’t matter because the summary of the report doesn’t matter and the president still did something wrong. Last month, Barr released a summary of the report but was almost immediately asked to release the full report. Throughout this entire investigation, President Trump has maintained his innocence and he still claims that after the report is released he will be fully exonerated and vindicated.
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