The Alabama redistricting lawsuit continued this week as a federal court struck down the state’s congressional map once again. The Legislature approved the map in July after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the state’s original map likely violated the Voting Rights Act. But federal judges this week said the new map still failed to comply with the act. Arise’s Akiesha Anderson gives an update on what happened and what’s to come in Alabama’s redistricting case.
Issue: Voting Rights
Arise legislative update: Recap of Alabama redistricting hearing
The ongoing lawsuit over Alabama’s congressional map returned to federal court this week. Arise’s Mike Nicholson attended the U.S. District Court’s redistricting hearing in Birmingham on Aug. 14.
In this video update, Mike provides background on the case, which returned to district court after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Allen v. Milligan. He also talks about the frustration that many people at the hearing seemed to feel in response to the state’s arguments. Judges questioned whether Alabama’s revised map complied with their order for lawmakers to draw two districts where Black voters have a realistic opportunity to elect a candidate of their preference.
This week’s hearing followed a July special session during which the Legislature drew a new congressional map in response to the Allen v. Milligan ruling. That decision found that Alabama’s congressional districts likely violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the power of Black voters. Plaintiffs said lawmakers’ new map also violates the act and urged the court to appoint a special master to draw Alabama’s congressional districts.
Arise legislative update: Recap of 2023 redistricting special session
Arise’s Akiesha Anderson provides an update after the Alabama Legislature’s weeklong special session that focused on redistricting. The special session was in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Allen v. Milligan, which found that Alabama’s congressional districts likely violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the power of Black voters. Akiesha also discusses what may happen next as the state’s new map faces a likely change in federal court next month.
June 2023 newsletter
At last: Alabama Arise members celebrate grocery tax reduction
By Chris Sanders, communications director | chris@alarise.org
The grocery tax bill passed. After more than three decades of persistent advocacy, Alabama Arise members turned that longstanding vision into reality this year. Every Alabamian will benefit as a result, and the benefits will be greatest for families struggling to make ends meet.
This breakthrough highlighted a 2023 regular session during which Arise members made a difference on numerous priorities at the Legislature. Our advocacy helped an important criminal justice reform become law and helped block efforts to undermine voting rights.
What the grocery tax bill will do
Alabamians will begin paying a lower state grocery tax this Labor Day weekend. HB 479, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, will cut the state sales tax on groceries from 4% to 2% in two steps. The reduction will apply to all items defined as food under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). When fully implemented, the law will save Alabamians the equivalent of about a week’s worth of groceries every year.
The first step will take effect Sept. 1, when the state grocery tax will drop from 4% to 3%. The next reduction, from 3% to 2%, will come in September 2024, as long as Education Trust Fund (ETF) revenues have grown by at least 3.5% over the previous year. If they haven’t, the reduction will occur in the first year when revenue growth does meet that threshold.
HB 479 also allows (but does not require) cities and counties to reduce their sales taxes on groceries. The law allows localities that reduce their grocery tax to reverse some or all of that reduction later. But localities cannot increase local grocery taxes above their current rate.
Garrett’s bill emerged late in the session but quickly gained overwhelming bipartisan support. The House passed the bill 103-0 on May 25, and the Senate followed with a 31-0 vote June 1. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill into law June 15.
Garrett joined with Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, and Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth to guide HB 479 through the Legislature. But the bill’s passage also rests on the foundation laid by many other legislative champions through the years. They include former Rep. John Knight, D-Montgomery; former Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma; Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove; and Reps. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, Penni McClammy, D-Montgomery, and Mary Moore, D-Birmingham.
What comes next in our work to untax groceries
HB 479 is a watershed moment in Arise’s work for tax justice. That work will continue. The bill doesn’t eliminate the entire 4% state grocery tax, and it doesn’t replace the revenue. The state grocery tax is an important funding source for public education, bringing in about $600 million annually. That is about 7% of this year’s ETF budget.
“Revenues are strong enough for now to reduce the grocery tax without causing severe harm to education funding,” Arise executive director Robyn Hyden said. “But history tells us that good economic times won’t last forever.”
Legislators this year created a study commission to recommend sustainable ways to eliminate the rest of the state grocery tax. HJR 243, sponsored by McClammy, requires the commission to report its findings and recommendations by November 2026.
Arise will seize that opportunity to push lawmakers to close tax loopholes skewed in favor of wealthy people and highly profitable corporations. One such loophole is the state income tax deduction for federal income taxes (FIT). Alabama is the only state that still allows a full FIT deduction.
The state grocery tax is a cruel tax on survival that drives many Alabamians deeper into poverty. Arise is committed to building on this year’s success and ending this tax forever. With our members’ continued advocacy and support, that is another vision we’ll turn into reality together.
2023 was a momentous session on Alabama Arise priorities
By Mike Nicholson, policy analyst | mike@alarise.org
June 6 ended one of the most significant legislative sessions ever for Alabama Arise and our supporters. Through timely and persistent advocacy, Arise members helped build a better, more equitable Alabama.
While our work continues, we want to highlight the many important strides this year in our movement for a better Alabama for all – and celebrate Arise members’ role in advancing that goal. This article summarizes some of the key bills on Arise priorities during the Legislature’s 2023 regular session. For information on all bills we tracked this year, visit the Bills of Interest page on our website.
Tax reform
Lawmakers proposed many significant tax reform bills this session. But none will have more lasting significance to Alabamians than reducing the state sales tax on groceries, a longstanding Arise priority. Thanks to phenomenal member advocacy, our state is finally removing part of this regressive tax.
HB 479, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, became law this year. This legislation will cut the state grocery tax by half in the coming years. This huge victory for tax justice resulted from decades of hard work by Arise members.
Adequate state budgets
Alabama’s 2024 General Fund (GF) and Education Trust Fund (ETF) budgets are both significantly larger than 2023. The GF budget is about $3 billion and includes a 2% pay raise for state employees. It also includes significant funding increases for Medicaid, mental health care and other state services. The 2024 ETF budget is nearly $8.8 billion, half a billion dollars more than the previous year’s ETF.
HB 295 and SB 202, known as the PRICE Act, were sponsored by Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, and Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia. These bills would have allowed parents to take tax dollars that otherwise would support local public schools and use them to pay for private schools or home schooling. Arise and other advocates helped defeat this legislation, protecting nearly $600 million of public education funding.
Voting rights
HB 209, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, did not pass this session. This bill would have criminalized many efforts to assist voters with absentee ballot applications or completed ballots. Arise and other groups successfully stopped this bill, which passed the House but never reached the Senate floor.
Criminal justice reform
SB 154, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, became law this year. This legislation will make it harder for the state to suspend people’s driver’s licenses for failure to pay traffic tickets. Arise and our partners at Alabama Appleseed strongly supported this bill.
HB 24, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, passed despite Arise’s opposition. This bill will criminalize asking for money on the side of roads, punishing many Alabamians facing housing insecurity. Federal courts have found similar laws unconstitutional in recent years.
HB 229, sponsored by Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, would have allowed resentencing of certain incarcerated individuals sentenced to life imprisonment without parole under Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act. This bill passed the House and gained Senate committee approval, but it never reached the Senate floor. Arise supported this bill and expects a similar one to be filed next session.
Death penalty reform
England’s HB 14 would have required a unanimous jury sentence to impose the death penalty. The bill also would have made the state’s judicial override ban retroactive. This bill received a public hearing but did not leave the committee. Arise supported this bill and expects a similar one to be filed next session.
Other issues
SB 196, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would have increased government transparency by improving Alabama’s open records process. This bill passed the Senate and gained House committee approval but did not pass in the House. Arise supported this bill and expects a similar one to be filed next session.
SB 242, sponsored by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, would have undermined tenant protections by removing the cap on the amount of the security deposit that landlords can charge to renters. Arise opposed this bill, and it died without reaching the Senate floor.
Building momentum for closing the coverage gap
By Debbie Smith, Cover Alabama campaign director | debbie@alarise.org
Cover Alabama has built powerful momentum to expand Medicaid and close the state’s health coverage gap in recent months. In March, Alabama Arise’s Cover Alabama campaign held its first in-person Medicaid expansion lobby day. With the participation of 80 passionate individuals, this event created a powerful platform for advocating Medicaid expansion.
Alabamians living in the coverage gap – who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to qualify for financial help to buy private insurance – shared their personal stories during the rally before engaging in meaningful conversations with their lawmakers. The event garnered great press attention, shining a spotlight on our state’s urgent need to expand health care access.
Other recent wins
In an encouraging development, the House Health Committee held a hearing this year specifically focused on the benefits of closing the coverage gap. This hearing came on the heels of Cover Alabama’s rally. And it marked a significant milestone, as the first time legislators formally discussed Medicaid expansion in a committee hearing. The hearing provided an important platform to educate lawmakers and the public about the positive impact Medicaid expansion can have on our communities.
Meanwhile, we also celebrated the recent success of North Carolina, which passed Medicaid expansion in March. That move means Alabama is now one of only 10 states that has not yet expanded its Medicaid program.
We are determined to change that. We will continue advocating for our state to join others in providing vital health care access to those in need.
Looking forward
In April, Arise and Cover Alabama partnered with Doctors for America to conduct a highly engaging half-day advocate training session. Fifty people attended the event in Birmingham or online on a Saturday morning. This event equipped our advocates with the knowledge and tools needed to advocate effectively for Medicaid expansion, empowering them to make a difference.
Thank you to each and every one of you for your unwavering support, dedication and passion for health justice. Together, we are making significant strides toward Medicaid expansion in Alabama.
Let’s continue to raise our voices, engage with lawmakers and advocate for equitable health care access for every Alabamian.
Allen v. Milligan ruling is a shot in the arm for democracy
By Robyn Hyden, executive director | robyn@alarise.org
Alabamians received good news this month with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Allen v. Milligan. This decision upholds key parts of the Voting Rights Act and requires Alabama to draw new congressional districts by July 21. The Legislature likely will hold a special session in July to approve two majority-Black (or close to majority-Black) districts. Alabama has had only one majority-Black district for decades, diluting the voting power of Black residents.
The ruling came a decade after Shelby County v. Holder, a decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act’s preclearance protections. As we commemorate this anniversary, we are reminded of why protecting Black voting power in Alabama is so critical to achieving our vision of a strong, participatory democracy.
Alabama Arise salutes our partners at Alabama Forward, Alabama NAACP, Greater Birmingham Ministries and ACLU of Alabama for their hard work and vision in the Milligan case. Arise will continue working to advance legislation to protect and strengthen voting rights. And we will keep fighting to ensure that every vote counts and elected officials are accountable to their constituents.
Leave a lasting legacy
By Jacob Smith, development director | jacob@alarise.org
Alabama Arise has set long-term goals like a fairer state tax system and state budgets that provide opportunities for all. Together, we have made meaningful steps toward these goals. And our members – with monthly or one-time gifts – help us keep up the momentum every day. We are so grateful.
However, this vision won’t happen overnight. There’s a type of gift that you probably haven’t considered – one that will ensure you continue to join us in Alabama Arise’s work even past your lifetime. That’s leaving us in your will.
Regardless of your income, making a will is an important step to ensure your end-of-life wishes are known. There are online tools that can help. And consulting a financial planner would be a great idea, too. You don’t even have to tell us that you included us. (Though we would be glad if you did!)
We would love to share sample language or chat about the legacy you want to leave Alabama. Reach out to me at jacob@alarise.org.
Thank you for your ongoing work and contributions to building a better Alabama.
Arise Legislative Day: Making the state grocery tax cut a reality!
Allen v. Milligan ruling is a shot in the arm for democracy
Alabamians received good news this month with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Allen v. Milligan. This decision upholds key parts of the Voting Rights Act and requires Alabama to draw new congressional districts by July 21. The Legislature likely will hold a special session in July to approve two majority-Black (or close to majority-Black) districts. Alabama has had only one majority-Black district for decades, diluting the voting power of Black residents.
The ruling came a decade after Shelby County v. Holder, a decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act’s preclearance protections. As we commemorate this anniversary, we are reminded of why protecting Black voting power in Alabama is so critical to achieving our vision of a strong, participatory democracy.
Alabama Arise salutes our partners at Alabama Forward, Alabama NAACP, Greater Birmingham Ministries and ACLU of Alabama for their hard work and vision in the Milligan case. Arise will continue working to advance legislation to protect and strengthen voting rights. And we will keep fighting to ensure that every vote counts and elected officials are accountable to their constituents.
2023 was a momentous session on Alabama Arise policy priorities
June 6 ended one of the most significant legislative sessions ever for Alabama Arise and our supporters. Through timely and persistent advocacy, Arise members helped build a better, more equitable Alabama.
While our work continues, we want to highlight the many important strides this year in our movement for a better Alabama for all – and celebrate Arise members’ role in advancing that goal. This article summarizes some of the key bills on Arise priorities during the Legislature’s 2023 regular session. For information on all bills we tracked this year, visit the Bills of Interest page on our website.
Tax reform
Lawmakers proposed many significant tax reform bills this session. But none will have more lasting significance to Alabamians than reducing the state sales tax on groceries, a longstanding Arise priority. Thanks to phenomenal member advocacy, our state is finally removing part of this regressive tax.
HB 479, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, became law this year. This legislation will cut the state grocery tax by half in the coming years. This huge victory for tax justice resulted from decades of hard work by Arise members. (See page 1.)
Adequate state budgets
Alabama’s 2024 General Fund (GF) and Education Trust Fund (ETF) budgets are both significantly larger than 2023. The GF budget is about $3 billion and includes a 2% pay raise for state employees. It also includes significant funding increases for Medicaid, mental health care and other state services. The 2024 ETF budget is nearly $8.8 billion, half a billion dollars more than the previous year’s ETF.
HB 295 and SB 202, known as the PRICE Act, were sponsored by Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, and Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia. These bills would have allowed parents to take tax dollars that otherwise would support local public schools and use them to pay for private schools or home schooling. Arise and other advocates helped defeat this legislation, protecting nearly $600 million of public education funding.
Voting rights
HB 209, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, did not pass this session. This bill would have criminalized many efforts to assist voters with absentee ballot applications or completed ballots. Arise and other groups successfully stopped this bill, which passed the House but never reached the Senate floor.
Criminal justice reform
SB 154, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, became law this year. This legislation will make it harder for the state to suspend people’s driver’s licenses for failure to pay traffic tickets. Arise and our partners at Alabama Appleseed strongly supported this bill.
HB 24, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, passed despite Arise’s opposition. This bill will criminalize asking for money on the side of roads, punishing many Alabamians facing housing insecurity. Federal courts have found similar laws unconstitutional in recent years.
HB 229, sponsored by Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, would have allowed resentencing of certain incarcerated individuals sentenced to life imprisonment without parole under Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act. This bill passed the House and gained Senate committee approval, but it never reached the Senate floor. Arise supported this bill and expects a similar one to be filed next session.
Death penalty reform
England’s HB 14 would have required a unanimous jury sentence to impose the death penalty. The bill also would have made the state’s judicial override ban retroactive. This bill received a public hearing but did not leave the committee. Arise supported this bill and expects a similar one to be filed next session.
Other issues
SB 196, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would have increased government transparency by improving Alabama’s open records process. This bill passed the Senate and gained House committee approval but did not pass in the House. Arise supported this bill and expects a similar one to be filed next session.
SB 242, sponsored by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, would have undermined tenant protections by removing the cap on the amount of the security deposit that landlords can charge to renters. Arise opposed this bill, and it died without reaching the Senate floor.
Vote ‘No’ on HB 209 – Rep. Kiel’s bill that would narrow voting rights in Alabama
Voting rights are an essential part of the democratic process, and we should be wary of any legislation that unnecessarily prevents people from voting. But HB 209, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, would do just that. This bill would make it a felony to assist others in the absentee ballot application and submission process, except under very narrow exceptions. Here are three reasons to oppose this bill in the Alabama Legislature’s 2023 regular session:
Alabama’s absentee voting application process is already secure and safe. There’s no need to add confusing and frightening requirements to an already secure process.
- This bill would prohibit any person from knowingly distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, obtaining or delivering an absentee ballot application or absentee ballot of another person.
- Making it a crime to assist people in the absentee ballot application process is completely unnecessary. It would create a chilling effect on voters as they become more fearful of an already difficult process.
- This legislation reflects an untrue and dangerous narrative about voting rights and the voting process in our state. Former Secretary of State John Merrill repeatedly has gone on record to say the 2020 election was safe, and that few, if any, instances of voter fraud occurred.
This bill likely would have unintended consequences. Innocent people would become the victims of ideological warfare.
- The stated intent of this legislation is to ensure that people don’t profit from, or take advantage of, the absentee ballot process. However, because the penalties are so severe, they almost certainly would scare people who are attempting to assist voters who legitimately need help.
- This bill would make it a felony to drop off a neighbor’s or friend’s absentee ballot or ballot application, even if that person has a disability or no form of transportation.
- The bill’s exception allowing immediate family members to drop off a ballot or ballot application for you is not enough to mitigate harm. This exception is too narrow (for example, it does not explicitly mention in-laws) and would lead to further confusion around the voting process.
We need to expand access to voting, not make it more difficult.
- Alabama has a shameful history when it comes to preventing groups from voting in our state. We have long been at the center of the battle for civil rights and far too often on the wrong side of history.
- Our 1901 state constitution was written explicitly to establish white supremacy and disenfranchise Black and poor white Alabamians. This shameful legacy unfortunately persists in many aspects of our state’s voting process today.
- Our state has some of the strictest voting procedures in the country. Movements for an Election Day holiday, early voting periods, automatic voter registration and no-fault absentee voting all have met with intense opposition in the Legislature through the years.
- This bill would be one more barrier in a long line of barriers going back more than 100 years that attempts to limit democratic participation in Alabama. We need to remove unnecessary voting barriers, not add more of them.
Vote ‘No’ on HB 209 – Rep. Kiel’s bill that would narrow voting rights in Alabama
- Alabama’s absentee voting application process is already secure and safe. There’s no need to add provisions that could confuse or frighten people or discourage them from participating in our democracy.
- This bill likely would have real and unintended consequences for people who are just trying to help their friends or family members vote.
- Alabama already has some of the strictest voting laws in the nation. We should be making it easier, not harder, for people to be part of the democratic process.
Arise legislative update: April 17, 2023
Arise’s Akiesha Anderson provides an update on two bills we’re watching in the Alabama Legislature this week. We are urging the Senate to support a bill that would end many driver’s license suspensions for debt-based reasons. And we are urging a House committee to oppose a bill that would add harmful and confusing limits to Alabama’s absentee voting process.
Arise legislative update: April 10, 2023
Arise’s Mike Nicholson highlights three criminal justice reform bills that we’re watching and supporting during the Alabama Legislature’s 2023 regular session. This legislation would help modernize our state’s sentencing system, reduce the burdens of high fines and fees, and ease voting rights restoration for many Alabamians who were formerly incarcerated.
Alabama Arise resources for the 2022 general election
The 2022 general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 8 – less than three weeks from today. Alabamians will vote on a range of local, state and federal offices, including the governor, state legislators, a U.S. Senate seat and U.S. House members. Voters also will decide on a proposed recompilation of the state constitution and 10 proposed statewide constitutional amendments.
Are you registered to vote? Have you made a plan to vote in this year’s general election? Alabama Arise has information below about how to register and how voters can cast a ballot. We share resources that could help if you face barriers to voting. And we explain why we urge Alabamians to vote YES on the recompiled state constitution.
What you need to know about voter registration
- Alabama’s voter registration deadline for the 2022 general election is Monday, Oct. 24. That is the deadline both for new voters to register and for current voters to update their voting information if they have moved to another location within Alabama.
- Register to vote or update your information online here.
- People who have faced domestic violence, or guardians of people who have faced domestic violence, may submit a form to protect their residential and mailing addresses from appearing on the public list of registered voters. Download that form here (opens as a PDF).
- Alabamians are not officially registered to vote until their county board of registrars reviews and approves their application.
- Check your voter registration status here.
What you need to know for the election
- Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day (Nov. 8). If you’re a registered voter in line by 7 p.m., stay in line! You’ll be allowed to vote.
- A valid photo ID is required to vote. Learn more about those requirements here.
- Find your sample ballot (by county) here.
- Check your registration and find your polling place here.
- The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the 2022 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 1. The completed absentee ballot must arrive at the election manager’s office by no later than the close of business on Monday, Nov. 7 (if hand-delivered) or by noon on Tuesday, Nov. 8 (if returned by mail). Learn more about absentee voting here.
- Voters may vote for whomever they wish in the general election, regardless of which primary (if any) they participated in earlier this year.
- Read Alabama Arise’s blog post on why Alabamians should vote YES on the recompiled state constitution. The recompilation will appear on the ballot as the Constitution of Alabama of 2022. (See below for more details.)
- Read AL.com’s overview of the 10 proposed statewide constitutional amendments.
- You can find more information and resources on the Alabama Secretary of State’s website and at VOTE411.org, a website by the League of Women Voters Education Fund.
What to do if you face barriers to voting
If you face any intimidation, threats or other barriers to voting, trained volunteers are ready to help. You can call the nonpartisan Election Protection hotlines here:
- English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
- Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
- Asian languages: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
- Arabic: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)
Why Alabama Arise supports the recompiled constitution
“Alabama Arise is committed to recognizing, teaching about and repairing the damage that state lawmakers perpetrated for generations through codifying racism and racist practices. Racist language and the harmful provisions flowing from it have no place in our state’s most important legal document. That is why we urge Alabamians to vote ‘Yes’ on the recompiled state constitution on Nov. 8, 2022.
“Examples of deleted racist language [in the recompilation] include references to separate schools for Black and white children and prohibition of interracial marriages. The recompilation also strengthens Alabama’s prohibition of slavery by removing language that allows involuntary servitude ‘for the punishment of crime.’
“Alabama voters will decide whether to authorize those changes by adopting the recompiled state constitution. Arise recommends voting ‘Yes’ on the recompilation, which will appear on the ballot as the Constitution of Alabama of 2022.”