Posted by Birmingham News – House passes measure that allows “double-dipping,” bill now goes to Senate for consideration.
Birmingham News – Judicial system facing layoffs if full amount appropriated in proposed General Fund budget is not released.
Birmingham News – Democratic members of U.S. House Judiciary Committee threaten to subpoena Rove to testify about Siegelman prosecution.
Birmingham News – House refuses to debate proposal to rewrite state’s constitution.
Birmingham News – Receipts for Education Trust Fund up 4.2% in first seven months of year, still not sufficient to fund current budget.
Birmingham News – Senate education budget chair says he will encourage members to approve House-passed ETF budget.
Birmingham News – The Birmingham News comments on the end state’s long-running child welfare state, cautions that DHR must make sure that state doesn’t “backslide on improvements made in child welfare under federal oversight.”
Mobile Press-Register – Senate kills coastal insurance bill.
Mobile Press-Register – Riley signs legislative resolution urging U.S. House Speaker to support award of air tanker aware to Northrop Grumman-EADS.
Mobile Press-Register – Following Supreme Court decision in Indiana case, Press-Register calls for legislature to act quickly in strengthening state’s vote ID law.
Huntsville Times – Senate effectively kills measure that would have allowed borrowing $1 billion for road construction projects.
Huntsville Times – Commentary by House Majority Leader Ken Guin (D-Carbon Hill) defends his efforts to require school lunchroom menus to be approved by nutritionist.
Montgomery Advertiser – The Montgomery Advertiser says Alabamians should take “Siegelman defense” of Democrats accused of misconduct with “not just with a grain of salt, but with a whole truckload of it.”
Tuscaloosa News – Higher ed claims proposed increase in ETF “too little.”
Tuscaloosa News – Summary of yesterday’s legislative action.
Tuscaloosa News – Legislature gives final approval to measure that provides tax breaks for state college savings plans, bill goes to Governor for his approval.
Decatur Daily – The Decatur Daily calls for legislature to adopt requirement for voter photo ID.
Dothan Eagle – The Dothan Eagle reviews actions of what it calls the “do-nothing Alabama Senate.”
Daily Home – The Daily Home views Senate-passed ban on smoking as “going too far.”
News link – Alabama Arise works on environmental justice issues.
New York Times – Key Appropriations Committee member says he will try to block funds if GAO recommends reopening bidding for air tanker.
Birmingham Business Journal – Riley proposes tax reform plan.
FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:
Anger over double-dipping bill threatens film industry measure
Capitol Correspondent
MONTGOMERY — Fury over the House’s passage of a bill that allows lawmakers to use leave from jobs in the two-year college system to serve in the Legislature could be the undoing of a bill that could attract the film industry to Calhoun County and Alabama.
The House recessed Thursday during the discussion of a bill that would provide tax breaks to revive the film industry in Alabama. House leaders say it’s questionable whether the bill will be brought back up when legislators return on Tuesday.
House Majority Leader Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, said “there is a possibility that the bill could come back, but there are no plans to do so at this time.”
Rep. Richard Lindsey, D-Centre, said he hopes he can get the bill back on the calendar, but he believes the Republicans are angry enough over the double-dipping bill that passed the House on Thursday to kill it.
“They’re going to continue to talk on these bills to the end of the session because they’re angry about other things,” he said.
Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, said Republicans have a reason to be angry, and he believes Alabamians in general will be disgusted with the legislators who passed the double-dipping bill.
“I never go anywhere, not to breakfast or lunch, where people don’t tell me that they’re tired of double-dipping in the two-year system,” he said. “They see it as corrupt, and they’re right.”
But Wood said his fellow party members understand how important the film incentives bill is to attracting an industry that two years ago brought in millions but now brings in nothing.
“I think right now people are tired and a little bit aggravated,” he said. “Hopefully, when people get their composure back, things will get better.”
Speaker of the House Seth Hammett, D-Andalusia, said he anticipates that the House will operate on a 10-minute calendar next week, which means that each bill will be given 10 minutes to pass or fail before moving on to the next.
However, he said he expects the House Republican caucus to use delaying tactics as retribution for the affirmative vote on the double-dipping bill, and he doesn’t expect the film incentives bill to get another chance.
The Senate passed an identical version of the film incentives bill Wednesday. It has been sent to the House and could still make it through before the session ends in a couple of weeks.
Boyd’s teaching bill clears House
Capitol Correspondent
MONTGOMERY — Teachers who have entered the field of education with degrees from other disciplines might find it easier to achieve certification in time for the next school year.
A bill sponsored by Rep. Barbara Boyd, D-Anniston that would remove certain state requirements for an alternative teaching certificate was on its way to the governor’s desk Thursday.
The bill was among seven statewide House bills that the Senate passed Wednesday.
Under existing law, people who qualify for an alternative teaching certificate must be full-time employees of the same public school system or private school for three consecutive years, according to Jayne Meyer, director of teacher education and certification for the Alabama Department of Education.
After those three years, they are eligible for the same professional educator certificate that a person who completes a traditional teacher education program receives.
Meyer said if a person moves to another school district, or is laid off at the end of a school year, he or she no longer would be eligible to pursue the alternate certificate-to-professional educator certificate approach to certification.
“They couldn’t start over,” she said.
Under Boyd’s bill, a person who earns the first year of alternative certification would have up to four years to achieve the three years of full-time teaching experience in as many as two different public school systems and/or private schools.
The bill also would allow issuance of alternative certificates for those who teach grades six to 12, rather than nine to 12, which is the requirement under existing law.
Boyd said there was some concern that the bill would jeopardize a teacher’s ability to meet federal No Child Left Behind requirements, because the teacher still will have to meet all educational requirements, and a person’s work experience would not be a basis for obtaining an alternative certificate.
Meyer said the Department of Education is pleased with the bill because it impacts hundreds of teachers working in school systems throughout the state.
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Dear Doc,
You say:
The Decatur Daily calls for legislature to adopt requirement for voter photo ID.
Actually an editor/writer for the Decatur Daily is calling for the legislature to adopt requirement for voter photo ID. The article is on the editorial page which makes it an opinion. The editor/writers is expressing his/her opinion, not those of the paper. I believe it is is misleading to infer that the Decatur Daily agrees with the writer.
Homeboy – Look at the last 630 posted Digests. I use the paper’s name in the description to indicate the url is, in fact, an editorial statement of the paper (as opposed to a commentary by someone not connected to the newspaper, or a news report). Sorry if you find that misleading or inaccurate.
The editor through editorials speaks for the paper. You may be thinking of “Op-Ed” pieces which are opinion pieces published by the paper by contributors that are typically not on the staff of the newspaper. Op-Ed pieces may not reflect the positions of the paper’s editor and/or editorial board, but editorials like this one do.
Once again I am deeply saddened that the members of the Alabama House of Representatives have thwarted the right of the people to vote on whether they choose to revise the antiquated 1901 Constitution. Our politicians have the utmost faith in the electorate when seeking office and yet these same individuals once in office believe the electorate is incapabale of making decisions concerning the fundamental governing document of the State. Perhaps the ardent supporters of the 1901 Constitution should be reminded of Art. I, Sec. 2 which provides, “That all political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit; and that, therefore, they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to change their form of government in such a manner as they may deem expedient.” The Declaration of Rights incorporated in Article I have survived basically unchanged through the six incarnations of the Alabama Constution and stand as the fundamental and organic basis of law for the people of Alabama. I am not so naive as to believe that there are not powers in this state who benefit from the status quo and who will fight to preserve the ability to vest all power in the hands of the Legislature. I am dissapointed that more members of the House are not sufficiently enlightened to grasp that many of the problems the legislature deals with in the form of burdensome local legislation and restrictive financial limitations are imposed by an outdated constitution. I applaude representative Newton’s efforts and would implore all Alabamians to give serious consideration to the Legislatures continued reluctance to allow the people to decide for themselves.
It is important to note that the following Republicans voted in FAVOR of the bill to ALLOW double-dipping by legislators: Spencer Collier, Blaine Galliher, Todd Greeson, Jeremy Oden, Allen Treadaway
Both Galliher and Greeson hold so-called jobs at community colleges.
The following Republicans DID NOT VOTE on the bill or took a walk: Roberty Bentley, David Grimes, Mike Hill, Jim McClendon, Mac McCutcheon, Elwyn Thomas
Do not forget that these Republicans abandoned their party on this important issue during the next election.
“I hate RINOS!!”
I don’t have a dog in this fight, but Roberty Bentley, David Grimes, Mike Hill, Jim McClendon, Mac McCutcheon, Elwyn Thomas abandoning their party for voting their conscious?
You must be joking. Or in the alternative your views represent the very worst in Alabama politics which is the view that legislators are there to serve the party instead of representing citizens as in joe sixpack and john q. public.
Danny–Do you know anything about the feds investigating Hinton Mitchum’s, wife and also looking through lots of stuff? Let us know if you hear anything. Maybe you would want to talk to someone in the Albertville, Boaz, etc. area.
-Pookie
Dear Doc,
BhamHomBoy wanted me to inform you that your B’ham News headline about the “double dipping” bill is incorrect.
Nowhere in the story does it talk about ice cream, salsa or swimming pools. And besides, how can a house pass a measure? A house is an inanimate object, for cryin’ out loud.
Please take care not to post such inaccuracies in the future. You’re serving only to confuse those readers of your blog who possess a Birmingham Public School Education.
Thanks.
Why are you lying on me Scropius? I never asked you to “inform” anyone of anything and I never will. I am fully capable of speaking for myself thanks to my ALABAMA PUBLIC SCHOOL education.
Doc,
Thank you for your response, I will take up the matter directly with The Decatur Daily.
The ad wizards at Visa came up with this one specifically for you, Homboy:
Twelve year taxpayer-supported public education in Birmingham………………………$115,428
Daily usage of the Birmingham Public Library’s computer and wi-fi……………….$(Free)
Evidence, like response #9, that confirms you are the dumbest blog participant in Alabama…………………………PRICELESS!
Scorpius: You never contribute anything substantive to this board, only immature and silly personal attacks on those who do so. Although you are the laughing stock of the board, even in that role your tirades have become predictable and boring, in addition to just being mean spirited. If your only role is that of personal attack, Danny would do well to ban your participation.
Name one, just one, substantive thing to this board that B’hamhomboy has contributed.
If you’re embarrassed because he betrays just how stupid your party regulars are, that’s not my fault, nor any reason for me to refrain from posting.
If you don’t like what I write, ignore it. You have every right to read and wallow in the idiocy of your favorite, like-minded posters.
and you somehow feel that you have the right to come to this venue and attack anyone with whatever you choose, and that those words coming from you are somehow the truth? And do think anyone buys that? As I’vd said before, you’re a joke who brings an occasional smile to this blog. And can you name on substantive thing YOU’Ve contributed? Like others of your ilk, you cannot participate in a dialogue of differing opinions or ideas; if you dislike the message, you merely attack the messenger. That certainly indictates your limitations, Scorp.
I’m sorry, Anon, but I don’t see where you answered my challenge.
If I understood your original hissy-fit correctly, you’ve already established for yourself that I “never contribute anything substantive” and that in absence of that, I have no right to post here and so I deserve to be banned.
I challenged you to show me where Homboy has contributed anything substantive. Shouldn’t it follow that if I fail to contribute and, thus, deserve banning, he should, too. If it doesn’t follow that, why???
Your reply was just recycled rancor.
Since you’ve established the arbitrary qualifications for posting here, the burden is not on me to prove my substantive contributions, the burden is on you to prove it from one of your fellow Democrats.
It’s not worth even trying to have a dialogue with you, Scorpius. You are epitomize “recycled rancor.” It’s not worth even engaging in anything further with you -as I said, you can only attack others, and it wears thin. It appears that belittling others is the only way that you validate yourself.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Interpretation of the last answer:
Scorpius, I backed myself into a corner I couldn’t get out of.
Since I’m exposed as witless, I’ll try reversing your own charges against me and hope that that suffices for argument.
Since I recognize that I can’t beat you in logic and reason, I’ll feign indignation, cast a few snippy asides and leave the issue alone.
THIS, folks, is what passes for debate with a Liberal! Absolutely typical.
I LOVE it!!!
Go back and read your comments just from today – they certainly do not reflect logic and reason. And I would characterize many of your attacks on others commenters as nothing more than “feigned indignation and snippy asides” that completely ignore any issues. Those attacks that you consistently make against others are truly reflections of what you do. And man, if liberal is the opposite of you, I’ll gladly wear the label. And, at least there’s somthing you love.
No one on this forum can ever say I’ve resorted to name calling, personal attacks or insults because someone disagrees with my point of view.
I agree with Anony #17, I wear the Liberal label proudly.
Looking over comments 5 to 18, it is easy to see that our partisan,fractious,raucous state Legislature is accurately reflects the public mood.
Looking over the entire Parlor it is easy to see that our partisan, fractious, raucouse state Legislature accurately reflects the public mood, the only difference no punches are passed.