According to provisional data provided by the CDC, deaths in Alabama caused by drug overdose dropped a little over 18.24% from July 2023 to July 2024.
There are a number of possible contributing factors. In 2012, Alabama was the state with the second highest rate of opioid prescriptions, with 143.9 prescriptions per 100 people. That number has since decreased by 50%.
Another potential contributing factor is the increasing availability of naloxone—also known as Narcan—an opioid overdose reversal drug which can now be purchased over-the-counter.
Increased efforts have also been made to educate Alabamians on the dangers of drugs like fentanyl, which increasingly has been the cause of overdoses in Alabama. During the 2024 legislative session, HB280, the Price Hornsby Act, was passed, which requires that all Alabama students be taught “Research-based instruction related to fentanyl prevention and drug poisoning awareness.”
The Price Hornsby Act came into effect at the beginning of the fall 2024 school year, and was named after Auburn High School student Price Hornsby, who died of an overdose.
According to an article published to the peer-reviewed site PLoS One, opioid overdoses are more common among those below the poverty line, incarcerated individuals and those without healthcare were among those most likely to die from an opioid overdose.
Alabama top stories in brief
Special election date set for Alabama Senate District 5
- Primaries for the seat will take place on March 11, with runoffs set for April 8 and the general election on June 24. Candidates must qualify by Jan. 7.
- The seat was previously occupied by Greg Reed, R-Jasper, who served as the Senate President Pro Tempore, but stepped down to take the position of Senior Advisor to Workforce Transformation for Gov. Kay Ivey.
- Senator Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman was nominated to succeed Reed as Senator Pro Tem.
Alabama Senator pre-files bill to generate revenue for public transportation
- SB11, which was filed by Senator Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, would generate revenue by adding a $5 annual fee on vehicle registration.
- Funds gathered through this fee would then be put into the Alabama Public Transportation Trust Fund, which was created in 2018, but currently has no revenue source.
- According to Coleman-Madison, the fee would generate around $26 million each year, and would allow the state to acquire additional federal funds.
Nearly 3,000 Alabama families apply for CHOOSE Act funds
- According to the Alabama Department of Revenue, as of Jan. 2, more than 2,800 applications had been submitted for education saving accounts, which can be used to pay for qualifying educational expenses, including private tuition.
- In addition to tuition, those added to the program can use their account to pay for school supplies, technology associated with students’ learning and private tutoring.
- The Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Children’s Education Act was passed by the Alabama Legislature during the 2024 legislative session.
- In order to be eligible for the program, students must be in k-12 grade and their household income must fall below 300% of the federal poverty level. Those eligible for the program can apply online.
Bill would place time limit on state agencies issuing permits and licenses
- SB29, which was pre-filed by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Daphne, would require that all state agencies issuing a license or permit, either approve or deny any applications within 45 days.
- If a license were not approved or denied, then the license would automatically be awarded to the business, though applicants may grant the agency additional time to review the application.
Municipal courts required to provide additional data in 2025
- SB203, a bill requiring that municipalities report additional data to the Administrative Office of Courts was passed in 2022; it was originally meant to go into effect in 2023, but reporting to a statewide database was delayed to give municipalities more time to prepare.
- State leaders say that the database and increased reporting could improve public safety by providing more information than is currently available to form policies and make decisions.
- Municipalities are required to report their annual operating budget, the court’s operating budget, their expenditures, the total amount of revenue collected by the court and the number of court cases handled.
New bills would create new laws surrounding machine guns
- Two new bills related to machine guns were introduced by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham.
- SB31 would make it illegal for anyone to own a machine gun, parts that could be assembled into a machine gun or to own a part designed to convert another firearm into a machine gun.
- Violating SB31 would be punished as a Class C felony.
- SB32 would require that manslaughter or murder caused by the use of a machine gun be punished by life without parole, and assault be punished by a life sentence.
- Smitherman defines a machine gun as “Any firearm that shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, more than one shot automatically without manual reloading and by a single function of the trigger.”
Our articles you might have missed:
- In the most recent edition of The Breathing Room, Decorate your darkness, Hannah Irvin encourages readers to look for positive moments in difficult situations. “Look for the lights in your life, and when you can, add your own.”
This December, Xander Swain traveled to Bankhead National Forest, a place “known for its flowing waterfalls, deep gorges, sprawling biodiversity and its Sipsey Wilderness.” If you’re looking for new places to hike this year, you should check out the latest edition of The Longleaf Hiker and learn more about the place Xander calls an “Alabama Paradise.”
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