Alabama top stories in brief

The Legislative Study Commission on Modernizing K-12 School Education Funding met for the second time on Aug. 15. The committee was established to examine whether Alabama should change its system of funding for school systems into one that focuses more on student specific needs instead of the number of students. Currently, the Foundation Program, which determines state funding for Alabama schools, uses a formula that is primarily based on the number of total students in a school. According to a presentation given to committee members by Bellwether, a non-profit group that works to address education shortcomings for marginalized communities, Alabama’s system currently does not properly address income disparity. Legislators have until Feb. 1 to present their findings and any recommendations. Members of the committee have made it clear that whatever changes may occur, they are not willing to move local funds away from their sources.

During a recent budget hearing, Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm told legislators that the ADOC would likely not meet their court mandated additional staff of 2,000 by July 2025. The mandate came as a result of the Braggs v. Dunn lawsuit filed by incarcerated individuals in 2014, where the courts agreed with the plaintiffs that the ADOC had failed to provide necessary mental health care.

A campaign to widen the entire stretch of Interstate-65 to three lanes is being pushed by former legislator George Clark. Clark founded the Go Wide I-65 Coalition and has named the plan laid out on the group’s website “The Ainsworth Plan,” after Alabama Lt. Gov. Ainsworth, who has been outspoken on his support for widening I-65 for years. So far, the campaign has raised $200,000.

Two bills recently pre-filed for the 2025 legislative session have received pushback from Immigrant rights groups such as Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice. The two bills are House Bill 3 and House Bill 7. HB3, would increase the penalties for undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes. HB7, would allow for local law enforcement to enter into memorandums of understanding with federal agencies to enforce immigration laws. Agencies acting in this capacity would have the ability to make arrests for those that they have probable cause to suspect as being an undocumented immigrant. Allison Hamilton, executive director for the ACIJ, argued that the law would encourage racial profiling, because, “It is impossible to determine someone’s immigration status just by looking at them.”

Our articles you might have missed

Xander Swain takes us on his journey exploring the Great Smoky Mountains, including two memorable hikes, in this month’s edition of The Longleaf Hiker, available on our site.

In July’s edition of The Breathing Room, Hannah Irvin invites readers to ask themselves how they are viewing those around them and whether it is how they want to be seen.

Harrison Neville | Editor in chief

Harrison Neville is the editor in chief for The Sunrise News. He graduated the University of Montevallo with a BA in English and a minor in game studies and design. While at UM he worked for four years at the university’s collegiate newspaper, The Alabamian, and served as editor in chief his senior year. He is an avid outdoorsman who loves to spend time backpacking and hiking. He also has been a soccer referee for over 8 years. When he’s not on the trail or the field, you can probably find him reading books, writing or playing games with friends.
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