We hope you enjoy this preview of Alabama Arise’s weekly legislative update! We are proud to offer this as a members-only benefit of Arise. If you enjoy this recap, join us today with a gift of any amount and you will continue receiving this recap throughout the session. Memberships renew annually. Every week during the Alabama Legislature’s regular session, we send our members this up-to-the-minute summary of what you need to know from the past week at the State House – and what to expect in the week ahead.
When you join today, we also hope you will consider sustaining our work year-round by becoming a monthly donor. Click “make my gift recurring” below your gift amount to do this.
Thank you for your support of our movement for a better Alabama! If you cannot afford a membership but would like to join Arise, email development associate McKenzie Burton at [email protected].
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Arise Legislative Update: March 26, 2025
Arise's Dev Wakeley provides updates from the first half of the Alabama Legislature's 2025 regular session as lawmakers are on spring break this week.
In good news, lawmakers passed a paid parental leave bill on Thursday! SB 199 will introduce paid leave for new parents who work as teachers or state employees. The bill now goes to the governor for her signature. We also saw important progress on untaxing groceries last week as the House voted 103-0 for HB 386. This bill would reduce the state sales tax on groceries from 3% to 2%, building on the momentum of the 1-cent reduction that Arise members' advocacy helped secure in 2023. Dev also warns that SB 84, which would authorize junk health plans, remains alive at the State House. We need to continue to oppose this bill and advocate instead for Medicaid expansion as a real solution to close Alabama's coverage gap. |
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Alabama Arise Action: Legislative Day 2025
Arise held its 2025 Legislative Day on Thursday, March 20. More than 200 supporters from across Alabama joined us in Montgomery to urge their lawmakers to continue to untax groceries and to support a plan to allow every public school in our state to provide no-cost school breakfast to all students. Our supporters also were excited to celebrate the final passage of legislation to provide paid parental leave to teachers and state employees. Watch this video for snapshots of the event and for highlights from our news conference on untaxing groceries. Thank you to everyone who spoke out for a better Alabama for all! |
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Alabama Arise: 200+ Alabama Arise supporters rally in favor of reducing state grocery tax
"More than 200 Arise supporters gathered Thursday at the State House in Montgomery to show their support for untaxing groceries. The advocates urged state senators to support HB 386 by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, which would reduce the state grocery tax from 3% to 2% beginning on Sept. 1," Arise wrote in a news release last week. |
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Alabama Arise: Reduce Alabama’s grocery tax again!
Alabama Arise members have advocated for decades to untax groceries in our state. That advocacy led to a historic reduction of the state sales tax on groceries in 2023. Now we have a chance to reduce the grocery tax yet again this year.
HB 386 by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, would reduce the state sales tax on groceries from 3% to 2% beginning on Sept. 1, 2025. Show your support now! |
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Alabama Arise: Help Alabama families by reducing the state grocery tax
Alabama’s grocery tax is a cruel tax on survival. Our new fact sheet explains why lawmakers should pass HB 386 to continue the progress toward eliminating the state grocery tax once and for all. |
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Alabama Arise: Vote YES on HB 89 to save moms and babies!
HB 89 by Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, would reduce red-tape barriers to health coverage by expanding a process known as presumptive eligibility. That would allow more expectant mothers to receive Medicaid coverage earlier in the pregnancy, when health care is essential for the mother and child. |
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Alabama Arise: Tell your U.S. senators: Oppose harmful cuts to Medicaid and SNAP
It’s simple: We shouldn’t hurt people who are struggling to help people who are rich. But the U.S. House voted recently for a budget resolution that would set the stage for exactly that. This resolution would set up massive cuts in federal funding for health care and food assistance – all to offset deep tax cuts for the country’s wealthiest households and businesses. There’s still time to stop this bad budget plan. Take a minute to tell your senators today to vote NO on harmful cuts to Medicaid, food assistance and other vital human services. |
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Alabama Political Reporter: Over 200 rally at Statehouse to push for grocery tax reduction
“This is a highly regressive tax that drives many people deeper into poverty," Arise's Robyn Hyden said at last week's Legislative Day news conference. |
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Alabama Daily News: Alabama GOP-backed $192M tax cut has bipartisan support, but House Democrats want more
“Ending the state grocery tax in a responsible way has been a longtime priority for Arise members,” Arise's Chris Sanders said in a statement to the Alabama Daily News. |
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| CBS 42, Birmingham: Alabama Arise members advocate for reducing grocery tax
"This tax cut would save the average Alabama family of four $150 per year," Arise's Robyn Hyden said. |
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WAKA 8, Montgomery: Group wants state to drop sales tax on groceries
"This tax needs to end. The sooner, the better," Arise's Robyn Hyden said. |
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WVUA 23, Tuscaloosa: Alabama Arise Action rallies in support of reduction of grocery tax
"Members of Alabama Arise Action gathered Thursday on Montgomery to advocate for reduced taxes on groceries. Alabama Arise Action is a nonprofit organization that works on advancing public policies for Alabamians. Members showed up to support House Bill 386, which would reduce the state tax on groceries from 3% to 2%," WVUA 23 in Tuscaloosa reported. |
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Good Faith Media: Alabama coalition calls for ending statewide grocery tax
“[Arise] believe[s] in breaking down policy barriers that limit opportunity," Arise board president Clyde Jones said. "Public policy should make it easier, not harder, for struggling families to make ends meet.” |
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Black Belt News Network: Alabama Arise to support untaxing groceries bill at State House on Thursday
"State lawmakers took an important first step toward untaxing groceries in 2023 by reducing the state grocery tax from 4% to 3%. Legislators now have another chance this year to continue the bipartisan progress toward untaxing groceries in Alabama forever," Alabama Arise said in a statement to the Black Belt News Network. |
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Southern Poverty Law Center: Medicaid funding cuts may cause ripple effects on health care across the nation
“Our health care system as we know it will collapse,” Arise's Debbie Smith told the Southern Poverty Law Center. “I don’t think that’s an exaggeration. Medicaid is absolutely the backbone of the system. Our hospitals and clinics would not survive without it.” |
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Alabama Political Reporter: Immigrants rally against antagonistic bills at State House
"Pushing the mass deportation agenda will not only separate families and cause deep harm to those directly impacted, it will tank economic growth. It will lead to massive job losses, it will disrupt key industries, it will spike inflation and it will create even more a culture of fear in our workplaces and our communities," Arise's Adam Keller said at a rally last week. |
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Alabama Channel: Live and recorded legislative meetings
The Alabama Channel is a searchable library of live and recorded videos of floor debates and committee meetings at the Alabama Legislature. It is a project of the League of Women Voters of Alabama Education Fund. |
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Bills we’re watching: The Alabama Legislature is off for spring break this week. Here are a few of the bills we will be monitoring when lawmakers return next week: - HB 29 by Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, would require many unemployed people to contact at least five prospective employers each week while receiving unemployment insurance benefits, up from the current three. The House passed HB 29, and the Senate could consider it next week. Alabama Arise opposes HB 29.
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HB 43 by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Moody, would allow judges to impose a split sentence on an offender sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment or less, up from the current 20 years or less. The House passed HB 43, and the Senate could consider it next week. Alabama Arise supports HB 43.
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HB 89 by Rep Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, and SB 102 by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, would remove red-tape barriers to health coverage and allow eligible pregnant women to enroll in Medicaid as soon as their pregnancy is medically confirmed. The House passed HB 89, and the Senate could consider it next week. The Senate passed SB 102, and the House could consider it next week. Alabama Arise supports HB 89 and SB 102.
- HB 152 by Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, would exempt diapers, baby supplies, baby formula, maternity clothing and women’s hygiene products from the state sales tax. The House passed HB 152, and it awaits transmission to the Senate. Alabama Arise supports HB 152.
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HB 322 by Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley, and SB 191 by Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, would improve Medicaid coverage for mothers facing postpartum depression. The House passed HB 322, and it awaits consideration in the Senate Healthcare Committee. The Senate could consider SB 191 next week. Alabama Arise supports HB 322 and SB 191.
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HB 327 by Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, and SB 199 by Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, would provide paid parental leave for state employees and teachers. The House Ways and Means Education Committee approved HB 327. The Senate and House passed SB 199, and it awaits Gov. Kay Ivey’s signature. Alabama Arise supports HB 327 and SB 199.
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HB 386 by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, would reduce the state sales tax on groceries from 3% to 2% beginning on Sept. 1, 2025. The House passed HB 386, and it awaits transmission to the Senate. Alabama Arise supports HB 386.
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HB 477 by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, and SB 84 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would authorize unregulated health plans that could cap benefits for enrollees and charge higher premiums or deny coverage based on preexisting conditions. HB 477 is in the House Health Committee, and SB 84 is in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. Alabama Arise opposes HB 477 and SB 84.
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SB 22 by Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, would allow the state to remove tax incentives from companies that violate child labor laws. The Senate passed SB 22, and it awaits consideration in the House Ways and Means Education Committee. Alabama Arise supports SB 22.
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SB 157 by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Montgomery, would allow people who are incarcerated to participate virtually in their parole hearings. The Senate could consider SB 157 next week. Alabama Arise supports SB 157.
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Alabama Arise
P.O. Box 1188, Montgomery, Alabama 36101
(334) 832-9060 · [email protected]
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