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I’ve been lucky enough to cover a wide range of topics this year, but here are the five that stuck out the most to me. From the lowest points in the justice system to the hopeful future ahead, new laws taking effect and pride flag theft at Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2024 was nothing short of a newsworthy year.
Executions in Alabama
In Alabama’s first year of utilizing nitrogen executions, it prevailed as the state with the most executions this year with six in total: three lethal injections, and three nitrogen gas.
Alabama fought hard for these executions too. There was much public scrutiny after Kenneth Smith’s execution in January and both Alan Miller and Carey Grayson fought in court to have their executions either delayed or have the method altered. Miller settled his case and Grayson’s appeal failed and their executions proceeded.
Alabama also executed Jamie Mills, Keith Gavin and Derrick Dearman by method of lethal injection. Although Mills and Gavin fought their executions in the court of appeals, Dearman waived all appeal processes and asked for his execution to be scheduled.
Porn ID Law
At the beginning of October, Alabama implemented HB164 which forced distributors of sexual material to verify users are 18 years of age or older before accessing explicit content. Many distributors had already pulled their content from states that had passed similar laws and Alabama was no different.
Starting September 1 of next year, any commercial entity distributing these materials for business will be subject to a special 10 percent tax levy for adult-oriented companies. The revenue generated from this tax will be allocated to the Alabama Department of Mental Health to support treatment programs for individuals with behavioral health needs.
Many people who opposed the bill raised concerns about this law infringing the public’s First Amendment right to freedom of speech and expression, but for now, the larger fight over definitions of expression in a digital landscape continues.
Pride flag stolen from Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center
Over the summer, a Pride flag was raised at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tuscaloosa to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month. This flag was displayed outside the Community Living Center to show support for LGBTQ+ veterans, a group often vulnerable to discrimination and prejudice in the military. However, on June 3, the flag was found missing from its flagpole.
VA police quickly identified the individual responsible by reviewing surveillance footage and contacting them. The flag was returned and rehung. Flag thefts and vandalism have occurred across the country as people express their values through symbols, and the stolen Pride flag incident in Tuscaloosa was classified as theft of federal property. The individual involved may face legal consequences despite the flag being returned.
The VA estimates that around one million veterans identify as LGBTQ+ and this group experiences mental health challenges, including higher rates of suicidal thoughts, compared to other veterans. The VA continues to work on making all veterans feel welcome and ensuring they have access to the care they need.
Reentry Commission begins meeting
Since the Alabama Reentry Commission began meeting in August, I have been able to cover a couple of their meetings and some of the eye-opening presentations that have been made before the commission.
At meetings so far, members discussed strategies to reduce the state’s high recidivism rate, which is seen as a major factor in the overcrowding and understaffing of Alabama’s prisons. Alabama is part of a nationwide initiative, Reentry 2030, which aims to cut recidivism in half by 2030.
Key to this effort are programs that provide “wrap-around services” for released individuals, including help with obtaining identification, job training, and mental health support, as well as addressing the lack of resources to help obtain proper documentation many face upon reentry.
A significant issue raised during the meetings was the difficulty for former inmates to get identification like birth certificates or Social Security cards. This is a major barrier to reintegration, making it harder to access jobs, healthcare, and other services.
Some reentry programs, like those run by the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, offer a range of services, including medical support and help with securing those IDs. The commission is looking to address these disparities and gaps in support to reduce recidivism rates.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes across Alabama
At the beginning of 2024, Alabama unveiled its first Safe Haven Baby Box which offers parents an opportunity to surrender a child within 45 days of birth. Since January, Alabama has installed at least 14 boxes across the state, three in one week, and at least three babies have been surrendered.
These boxes provide some kind of option for parents in a state that enacted a complete abortion ban as soon as possible. Surrendering an infant to one of these boxes provides a safe and anonymous process that otherwise couldn’t be achieved at a hospital or fire station.
