Dem State Rep. Rolanda Hollis doubles down on mandatory vasectomy bill

Sean Ross 9 months ago

MONTGOMERY — State Rep. Rolanda Hollis (D-Birmingham) is doubling down after she made international waves Thursday in introducing a bill that would require every Alabama man to undergo a vasectomy within one month of his 50th birthday or the birth of his third biological child, whichever comes first.

Yellowhammer News first reported on HB 238, which laments in the bill synopsis, “Under existing law, there are no restrictions on the reproductive rights of men.”

Hollis, in a tweet sharing Yellowhammer’s original article on the legislation, confirmed HB 238 is indeed a reaction to pro-life legislation enacted last year, including the Human Life Protection Act.

“The Vasectomy bill is to help with the reproductive system,” she wrote. “This is to neutralize the abortion ban bill (Human Life Protection Act). The responsibility is not always on the women. It takes 2 to tangle [sic].”

“This will help prevent pregnancy as well as abortion of unwanted children,” Hollis claimed. “This bill is to help men become more accountable as well as women.”

In an interview with WSFA on Friday, Hollis reportedly pushed back on the notion that HB 238 is “an outrageous overstep.” She complained that “year after year the majority party continues to introduce new legislation that tries to dictate a woman’s body and her reproductive rights,” adding, “men should not be legislating what women do with their bodies.”

During the debate on the Human Life Protection Act in 2019, Hollis read from a poem “If My Vagina was a Gun,” comparing the Second Amendment rights debate to the debate over a woman’s right to an abortion.

In fact, debate on that bill last year in the upper chamber actually touched on vasectomy — just in a different way. State Sen. Vivian Davis-Figures (D-Mobile) offered an amendment to criminalize any man who gets a vasectomy with a Class A felony. An attempted vasectomy would have been a Class C felony. That amendment failed.

State Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison (D-Birmingham) went further during that debate, suggesting that “a castration bill” should be introduced.

Vasectomies under Hollis’ bill would be at the man’s expense. HB 238 has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation is very much dead-on-arrival in the Alabama legislature.

On the same day HB 238 was introduced, State Rep. Ginny Shaver (R-Leesburg) reintroduced an anti-infanticide bill she first filed last session. Hollis on Thursday also filed a bill that would require local Alabama boards of education to provide feminine hygiene products in female restrooms at public schools in their respective jurisdictions.

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

Sean Ross 4 hours ago

Air Force selects Alabama’s Maxwell AFB to house new helicopter unit vital to national security

The United States Air Force on Friday announced Montgomery’s Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base has been selected as the preferred location to host the MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter Formal Training Unit (FTU).

U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and its Subcommittee on Defense, applauded the Air Force’s decision.

The new MH-139 Grey Wolf will serve as a replacement and upgrade to the Air Force’s UH-1N Huey, reportedly advancing the helicopter in the areas of speed, range, endurance, payload and survivability.

The MH-139A FTU will supplant the mission of the Air Force Reserve’s 908th Airlift Wing’s aging C-130Hs currently at Maxwell in providing security and support for our nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile fields.

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“This long-awaited news regarding the MH-139 Grey Wolf is excellent for Maxwell, the Montgomery area, and the entire state,” Shelby said in a statement.

“It comes as no surprise that the 908th Airlift Wing has again been chosen to receive advanced, state-of-the-art aircraft for our Air Force. I am pleased that Maxwell will continue this tradition with this next generation aircraft. The decision highlights and reinforces our state’s success in supporting a robust national defense. Not only does this support jobs for reservists and experts in the area, but it also enables economic development and future opportunities for Maxwell,” Alabama’s senior senator added.

Per an Air Force release, additional MH-139 capabilities include civil search and rescue, airlift support, National Capital Region missions, survival school, and test support.

“As the lead command for the Air Force’s MH-139 helicopter fleet, bringing the MH-139 FTU online is an important step to ensure the nation’s Nuclear Triad remains safe, secure, effective and ready,” commented Gen. Tim Ray, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command.

“The MH-139 will be an absolute game changer providing increased intercontinental ballistic missile security in support of USSTRATCOM nuclear deterrence operations,” he continued. “The Grey Wolf will bring significantly improved capabilities, ready to rapidly deliver more defenders to missile fields while also providing increased convoy security.”

The first MH-139 aircraft is expected to arrive in 2023. Those airmen currently supporting the C-130 mission in Montgomery will transition to support the MH-139. The 908th Airlift Wing consists of over 1,198 individuals and boasts an annual economic impact of more than $60 million annually. Maxwell’s close proximity to the Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot Training at Fort Rucker allows for increased efficiency for the Air Force.

The Air Force will now conduct an environmental impact analysis before finalizing Friday’s decision in the winter of 2021.

“The impact this decision will have on our community is significant,” emphasized Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed. “Montgomery continues to prove that it is not only serious about its support for our military but that we are serious about our ability to look ahead, to anticipate opportunities, and to successfully compete for the projects, missions, and initiatives that will continue to carry our community and our nation forward well into the future.”

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

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Henry Thornton 4 hours ago

AG Marshall files suit against Madison County for removing Confederate monument

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Friday that he is filing suit against Madison County over the recent removal of a Confederate monument from the county courthouse in Huntsville.

Marshall is alleging the removal of the monument violates the 2017 Memorial Preservation Act that banned the removal, alteration or destruction of any structure of historical significance more than 40 years old.

The county has argued the removal was legal because they applied for a permit from a committee created by the Preservation Act, a permit the commission argues was granted because the committee did not respond in 90 days.

Marshall maintains the committee only governs monuments 20-40 years old, and since the Madison County memorial was older than that, the removal was always illegal.

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The text of the Preservation Act states the relevant committee governs monuments and structures aged “at least 20 years and less than 40 years.”

Madison County Commission Chair Dale Strong told Alabama Media Group on October 27 that he felt the county had acted legally in removing the monument, but did not issue a public comment on the matter Friday.

Violating the Memorial Preservation Act incurs a one-time $25,000 fine, as decided by the Alabama Supreme Court.

Institutions such as the City of Birmingham paid the fine after the city removed a Confederate monument in Linn Park during the height of the George Floyd protests.

Huntsville’s monument, over which Marshall is filing suit, was put up in 1905 and replaced in the late 1960s after it was accidentally destroyed. The inscription on the base of the memorial reads, “In memory of the heroes who fell in defense of the principles which gave birth to the Confederate cause.”

Madison County paid the City of Huntsville $33,000 to remove the monument in October. According to Alabama Media Group, it now rests at Maple Hill Cemetery near the graves of Confederate soldiers.

Removing the monument was supported by Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and several prominent business groups in the Rocket City.

A release from Marshall’s office says Madison County was informed on October 27 that their action to remove the monument was considered illegal by the State of Alabama.

Marshall’s full lawsuit can be read here.

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@yellowhammernews.com or on Twitter @HenryThornton95

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Sean Ross 8 hours ago

Dr. Scott Harris: No shutdown needed ‘if people can just follow the guidance that we have in place now’

Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris on Friday morning interviewed with Talk 99.5’s “Matt & Aunie Show.”

The head of the Alabama Department of Public Health discussed the current surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the Yellowhammer State, saying the current situation is “a lot worse” than what numbers had been over the past few months.

“I have a lot of concern about that as we get into flu season and then to the holidays,” Harris warned.

Co-host Matt Murphy then mentioned Governor Kay Ivey this week saying she has no plans to issue any new State Health Order that would shut down Alabama businesses. This came after a Business Council of Alabama-led coalition launched the Keep Alabama Open campaign, which quickly garnered the support of prominent elected officials in the state.

Murphy on Friday asked Harris how important it is that people across Alabama diligently follow the current Safer-at-Home health order, which is scheduled to run through December 11 and includes a statewide mask mandate.

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“It’s really important, Matt,” Harris said. “There are only so many things we really have available to us at this point. We don’t have really effective medication [for coronavirus]. We don’t have our vaccine yet, although we hope to have it pretty soon. But the things that we can do, like wearing masks or washing your hands or just staying home when you’re sick, are really very powerful ways to prevent disease from spreading. And there’s not going to be any need for anything to be shut down if people can just follow the guidance that we have in place now. If you can stay home, it’s a good idea to do that. But if you have to be out, just try to stay away from people who aren’t in your own household, and wear a mask as often as is practicable to do that. Those very simple steps are enough to put an end to the pandemic, if only we could get everybody on board with that.”

The state health officer also discussed at length what the coming vaccine distribution process will look like. This came the same morning that Pfizer applied to the FDA for emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine after studies showed 95% efficacy.

Harris applauded the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed for accelerating the development and coming distribution of vaccines such as the Pfizer one.

“This is the amazing thing about this: the reason that this vaccine effort has happened so much more quickly than any vaccine effort in human history is because of a huge gamble that the federal government has taken — which I fully support,” Harris advised.

While vaccines could start reaching especially vulnerable populations as early as next month, Harris concluded the interview by stressing personal responsibility and the serious situation Alabama is in when it comes to the pandemic.

“I would just remind people to be careful this holiday season,” he remarked. “If you choose to get out and be around people, please do your best to protect those folks who are probably dearest to you — your parents and your grandparents, those folks who really [are especially vulnerable because of age to COVID-19]. We just encourage everybody to do their best.”

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

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Sean Ross 8 hours ago

Troy head football coach Chip Lindsey tests positive for COVID-19

Troy University head football coach Chip Lindsey on Friday announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

According to a release, the second-year head coach’s positive result stemmed from Troy’s weekly PCR tests that are administrated each Wednesday to all of the program’s players and staff.

Troy’s athletics department wrote that Lindsey is experiencing very mild symptoms and immediately began to self-isolate upon news of the test result.

The Trojans’ game versus Middle Tennessee on Saturday will reportedly be played as scheduled.

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Brian Blackmon will serve as Troy’s interim head coach during Lindsey’s absence.

“I am obviously disappointed that I won’t be able to be at The Vet and with our team Saturday,” Lindsey stated.

“While this is a situation that we had hoped we wouldn’t have to account for this season, it is something that we’ve had a comprehensive plan in place for since the start of preseason camp,” he continued. “We have great leadership on our team, and we have already overcome a lot of adversity to get to this point of the season. I have the utmost confidence in our players and staff that they will navigate the coming days without skipping a beat.”

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

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A message from Alabama Realtors 11 hours ago

Terminix to pay $60 million in coastal Alabama termite claims settlement

Last week, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office announced a $60 million settlement with Terminix over its termite treatment practices in Mobile, Baldwin and Monroe Counties.

The settlement stems from Terminix’s business practices in coastal counties where they did not provide annual termite inspections as required in their contracts and then drastically increased annual premiums to get out of costly contracts.

“We applaud Attorney General Steve Marshall’s efforts in protecting Alabama homeowners against fraud and abuse,” says Jeremy Walker, Alabama Realtors® Chief Executive Officer. “Alabama homeowners across the gulf coast will feel the impact of this Terminix settlement.”

If you live in coastal Alabama and have hired Terminix for treatment over the past several years, this settlement could affect you. Consumers may be eligible for refunds and/or new services, including up to $650 from the Consumer Relief Fund, the re-treatment of their home at no cost by Terminix, new inspections, the repair of termite damage by Terminix, and potential reinstatement of lapsed policies at 2018 premium levels.

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According to the Attorney General’s Office, the settlement must first be approved by the Montgomery County Circuit Court judge. Following court approval, eligible Terminix customers will be contacted with more information on the claims and refunds process.

Settlement Breakdown

The full breakdown of the settlement is:

$25 million for the Alabama Consumer Relief Fund for refunds to overcharged consumers and to consumers forced to pay other termite companies for services they should have received from Terminix (includes $650 to any Alabama consumer who left Terminix and hired another company to provide termite protection, or pay the difference between the former customer’s new termite protection costs and previous costs);
$10 million to retreat over 12,000 customer homes in Mobile, Baldwin and Monroe Counties, whether or not those homes had suffered termite damage;
$20 million to the Attorney General’s Office to settle the State of Alabama’s claims against Terminix and to be reinvested in statewide consumer protection efforts;
$4 million to the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries; and,
$1 million charitable contribution to the Auburn University Department of Entomology.

Terminix also has agreed to:

New inspections of homes in affected areas to ensure no termite infestations exist,
Repair all termite damage claims in affected areas,
Adopt a price increase schedule that is reasonable and affordable, and
Reinstate eligible consumers who lost lifetime Terminix contracts at the reasonable price levels paid in 2018

For more information, see the Attorney General’s Office press release here.

Alabama REALTORS® is the largest statewide organization of real estate professionals and the official advocate of Alabama’s multifaceted real estate industry. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date on real estate news in Alabama.

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