By Samuel Mattison
Alabama Political Reporter
Here’s what to expect during Wednesday’s committee meetings at the Alabama Legislature:
Licensed Day Care bill debuts in the Senate
Melanie Bridgeforth, executive director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children, speaks about the day care bill at a press conference in May 2017. (Samuel Mattison/APR)
The long-awaited day care bill will appear in a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Wednesday where it will be acted on by committee members.
Currently, day cares in Alabama are not required to be licensed by the state if they have a non-profit/religious bend, but this new version of the bill would require that some be licensed.
Representatives in the Alabama House passed the bill two weeks ago after a tense round of negotiations from the bills proponents and the religious group Alabama Citizens Action Program. The bill was subject to an eventful public hearing in January that saw a dozen speakers.
Changes to the bill include exempting religious day care centers that do not receive federal funding, while also setting up a procedure where parents acknowledge the day care is not licensed by the state.
The bill is now on its way to the Alabama Senate, where it faced the most opposition last year with the bill being filibustered during the final Legislative Day.
Appropriations for $30 million to Corrections comes to Senate Committee
State senators receive copies of the 2019 general fund budget during a Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee meeting in February 2018. (Samuel Mattison/APR)
An add on bill to appropriate an additional $30 million for the Department of Corrections from the General Fund will also get a vote this Wednesday in the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee.
Commissioner of Corrections Jeff Dunn said at last week’s committee meeting that the money would help the Department to address staffing concerns and improve healthcare and mental healthcare for inmates in the system.
The funding comes off the back of a federal ruling that found Alabama’s mental facilities to not be constitutionally sufficient.
The committee passed the General Fund budget last week, which included procuring $50 million for the Department of Corrections. If the bill is passed today, the total appropriations for the department would be $80 million.
Other meetings of note
In addition to the day care bill, the Senate Judiciary Committee will also vote on a bill to lessen penalties for possession of marijuana.
The bill sponsored by state Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Montgomery, would change the requirements to be convicted of possession by raising the amount of Marijuana that needs to be possessed to 2 or more ounces.
Possession in the third degree would also be created by the bill.
Under the penalties proposed for the crime, those convicted up to two times under this provision would receive a fine that would not appear on his or her permanent record. Any subsequent conviction for Possession in the Third Degree would carry a Class A misdemeanor, which could carry up to 1 year in jail and a fine up to $6,000.
