November 2021 Group Watch: Results of Second 2021 Special Legislative Session
The Alabama Legislature adjourned its second special session after approving new district lines for state House and Senate seats, congressional seats and state school board posts. Following the U.S. census that is conducted every 10 years, states are required to reapportion districts based upon population changes and current demographic data, which prompted the governor to call the session. The special session call also included legislation authorizing $80 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to be distributed to Alabama hospitals and nursing homes. Many nursing homes and hospitals across the state, particularly in rural areas, are experiencing financial distress heightened by the pandemic. Though not in the call, the legislature also approved two bills designed to address presidential executive order mandates. One of the bills provides exemptions to COVID vaccination mandates for individuals with religious or medical objections, and the other allows the attorney general to seek injunctive relief from the courts as a remedy for violations.
