Alabama Governor Kay Ivey called the Alabama Legislature into the first of two special sessions; it convened on September 27 and ended on October 1. The purpose of the session was to address five bills that were aimed at prison reform and financing of the construction and renovation of specific facilities at certain
Mazda Toyota Manufacturing and its 2,000-plus team members celebrated the production of the first dealer-ready vehicle, a 2022 Corolla Cross, to emerge from the partnership’s new factory in Huntsville. Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM), the only North American facility to produce the Corolla Cross, is a joint venture partnership between Mazda Motor
The University of South Alabama in Mobile recently announced the shortlist of candidates to fill its presidential vacancy. According to the announcement, Governor Kay Ivey’s chief of staff Jo Bonner is among the finalists. In addition to Bonner, who is also a former congressman from Mobile, Dr. Damon Andrew, dean of
Southern Research has closed on the sale of its Maryland facility as part of the organization’s plan to spur investment and launch new facilities in Birmingham. The sale paves the way for the research nonprofit to invest almost $20 million in its Birmingham campus, which will bring an additional 50
The Alabama Department of Commerce announced that longtime employee Stefania Jones has been promoted to Manager of Governmental Affairs and Marketing, giving her the responsibility for key activities at the state’s lead economic development agency. In her new role, Jones will serve as Commerce’s representative on legislative matters, helping to
Last week, The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, which is working to get everything in place for medical cannabis in the state, said it will not ask the legislature to move up previously established dates regarding when medical cannabis will be available. The commission claims it has plenty of work to do in the meantime and didn’t want to
The Committee on the Recompilation of the Constitution, created with the support of both Republicans and Democrats to study the racist language still in Alabama’s Constitution, recently heard a proposal for revisions, and while the body did not accept the proposal with a formal vote, there were no objections voiced. A formal vote is expected in the coming weeks. Read more about the proposal
Governor Kay Ivey recently announced that the Jefferson, Blount, St. Clair (JBS) Mental Health Authority in Birmingham will be the home to the state’s fourth crisis center. The addition to the Alabama Crisis System of Care will join AltaPointe Health in Mobile, Wellstone in Huntsville and the Montgomery Area Mental
In the 2021 regular legislative session, the legislature passed Act 2021-493, which states that “no government, school, or business in Alabama may demand that a constituent, student, or customer be vaccinated for COVID-19 or show proof of his or her vaccination for COVID-19.” This was in anticipation of a federal
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries has started taking license applications from Alabama hemp growers, those who process and handle hemp and interested universities. In 2016, the legislature passed the Alabama Industrial Hemp Research Program Act, which required the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries to set up a
