Alabama Circuit Court Judge J.R. Gaines denied a motion from the Alabama Department of Corrections and University of Alabama at Birmingham to dismiss a lawsuit brought against them. Attorneys for UAB and ADOC had requested he dismiss the case, arguing that as state entities both organizations had immunity. 

Lawsuits were filed against the ADOC and UAB by multiple families who said that the organs of their incarcerated loved ones were missing when their bodies were returned to them.

According to the lawsuit, a number of organs used for study by UAB in the past came from incarcerated individuals. Additionally, the lawsuit said that the two state entities attempted to conceal their alleged misconduct. 

Gaines ruled that the immunity does not apply if their actions violate the law. 

UAB had previously been contracted with the ADOC to provide autopsy services, specifically for natural deaths or suspected overdoses, though after the lawsuits were filed, UAB stopped performing autopsies for ADOC in May 2024. This has left ADOC without a contractor to perform those autopsies, meaning that if a family wants to uncover possible overdoses or other causes of death when it isn’t clear that the death is unnatural, they have to cover the cost of the autopsy themselves.  

UAB denied harvesting organs in a statement in July 2024, but did say that organs were sometimes kept after bodies were released to next of kin as they required additional testing. 

The next hearing is scheduled for May 6. 

Alabama top stories in brief 

State superintendent receives $35,000 raise

• The Alabama Board of Education voted on April 10 to raise State Superintendent Eric Mackey’s salary to $325,000 and extend his contract until April 2029. 

• Originally, the board had been discussing raising Mackey’s salary to $380,000, but Mackey requested that it be lowered to $325,000. 

• In 2023, Mackey’s salary was around $290,000, not including additional benefits. 

• In addition to the salary, Mackey is provided with a $1,750 per month housing allowance and a state vehicle.

Sponsors of porn age-requirements law receive pornographic letters

• Rep. Ben Robbins, Rep. Susan DuBose and Rep. David Faulkner all co-sponsored HB164 in 2024 to require that pornographic sites require age verification tests for those attempting to access them in Alabama. 

• All three representatives received letters on April 9 that included pornographic images of children, which Robbins said were intended to show that images could still be found despite the bill’s passage.

• An investigation into the letters was launched, which led to Alabama Law Enforcement Agency worker, John Watson, who was arrested and charged with Dissemination of Child Pornography. Watson was placed on mandatory leave and resigned on April 10 in lieu of termination. 

Senate committee approves changes to state school funding model

• An Alabama Senate committee approved SB305, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would provide weighted funding based on poverty, English language learners, special education, gifted students and charter school students.

• SB305 established the Renewing Alabama’s Investment in Student Excellence program and fund. 

• A separate bill, SB111, would provide $375 million during a three year period for RAISE. 

Senate approves new education budget along with bill to add supplemental funding for current fiscal year

• The Senate passed an education budget for 2026 that would increase the budget $9.89 billion, an increase of over $500 million from the 2025 budget. 

• The increase would include funding for a parental leave policy for state and education employees, employee injury compensation for education employees, funding for a pilot program in school-based remote mental health counseling and increased funding for prison education.

• The senate also passed SB113, which would add $524.3 million in supplemental funding for the current fiscal year.

• The funding for SB113 would include, but not be limited to, providing funding for AEDs in schools, new school buses, college and career readiness grants, additional school safety training and the CHOOSE Act Fund.

Announcements

• The first podcast episode of Alabama Spotlight, our new multi-media project celebrating amazing people, places and things in Alabama will be released April 22! Check out the new page on our site to subscribe and view a small sampling of the photos from some of the places we’ve visited so far. 

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