Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed Senate Bill 224 on April 12, requiring unemployment insurance claimants to contact at least three prospective employers each week during their benefits period to remain eligible for payments. The bill defines a contact as an application or other genuine solicitation for an open job. The Alabama Department of Labor…
Alabama voters will vote on 10 constitutional amendments in 2022. One measure, which would authorize $85 million in bonds to be issued for public historical sites and state parks, will be on the May 24 primary election ballot. The other nine amendments will appear on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. The legislature referred five…
In November, Alabama voters will be asked to approve an updated and recompiled state constitution, titled the Alabama Constitution of 2022. Voters will also decide a ballot measure that would authorize the Code Commissioner to incorporate constitutional amendments that are approved at the elections on May 24 and November 8 into the Alabama Constitution of…
Wes Allen, Christian Horn, Ed Packard, and Jim Zeigler are running in the Republican primary for Alabama Secretary of State on May 24, 2022. Incumbent John Merrill (R) is term-limited. Each candidate points to his background as equipping him for the position. Allen was a Pike County Probate Court judge and says he administered more…
In November, Alabama voters will decide a constitutional amendment that would authorize the state or local governments, such as counties or cities, to grant federal award funds, or any funds designated for broadband infrastructure by state law, to public or private entities for broadband internet infrastructure. Funds granted by a local government to a private…
Along with four constitutional amendments, Alabama voters will be asked to ratify an updated and recompiled state constitution on Nov. 8. The proposed 2022 Constitution of Alabama was drafted by the state legislature following voter approval of Amendment 4 in 2020. Amendment 4 authorized the Alabama State Legislature— during the 2022 regular state legislative session—…
The Alabama Legislature passed a plan for spending American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds on Jan. 27, 2022, directing $79.5 million of the state’s $2.1 billion ARPA allocation to replenish the state’s unemployment trust fund. Following the bill’s passage, Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced the state dropped to a lower tax schedule…
The filing deadline for candidates running for state offices in 2022 in Alabama was Jan. 28. State legislative elections will take place in all 35 Senate and 105 House districts. Overall, 271 candidates filed for those 140 districts: 88 Democrats, 182 Republicans, and one Libertarian. This equals 1.94 candidates per district, down from 2.15 in…
Birmingham, Ala., held a general runoff election on Oct. 5. The runoff was necessary after no candidate earned a majority of the vote in several races during the general election on Aug. 24. Candidates competed for two seats on the nine-seat city council. Challengers defeated incumbents in both districts. J.T. Moore won the District 4…
Young Boozer (R) became the 41st Alabama state treasurer on Oct. 1. Governor Kay Ivey (R) appointed Boozer on Sept. 17, following the resignation of John McMillan (R), effective Sept. 30. McMillan had served as treasurer since 2019. Boozer previously served as state treasurer from 2011 to 2019. He is the fifth Alabama state treasurer…