Blog
Public policy should make life better for everyone, not just a select few. Throughout the year, Arise tracks a range of state and federal policy proposals and assesses what they would mean for Alabamians who are struggling to make ends meet. Our blog provides quick updates on these proposals and offers tips on what you can do to help build an Alabama where all people have an opportunity to reach their full potential.
Blog
Recent Alabama execution underscores ongoing need for death penalty reform
This year already has seen a number of Alabama Arise priorities in the news, and death penalty reform is no exception. Unfortunately, Alabama recently became the first state to perform an execution using the unsafe and untested method known as nitrogen hypoxia. The state executed Kenneth Smith using this method on Jan. 25, despite concerns [...]
Blog
State, federal budgets need to do more for children
It’s budget season at the Alabama Legislature and in Congress. But many of our state and federal representatives are not doing enough to meet the very real needs of ordinary people. Gov. Kay Ivey has now proposed an Education Trust Fund budget as well as a General Fund budget, which funds Medicaid, mental health care [...]
Blog
Grocery tax, protecting voting rights among Arise priorities for 2024 session
The Alabama Legislature began its second regular session of the current quadrennium on Feb. 6. Lawmakers already have voted on numerous hot-button issues early in this session, and Alabama Arise anticipates that trend may continue. The upcoming presidential election, Alabama’s early primary date and other political factors may color what legislative leaders prioritize this year. [...]
Blog
Arise legislative update: March 4, 2024
Arise's Akiesha Anderson gives a rundown on a plethora of bills we are monitoring on voting rights, education funding and other issues as we begin the fifth week of the Alabama Legislature's 2024 regular session. As a reminder, you can always visit alarise.org and click on "Take Action" to see a list of our action [...]
Blog
Arise legislative update: Feb. 26, 2024
Arise's Akiesha Anderson breaks down a flurry of legislation that kept us busy last week. She discusses bills filed in response to the Alabama Supreme Court's decision on in vitro fertilization (IVF), updates us on anti-DEI legislation and examines the CHOOSE Act, a bill that would redirect public school funding to private schools and homeschooling. [...]
Blog
The urgency of improving maternal health outcomes in Alabama
I am honored to join the Alabama Arise team to help address one of the most pressing issues facing our state: maternal health. My name is Victoria, and I am Arise’s new maternal health fellow. I come to Arise with a deep passion for improving maternal health outcomes for all individuals in our state. About [...]
Blog
Arise legislative update: Feb. 20, 2024
Arise's Akiesha Anderson provides updates on all the bills that moved last week and previews what's to come this week in the Alabama Legislature. Topics include a harmful bill that would create barriers to absentee voting, efforts to preserve child labor protections, the future of the state sales tax on groceries and the CHOOSE Act, [...]
Blog
Arise legislative update: Feb. 12, 2024
Arise's Akiesha Anderson catches everyone up on a busier-than-normal first week of the Alabama legislative session and previews an additional busy week ahead. Anderson discusses what's been happening with a harmful bill that would create more barriers to absentee voting and provides an update on the future of the state sales tax on groceries. Full [...]
Blog
Arise legislative update: Feb. 6, 2024
Arise's Akiesha Anderson welcomes everyone to the Alabama Legislature's 2024 regular session. She talks about what we'll be looking out for on our members' legislative priorities and how you can stay engaged with us this year as we work to build a better, more inclusive Alabama. Full video transcript: Hi, everyone. My name is Akiesha [...]
Letters & Testimony
Alabama Arise joins state commission on elimination of state grocery tax
The state sales tax on groceries is a cruel tax on survival, and Alabama Arise is committed to eliminating it. That is why I am grateful that Sen. Bobby Singleton nominated me to serve on the Joint Study Commission on Grocery Taxation on behalf of Arise. I am extremely excited about and honored for this [...]