January 2025 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

Mental health is a hot topic everywhere, including in Alabama. Two of the state’s leaders pointed to mental health issues as needs they’d like to better address in the coming 2025 regular session of the Alabama Legislature, which begins on February 4.

And while gambling looks to make reappearance this session, the state’s beleaguered medical cannabis process will also be back in the news. After multiple delays in getting the state’s medical cannabis industry up and running, there are hopes a solution currently on the table will get things moving forward again.

Read below for more on all of this, and stay tuned for our Group Watch reports coming to your inbox weekly once session starts.

January 2025 Group Watch: Post of the Month

@AL_League

Jan 10

#LiveLocallyAlabama #alpolitics

January 2025 Group Watch: Dr. Eric Mackey Outlines His Priorities for AL Students

Alabama State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey recently outlined some of his 2025 goals concerning the state’s students, saying tackling the “mental health crisis” among young people is at the top of his list. Related to improving students’ mental health, Mackey also wants to explore limiting cell phone and social media use among students, particularly when they are at school. Read more here. 

January 2025 Group Watch: AL Senate Pro Tem Shares Agenda

New Alabama Senate President Pro Tem, Senator Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman), has listed his plans for the coming 2025 regular session, naming more funding for mental health services, increased access to healthcare and more effective and efficient communication between lawmakers among the topics needing attention. He also noted his role as a facilitator in the Pro Tem position and his desire to understand the different needs and wants in different regions across the state. Read more here.

January 2025 Group Watch: Alabama Farmers Could Benefit from Alfa Health Plans

Many of Alabama’s farmers, those who grow and raise our food and other needed items, are self-employed and therefore, face challenges when accessing affordable and consistent healthcare coverage for themselves and their families. The Alabama Farmers Federation is supporting legislation in the 2025 regular session that, if enacted, will finally offer its members the healthcare coverage options they deserve, which benefits our state’s farmers, but could also help other small businesses.  

Read more in the below article.

January 2025 Group Watch: Solution to Get AL’s Medical Cannabis Industry Moving?

After multiple lawsuits pushed “pause” on Alabama’s medical cannabis industry moving ahead and offering medical cannabis to approved customers, a resolution is finally in sight, according to a member of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission. Court-ordered mediation efforts appear to have borne fruit, and an agreement is expected soon.  Read more here.

September 2024 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House

News affecting veterans in Alabama made headlines in the last few weeks, as did both state and federal efforts to boost business in the state by helping rural businesses and improving infrastructure at Alabama airports.

The Alabama Film Commission has a new leading lady, and third graders might face a higher bar when it comes to their reading scores next year, with an even loftier benchmark put in place for 2026 and 2027.

Find more details on these topics and info on other important #alpolitics news below.

September 2024 Group Watch: Post of the Month

@thebloomgroup
Sept 17

September 2024 Group Watch: AL Rural Businesses Getting a Boost 

A new initiative from investment bank Goldman Sachs will support small businesses in rural Alabama, with goals that include growth and job creation. U.S. Senator Katie Britt joined representatives of Goldman Sachs in Birmingham for the launch of the bank’s “Investment Rural” program. The $100 million initiative provides results-oriented business training, access to capital and personalized support services. Through a partnership with HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation/ Hope Credit Union), Goldman Sachs will deploy $20 million of capital to small businesses in the rural South, and HOPE is committing $3 million to community development financial institutions serving Alabama, including Communities Unlimited.

September 2024 Group Watch: ALDOT Announces Grants for Local Airports

The Alabama Department of Transportation has awarded more than $700,000 in state grants to match $8 million in federal funding for 13 local airports. The projects are as follows:

• Bessemer Municipal Airport: $287,341 for pavement maintenance.
• Courtland Airport in Lawrence County: $282,808 for taxiways and ramp.
• Cullman Regional-Folsom Field Airport: $168,102 for taxiway.
• Dothan Regional Airport: $16,476 for airfield drainage.
• Eufaula Municipal Airport: $1,728,242 to construct taxiways.
• Florala Municipal Airport: $240,917 for terminal building site prep. 
• Gulf Shores International Airport: $51,830 for runway improvements.
• Lanett Regional Airport: $573,740 to construct new taxi lane.
• Ozark Municipal Airport: $168,082 to construct corporate hangar.
• Pryor Field Regional Airport in Decatur: $3.5million to construct a new taxiway.
• Troy Municipal Airport: $3.5 million for taxiway rehabilitation.
• Union Springs Airport-Franklin Field: $938,193 to construct 4-unit box hangar.
• William E. Stewart-Jackson Municipal Airport: $100,000 to prepare airport master plan.

These grants are made possible through ALDOT’s Alabama Airport Improvement Funding Program. Through the program, ALDOT can provide financial assistance and other engineering/technical services to airport owners for the acquisition, construction, expansion, maintenance, or operation of public airport facilities.